The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-03-18
Some General and Pertinent Remarks
on Farming.

Wehave good farmers and poor farmers,
and that is the reason we have good farms
and poor farms. A poor farmer will soon
make good farm poor. It is not the pro-
duction ofgrain that wears out land. Our
best farmers raise abundant crops, and
keep their land in good condition, while
the poor farmer kills his land, raising
very light crops. To be good farmer
requires close attention to the many very
little things upon which he is called to
exercise his judgment every day of his
life. If he is faithful in these little
things, and ii, as rule, he judges cor
rectly, he is what VIC call good farmer.
To illustrate: He must decide whether
he will SOW field to grass; how much
seed; at what time to be sown; in what
manner sown; in what condition ought
the ground to be best to receive the seed.
Now, if he make mistakes on majority
of these points, he has no chance for
good crop. Soft is continually with the
farmer; these little but very important
questions are staring him in the face, at
every step he takes, from morning until
night.
While one farmers pigs thrive and do
we'll another's become NANCY and die
only on account of little difference in
the cleanliness of bedding. This certain
" is very small matter, but, if persisted
in, it will make one man rich, while it
make the other one poor.
The worst feature Of our farming, at
the present time, is in having too much
stock roaming over our land. This will,
if persisted in, during the early spring
months, or at other times, when the
ground is very vet, soon kill the best of
land. A single plowing or cultivation of
landin the mud, frequently does more per-
manent injury to the land than the raising
ofa crop. This tramping Of the ground,
when in an unfit condition, is almost the
sole cause of so. many poor farms.
As rule, our live stock is not we'll cared
for in winter. There is lack of neces-
sary shelter, and great irregnlarity in
feeding, watering and caring for it gen.
orally. The manner of feeding is of
much more Importance than the amount
of feed given. We can not be successful
in the management of our stock, unless
We look specially after each animal, and
treat it according to its individual needs.
We should have regular feeding times,
and should not vary from them, for there
can be no success without some kind of
order and system. We find that the far
mer who labors without plan or system,
always works to disadvantage, and is
continually liable to what he calls "acci-
dents" or "bad luck"
There are two positions occupied by the
farmer: one of independence favored,
as only farmer can be, with the richest
productions of the soil, when other trades
and professions are overtaken with disas.
ter. He can rejoice in his abundance,
which he seemingly has without money
and without price. The other extreme
is the poor farmer. He raises but little
fruit of any kind. He is dependent upon
the market for whatever lu1uries he may
enjoy. He is invariably in debt, and
hard times always take him at disadvan-
tape. One notable difference, between
the good and the bad farmer, is that the
former takes the greatest pleasure In at
tending to the many little things which
make his calling successful; while the
latter detests the very idea of engaging
in such little matters.
The farmer will secure best returns
from his labors and capital, if he keep at
least half his land in grass, and not too
much stock. Then he can keep up the
fertility of the soil, scarcely ever fail to
have good crops, and will always have
plenty of pasture and hay for live stock.
In addition to the above somewhat
rambling remarks / should like to urge
upon my brother farmers the importance
Of keeping farm journal, or diary of
events, in which are recorded all his re-
ceipts and expenditures, notes on the
weather, the seasons, markets. etc. Such
journal tells what crops have paid, and
what have not. In other words, it brings
before us in panoramic view the past;
shows US our mistakes, and enables US to
avoid their repetition. 1have keptsuch
journal for thirty years, and in many
ways have found it profitable. BY refer
ence to my journal, 1 find that we have
sold 1894 worth of eggs and poultry, and
we have never considered as being en-
gagged in the poultry business. We feel
glad that it has been profitable to US;
but without the journal We would not
have known it to a certainty give
this as sample. I can give the exact
amount of receipts from all my various
resources of income; and it is pleasant
and profitable to have it to refer to-
I'D. 6. Branson, Newberry Twp, Miami
County, o.
= The divorce committee of the
French chamber of deputies have report
ed in favor of allowing divorces by mu-