The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-02-06
wILL PAY,

UNOHhphAlNlN0 Will IAA'
FRIEND MCGREeoR-Is there any rea-
son why farmer should not be busi'
ness manP In my opinion there is none.
But in how few instances do we find such
to be tho fact. If we find a merchant or
a manufacturer commencing business on
a moderate capital, and loaning his sur
plus pro6ts to bank or a neighbor, or
investing it in government bonds, we
readily come to the conclusion that he is
no business man. Yet such seems to be
the rule with most of our farmers who
have any surplus profits. A good busi-
ness man will always put his surplus
profits into his business, thereby increas-
ing his facilities for doing business, and
it is just as necessary that farmers should
do so. | do not mean putting up splen-
did and costly buildings but these are
also all right when they can be afforded;
but these do not increase the farmers
facilities for doing business. | mean he
should put it into his land-bury it, and
if properly buried it will yield him a lar
ger interest than any other investment
he can make. 1t is a universally admit.
ted fact, that land with clay, hard pan
sub-soiI, ,orswampy, requires under drain
ing, and yet there are so few who prac.
tice it. The only argument used against
it is. that it is expensive. That is true.
But where do you find business man
who stands for expense when the ex.
pense will payP The more expense a
farmer can put upon his land, the better,
providing it pays. tits an admitted fact
that land requiring drainage will paw
back in increased crops the original in
vestment in from three to four years,
making return of from 25 to 80 per
cent per anIum, and it is an investment
that will continue to pay big, and on
which farmers pays no tax.
A neighbor of mine had about ten
acres of low, swampy land, which was of
no account to him, except to pay tax on
it, A good part of the year it was GOV.
cred knee deep with water. In the
winter and spring oflS76 he thorough
ly underdrained'it, and his crop of corn
from it for 1877 paid all the expense of
draining and cultivation; and that ten
acres will continue to return large in
terest on the amount invested. | might
cite other instances of benefits derived
from drainage coming under my own OBJ
servation, but it would make this article
too long. My object is only to draw the
attention of our farmers to the subject,
and give some of the advantages. The
of surface water on land
has been felt by every farmer, both in
the spring and during the season for ma
turing the crops. Now, drainage will re-
move that surface water, and do it speed
lily. Besides the speedy removal of the
water gives the farmer a chance to work
his ground from ten TO fourteen days ear
lier than when undrained, and crops on
drained land are not 80 susceptible to
the influence of frost in autumn as those
on undrained land. It allows him to
work his corn and potatoes sooner after
a heavy rain. 1t renders the land mel
low and easy of tillage, and is drier in
wet weather, and contains more moisture
in dry weather than land not drained 1t |
rust in wheat and rot in pota-
,oes by speedily removing the water from
5he influence of hot sun. 1t prevents |
5he freezing out of wheat and clover, by |
removing the water from the influence
Of the frost. And last, but not least,
Notwithstanding it pays back very soon
The original investment it makes the |
and worth double what it was before
being drained. l might name other ad.
vantages, but these must suffice for the
present
There is probability that we will
nave from now on an open winter and
Ipring, and it would be a good time to
Train. But l advise every farmer not to
lrain any unless he does it thoroughly.
As to how it should be done l do not
propose to say anything in this short ar
icle, but advise the procurement ofsome
rood authority on the subject. To the
armer l say, if you cannot drain much,
Train small field or part of a field,
Drain your garden and your wife will
bless you, for she has generally to do
most of the work in the garden.
To the farmer this is an important
natter; it is matter of business; mat
er of dollars and cents, and ifhe but re-
lects upon it, he will agree with me that
t will pay him better to put their mon.
y into their business than by investing
n more land or any other way. "Put it
where it will do the most good" B.
ppEsIDFNT n AvEs last wpeL onnointad