Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-02
Rates of Advertising.
What shall we Raise?

The question above given interests every
farmer, but especial y those of US who live
in the older portions of the country, where
farming don't pay" is SO often asserted,
and so often illustrated by those who rs ert
it. The state board of asricultu. of Mas
sachusetts, held its winter meeting in De-
cember last, at Greenfield, in Fran Kiln Co.,
in the N. w. part of the state, Those OF
US who attended from other states, found
much to interest and instruct. The excel
lent dairy show held at that time, has
be discovered in among the farmers"
A most interesting. part of the proceedings,
was paper on agriculture of franklin Co..
founded upon the U S. Census ofl8i0, and
the state Census Of 1875, and pointed out
the changes that had taken place in the
farm production, during 30 years. wish
that this paper could be read and consid.
cred, not only by every New England
farmer, but by every farmer In all OF the
older states, where the farming of 30 years
ago no longer pays" The experience of
the farmers in franklin Co shows that If
"the time, change, we must charge with
them, and il one crop does not pay, we
must then grow anothe r that will. 1t APP
pears from the paper referred to. that there
are on y FIVE crop cultivated in Franklin
Co., that show any substantial increase in
the interval Of years These are poultry,
which rose from 30 ,678 to S3l, 1856 hay in
creased from 1873 to I'll ,056 tons tobacco,
from 90 lbs 10 l,997,,9l lbs; dairy pro-
ducts, from $l95 765, to $i3 L042. Broom
corn is new crop il the county, and only
amounted to l3, $40 pounds. Besides these
crops which have increased, neat cattle,
horses, and corn, show but slight fall off,
aud may be considered fairly paying crops.
There is geat falling off in the number
of sheep. but the large increase in their
value per cad, and in the value of lambs
sold m rket, would probably MAKE
sheep raising a paying industry. In nearly
AL other farm animals and crop, there is
large falling off in production, shows that
farmers do not consider it profitable to
them Swine. wheat and rye, have fallen
OF nesrly 2O) per cent, oats mo than U,
ana potatoes, 100 per cent The increase
in poultry Is about 300 per cent, dairy pro-
ducts 500, and tobacco still larger. Frank
in County is in the heart of the New Eng
land dairy region, and probably shows MS
fairly AS any county, the DRIFT of eastern
agriculture. The fair inference i
that fairness are abandoning these crops
which show so large decrease, because
they are improbable. Agriculture in the
older states, is u tranaction state, and we
are slowly feeling our way to better hus-
bantry. he progress is very slow, but
we are confident i. is very sure. SO much
light is break out from our agricutu
journals, our state and county fair, and our
farmers conventions, that we can always
grow crops that run US in debt because our
fathers grew them. We must inevitably
get out of the ruts. Nothing could show
more clearly than these statistics, the folly
of raising crops that do not pay. Pork
raising fer the general market, does not pay
and it has fallen off cooper centin 80 years
Why then should We undertake to raise
more pork, thar will supply the famly2
The raising of poultry does not pay, for II
has increased 200 per cent. Why should
we not invest our, capital and labor, in
that which experience shows, pays well.
A farmer with a good range, can raise
ton of turkeys, at mach less cost than he
can raise a ton Of pork. The tonof pork would
be worth in the village market this year,
about six cents pound, or $l2O.00a ton.
The turkeys eighteen cents, or $4,000.
Why not raise turkeys2 And SO, of the
other things that are proved to be profitable.
Let us get out of the ruts, and raise those
crops promptly called for. Farmers should
keep sharp eye on the markets, see which
way the popular taste is tending, and plant
SOW, breed, and in every way plant to
meet the demands of the time American
AgrIculturist for April L.