The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1878-01-02
FARM AND HOME
The size of Farms.

industry anu enterprise, without winch
the business of farming is neither pleasant
nor profitable. The ownership of prop
erty is Justly a cause of pride and makes
man ambitious to exceed and excel. This
is the case particularly where a nan has
acquired q farm through his own exer-
lions.
The size of farms is a question of first
importance in farm economy, aud were
proper attention given to this subject in
our country, we should hear much less
about Improbable farming. No rules
can be given for the proper size of farms
that will apply to all sections, or to all
classes of farmers, but, generally, the
number of acres in a farm should depend
upon the amount of capital to be en-
ployed upon it.
There is a tendency among our farmers
to try to cultivate too much land, many
of them taking greater pride in having
large farms than in having good ones.
Consequently their lands are poorly
cultivated and are not Supplied with
manures; crops diminish from year 10
year until they fail to pay even the cost
of hired labor and. finally, whole fields
are abandoned as "worn-out," and
unfit for cultivation. The greatest mis-
take of many farmers is in buying more
land than they can pay for, actually
I giving all their means and credit for land,
and leaving nothing with which to begin
farming operations. Thus they are kept
long in debt, chiefly from the want of
suitable livestock and farming nipple.
ments, and becoming disheartened they
are incapable of that enterprise and
energy so essential to success. Tn
farmer with money enough to pay for
one hundred acres of land, who buys only
fifty acres, and reserves the balance OF
his money for improvements, will soon
be able to accumulate money from the
proceeds of his farm, and in time will
probably have IN opportunity of buying
more land from neighborihg farmers who
began by paying their all for land, and
who at last give by farming because it
does not pay. Doubtless there are cases
where it is safe to go in debt in buying d
farm, as when land is cheap, and is likely
to increase in value, or when an ex-
perienced farmer sees from the location
of the farm and the character of the soil
that large and profitable crops may be
raised, and the farm paid for in a short
time. But in these eases the farmer
should not fail to provide necessary farm
animals and machinery, even if the farm
has to be bought entirely on credit, in
order to pay for these articles. In all
cases the mere reputation of having a
large farm is a consideration too tIifing
to influence a wise mans decision as to
buying it.
Farming is really profitable only when
the net proceeds of the farm amount to
anything over a reasonable rate of in.
terest on th3 capital invested. But
when capital is invested in large, and fol
the most part, uncuItiyated farms, where
the proceeds Of the farm only pay interest
on It's cost, the labor done on the farm is
little better than thrown away. Amateur
farmers who depend upon something else
for a support, and who have money to
spend without a view to profits, may try
this plan, but a farmer whose support
depends upon his daily labors, can afford
to cultivate no more land than can be
attended to in the very best name
That large farms, if properly managed,
may be made mor profitable than small
enes, is evident from the following con-
sideration. A farm of five hundred
acres is required to support but one
family, and needs but one residence, one
barn, n set of other buildings, one set
Of haying and harvesting machinery,
and n thoroughbred bull, ram aud
boar. But were this to be divided into
five smaller farms, of one hundred acres
each, there would be five families to sup
port, and there would be required five
sets of buildings, FIVE outfits of expensive
machinery, five thoroughbred animals of
each kind, and a great deal more fencing
than would be needed on the n farm.
Large farms are by no means TO be OBJ
iected to, when the owners have capital
enough to cultivate them as well as some
of our small farms are cultivated. It is
to the wealthy and progressive owners Of
large farms that we are indebted for tie
Introduction of improved implements,
livestock, and methods of culture. But
a farm OF FIVE hundred acres requires,
besides a large capital, a good knowledge
OF business management. The owner Of
such a iarm must depend in great part
upon hired labor, and must be able to
plan his work and direct his Iaborers so
that everything shall proceed with clock
work regularity. A man who does not
know how to employ the labor of others
to advantage, should do his own work.
Small farms, though they may be less
profitable than large ones, will yield a
competency to any prudent manager,
while they are a necessity to beginners
in farming, and those whose capital is
limited. Small farmers may often m
ploy cooperation in work, and joint
ownership Of livestock and implements,
and thus be nearer an equality with their
rich neighbors. Four or fvesuch farmers,
living e each other, may combine in
purchasing hlooded animals for breeding
purposes, reapers, mowers and h~ay-rakes,
and other articles which are needed on
a single farm but a small portion of the
year; one machine, implement, or animal,
ofeach kind being enough fer all.