Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-11-13
The Future Of Farming.
Western Farm journal,

There Is nothing clearer than that
the future of farming in this country
will be made remunerative, if made
to pay at all, through changed pro-
gramme. This change cannst come
of growing more wheat to the acre,
nor by sowing a broader surface OF
this, because the growing of wheat
has already proved to be the bane of
American farming, yielding no profit
at best while the very life of our best
lands is carted off, and tloated away
in the berry.
The change will come by growing
such farm beasts as will yield high
priced flesh, such as is now sought in
all our cities, and in every European
country, where meat-producing ami
mails are being sent, whether on the
hoof, quartered, in the barrel, or
canned.
Farming has been carried on at a
ruinOus disadvantage, by reason OF
growing soil-exhausting low-priced
grains, with aid of expensive and per-
ishable machinery grain raised
upon the farm being grown without
prospect of profit, when grown for
sale. If fed out it has too generally
been to animals that sell only ut the
lowest going prices, in place of those
that lay on the most pounds for the
least amount of food consumed, and
sell quick at the highest attainable
figures. These are sources of indirect
drain upon the farmers income, not
a drain upon what he has accu-
mulated, but direct curtailment of
the income which, by exercising care
and infusing correct business princi-
pies into his operations, he could an
nually count upon.
Grass is the hope Of the farmer, af-
fOrding, as it does, the best means of
keeping heart in his land, as well as
af1ording an early bite for everything
upon the farm that wears hoof or
leather, and a full feed from May to
May, first in the form of succulent
grass for early spring, followed by
that of firmer tonturc ae tho soason
advances, with the fragrant cured
grass from November to May in the
north and northwest, and grass in the
growing state the year round in the
southern States.
The battle for decent living and a
fair competence upon the farm, has
not been as successful with the mass
of farmers as we could wish. With
those who pioneer it the trials are, for
more or less protracted period, many
times, very severe. A Scant supply
of substantials, and an absence oflux-
uries prevail. During this pioneer
ing it is not practicable to perfect such
arrangements upon the farm as will
enable the proprietor to gain the adj
vantages from the tame grasses and
improved farm animals, which all old
farms should exhibit. The notion en-
tertained by q large portion of trades
people, that life on the farm is, ordi-
narily, one of independence, has not
as much substantial truth in it as
could be wished. A very large per-
centage of those engaged in mercan-
tile pursuits-mOre than three-fourths
are said to fail in business. Yet, dur
ing series of years devoted to such
business, ranging perhaps from ten to
twenty-five, comparative ease is en-
jOyed by the merchant and his house.
hold; and the luxuries of life are
somewhat freely dispensed. But with
the average farmer, and his house.
hold also, the first ten or twenty years
of his actual business life are full o
trials, and every day brings occasions
for selfdenial, while the hours ofeast
from bodily toll. and the many little
luXuries which flow daily to some in
other callings, pass the farmers fami
ly by. The poet may write it other
wise-it sounds well in song-but t.
the farmer and his household, wht
rise at dawn and do physical labor 70,
twelve to sixteen hours, the jingle o
song is mockery.