The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-04-04
TOPICS FOB FARMERS.

Successful Farming.-There are two
kinds of farming, viz, speciality farm
ing and general farming. General farm
ing consists in raising something of all
the staple products of the soil. This
kind of farming seldom fails of giving
man food enough and to spare; and,
as the world has it, he can make a hv-
ing" thus engaged. IL a man cares
simply for a livelihood, or wishes to
combine a little farming along with
some other business which he is pursu-
ing, general farming answers good pur-
pose for such man. But, If man de-
sires both living and income from the
farm alone, we would recommend him,
as the surest and safest way to secure
| these things, to try speciality farming.
This kind of farming, as is well known,
consists in the selection of some one of
| the staple products of the soil and Civ
| ing the attention to this alone. Now, |
consider making specialties " one of
| the elements of successful farming. But
there is deal of discrimination arising
because of the following reasons, which
are obvious to the general reader. Some
portions of our country are totally un-
fit for speciality farming. In such por-
tions nothing will grow in abundance,
but we can obtain little of nearly
everything In such localities general
farming seems necessity, and will, in
deed, give man a living. Again, some
men are SO situated that a certain
amount Of general farming is all that is
necessary. General farming is suited to
| certain localities, and to certain men,
namely, to those localities where the
soil is of varied character-of many
kinds, with no chemical element in such
abundance as to warrant any heightened
and extensive production of any one
thing; and to those men who are uncon-
cerned as to whether they make money
fast or not, or to those who farm in con-
nection with some other avocation. Spe-
cialty farming belongs to those localities
where particular thing can be grown
to advantage, and more especially to
those men who wish to make farming
their sole avocation, and get the most
they can out of it. With proper dis
elimination, then, speciality farming
may be placed among our elements OF
successful farming, as inferior to none of
them. If a man is pursuing specialties,
he can at the same time grow enough of
the other staple products for the de-
mands of his family; and no farmer,
whatever else he may do, should fail OF
having a large garden, and taking good
care of it. He will find it half his living,
surely.
Breeding Stock ON the Farm.-Says
the Rural Neao Yorker: In view of the
market for choice stock lately thrown
open to our farmers by the expectation
of cattle and meat to Europe, it be
hooves them to pay increased attention
to the raising of superior animals on the
farm. A late report on the American
meat trade, by Professor Sheldon, of the
Cirincester Agricultural College, Eng
land, after furnishing mass of informa
ton on the subject, comes to the con
clusion that, despite some fluctuations
the dead meat trade will rapidly in
, crease, and that appliances for its sue
. cessful management will be multiplied
, here and in Europe. The profits of tn
traffic will be in great measure pro
!, portionate to the excellence of the pro
l duct, and the limit to the quantity ship
ped will be the stowage capacity of yes
,, sells crossing the Atlantic; for, owing t.
,, the falling off in our imports, the mum
= ber of ships engaged in the transatlanti
trade will be too small to afford room fo
a large export of meat together wit
other merchandise without advancing tn
freight to figure that will prohibi
o further expectation.
= The experience of many thrivin
; farmers all over the country, prove
f that better run of animals is obtaine
4 by breeding them on the farm than b
i purchasing them. More care is bestowe
( in selecting the likely ofsprings of trie
:. animals; they will 60 on fattening MOI
: rapidly and uniformly than stranger
y picked up here and there, for it take
some time before these get acquainte
: and become content enough to lay O
:, flesh kindly in their new home; an
( moreover, the tendency of prices fo
# young stock is upwards, and the prob
n bility is very strong that ere long it wi
x not pay farmers to go into the markt
for young animals. In any case, it i
f as rule, more profitable to breed tt
"a stock one handles than to purchase i