Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-08-03
Profits on Small Farms.

An acquaintance said to us a few
days ago" There is no profit made by
small farmers in sections where land.
is high; it is only rich farmers with
large farms, and ample capital, who can
make the business pay" While it may
be true that many small farmers in the
older sections Of the country do not
make ends meet one year with another,
there are a great many others who do
this, and more; they are obtaining fair
the largest farmers who make the most
money from their farms, or who realize
the best returns from their business
1t is possible for the owners of small
farms to make these farms remunera-
tive, and perhaps more so for the
amount invested, than many of the
larger farms are to their owners. In
deed, it is question whether that class
of men on small farms who direct their
operations with judgment and skill, do
not realize more In return on the amount
invested than majority Of owners of
large farms do. The cost of carrying
on large farm is, of itself, no light
burden, and when, to this, other expen-
ses and losses, which occur in the ordi-
nary co rise Of farming pursuits, and
the interest on fair valuation of the
property, are added, the per cent. of
profit on well-managed small farms will
generally, we think, make far better
showing.
But there are many small farmers
who do not make the best use of their
opportunities, and 20 this fact is due
much Of the complaint of the poor sue
cess of farming. The land does not
yield as abu1dantly as it ought to and
the crops are not as fair in quality as
they ought to be. The live stock ma
lures slowly, and when it is ready for
market it does not bring as much as that
of rich farmer with a large farm. The
small farmer need not expect to keep
pace with his wide-awake neighbor,
either in the quantity per acre, or quail
ity of his crops, or whatever else he has
to sell, unless he employs something
more than blind routine in the manage
ment of his business; nor can he ex-
pect to obtain the highest market price
for what he has to sell. In farming up
on large or small scale, if it is to be
made profitable it must be conducted
with a view of securing the most salts
factory results. what is worth doing
at all, is worth doing well, is a maxim
that applies with peculiar force to farm
ing. 10 make the business profitable
the farmers labors must be directed by
intelligence and skill, and in proportion
as these enter into his endeavors will
his success be. This is the history of
all pursuits, and it will be so. The
marvellous progress which has taken
place in agriculture is due to the intelli-
gence and enterprise which has been in
fused into it, and herein is lesson for
us all. If we would achieve the best
results in the various departments of
rural pursuits we must keep abreast
with the times TO be ''left" is to sac
rifce pecuniary advantage and, at last,
to fail. On small farms and large farms
empyricism and old predudices and
methods must give way to improved
processes and better management, in
order to increase the yield per acre and
lessen the cost OF production OF crops;
and we must raise domestic animals
which gives the best profits with the
least expense.
The small farmers of some European
countries obtain results which may well
challenge our admiration. In England,
France, and Germany, lands that have
been in actual cultivation for more than
p century yield enormous crops-fully
as much as when in their virgin state
We mention this fact to show what it
is possible to do on limited number of
acres. Better preparation Of the soil,
better seed, better culture and more
care will largely increase the profits of
farming in this country Western Ri
raj.