The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-12-07
Selection 81 : warm.

d IN r 4 j.. .a = y -
There are many things Co be consid-
cred in the selection of 3 farm. TO thai
rich gentleman who wishes to retire
from the noise and tumult of city life. 4
farm has q different meaning than to
the poor man who must toll daily for
the maintenance of himself and family.
The former will look through golden
eyeglasses and seek for luxuries In the
country, while the latter must obtain the
necessities of life. The one will let in
dlvidual taste rule in the choice, the 9th
or asks himself: els this the best place
Tor me to do substantial farmingP" No
| general rules can be given for the rich
man who buys farm for the purpose of
spending money, while for the one who
seeks to mako q living from the land
there are some words of advice.
The size of farm should be suited to
the capacity of the pocket-book. Many
young farmers make the mistake of buy
ing large farm with little money to
pay for it. There is nothing that so
binds a man as heavy mortgage. It
eats the very heart out of the farmer,
and hangs like q leaden weight upon
every aspiration Of his wife and chill
dren. 1t is better to buy small farm
and have enough capital to work it well
AS the surplus increases, it may be in
vested in more acres, or in better
culture of those that have already
proved profitable. There is a size be-
low which many of the economies of
the farm cannot be practiced to the best
advantage, and on the other hand there
Is danger Of going beyond that acreage
be carried on. 1t requires considerable
executive ability to manage large farm,
and therefore many men are excluded
from such by a lack which they may
not fully appreciate until the trial has
been made and the failure re-
corded. Farming is not like the
taking of citadel, and cannot
be done successfully with rush and
noise. 1t is thoughtful and steady
working out from we'll laid plans-a
conquest for crops, and the head must
be clear that wins where the seat of q
| campaign for q lifetime covers town
ships or even square miles. The soil is
the foundation of farming, and it should
be fitted to the kinds of crops that it is
desired to raise. The differences in the
nature and capacities of sand and clay
should be understood, and favorable
mixture of the two obtained if there Is
on opportunity for choosing. A rich
soil, with proper management, means
good crops at once, but it may be as
profitable to invest much less in an
equal area of over cropped land, and
bring it up to high state of cultivation
by green manuring and other methods
of restoration. The farmhouse is to be
the home of the family, and therefore
the locality for the farm should be
healthful. The richest land for the
price may be on the border of malaria
breeding swamp, but the profits of the
Investment may be more than balanced
by the doctor bills and loss of time,
not to mention the discomfort of fevers
In the household. 1t is important that
there be an abundant water supply on
all farms, both for the family and the
live stock. There are social considera-
tions that no farmer should overlook in
making choice of farm. He lives
not TO himself alone; the children need
the privileges of good schools, etc.; in
short, the community should be one in
which sympathy, goodness and intelli-
gence prevail.
With a good farm of proper size.
healthfully located, abundantly supplied
with wafer, good neighbors, and a
handy market, q man is SO well situated
that he ought to make himself and those
around him happy. Choose well, and
Mold on to the choice.-Ihe AgricuIt-