The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-06-17
Systematic Farming.

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for conducting it. He learns the best
methods of doing business and does not
depart from them except for good rea-
sons, yet is ever on the watch for i'm
provement. In conducting farm work
it is more difficult to work by rule, to
have exact methods, than it is in the
trades and professions; but it is at the
same time true that the nearer farm
operations can be brought to a system,
and conducted with a definite end in
view, the more complete, and as rule
the more successful will be the result.
There are many things to be met in
raisings of crops which are entirely above
the control of the farmer and which
many times bring disorder to the best
system. Drought will sometimes destroy
the grass seeding and thus interfere with
the uniformity of crop rotation, but does
not argue against the system. Wheat
will winterkill even under skillful Guilt
walton and so reduce the profits of the
farm materially; while he is absolutely
helpless before the frost which destroys
the fruit crop.
Men have been acquiring a knowledge
of the soil and its products. for ages and
yet their modes of practice in details are
nearly as far from-a uniform system as
ever. Science IS doing much for agri-
culture, but the average farmer is slow
to adopt and apply the principles, even
when their correctness is fully estab-
lished. Where we find one who recog-
nizes and conforms to the fundamental
principles of agricultural science we find
many who still scout the idea of any
other authority than the usages and ira
ditions of their ancestors; that still hold
to the influence of the signs in the heav-
ems, and believe the different phases OF
the moon have more influence on the
growth of crops than the combined
effect of sunshine, air and rain. The
latter may often raise good crops but the
neglect to receive and apply well di-
gested and advanced principles, still
holding to the old notions and traditions,
is not in the line of true systematic i'm.
provement. s .alugi ,..
The farmer must study his soil and
adopt a rotation or system of cropping
that will bring the best returns and at
the same time keep up the fertility of the
soil, and the crops must follow each
other in such order that the cultivation
and growth of each crop is the best pos
sible preparation for the succeeding crop.
1t will not do to blindly follow and APP
ply the same method to every farm nor
to each field in the farm. Some fields
from uncongeniality of soil or want of
drainage may not be suited to all crops,
and to try to raise those not suited to the
condition of the soil will result in failure
and loss of labor. 1t is better to raise
such crops as will grow well until the
land can be put in condition to enter into
the system of rotation. There are many
farmers who from some cause have
adopted a system which meets with
abundant success, yet they can give no
reason for it except that it does well with
them. Such are unconsciously following,
in measure, systematic farming. We're
they able to give scientific reasons for
the system they follow their example
would be worth much more.
The use of improved implements tends
to improve practice in culture, and conse-
quently to increase the product by more
thorough and systematic cultivation, Ma
turc rewards the cultivator of the soil pre-
cisely in proportion to the efforts he puts
forth in conformity to her laws. If he
puts the soil in condition of thorough
cultivation the elements of plant food
are dissolved and are easily taken up by
the growing crop, the ordinary disas-
trous effects of drought are less felt, and
he receives the full measure of reward
for his labor. If the soil is wet or adhe-
sive, then thorough drainage must pre-
cede good cultivation to make success
sure; but with these two the farmer may
almost defy the weather, be it wet or dry.
A simple yet complete system of
records and accounts of all farm opera
tons is one means of giving a farmer
full knowledge of his business. If he
keeps no account of the expenses of pro-
duction be does not know whether any
crop is produced at a profit or loss. 1t
may bring in considerable receipts and
still be produced at a loss. If there is
no account kept the conclusions are mere
guess work. There is no way in which
so large an amount of practical farm
can be obtained at the same
expense and trouble as in keeping a
complete record of farm operations and
accounts with crops and fields. The
ability to transact business will be in
creased in proportion to the increased
knowledge of the business, and to the
same extent the profits. ..,t...
Systematic farming, therefore, does
not mean rigid adherence to we'll
defined, iron-clad general rules, but the
judicious application of wail-settled prin-
ciples to the conditions of the farm, and
if these are not perfect, using the soil to
the best advantage until it can be put in
the best possible shape to produce the
best results. The manufacturer can adj
Just his machines to turn out the finished
articles that the market demands; and
they may run day after day for months
and years to the same adjustment, but
the farmer must take the soil as nature
has left it and cannot always adjust it to
q uniform class of productions; he con-
sequently needs more judgment, more
patience in investigation and more ex-
tensive knowledge than his manufaet-
uring neighbor to attain the same relative
success,
The best farmer does not always pro-
duce the largest crops. Rich soils will
many times respond in favorable seasons
to careless and slovenly farming; yet the
general average will be the best under