Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-11-01
Thrifty Farming.

2
farming districts is done by men O
small means, who often have not finished
paving for their land Sometimes the,
complain that it is hard TO get ahead
and J. is true indeed that many draw
backs exist which it is hard TO overcome
No matter If the crop fails the family
lnust be supported, the ordinary ex'
penses borne, and the taxes and interest
provided for. All this, however, being
admitted. the agricultural truth remains
that failure oftenest comes from want OF
care and economy, want of observation.
and want of energy, or stated as a whole,
thrIftiness. OF no industry on earth can
1t be more truly SAID that "a penny
saved is a penny gained" Yet there is
40 industry subject to so much waste as
this, none that needs more care to pre-
vent leaks, and few that receive less. A
farm rightly considered is a network OF
industries, vast combination of ma
chimes. Nothing must be allowed to go
to waste. Indeed, this seems absolutely
unnecessary with the varied opportunI-
ties of disposIng of all that is useful and
using all refuse as a fertilizer. But this
is not half the story. 1t needs every
energy to develop the capacity of the
soil to receive fertilizers, to assimilate
them, and to give them forth again in
bountiful crops. He must learn how to
cultivate the soil, how 10 dram ii. When
the soil and climate will produce thirty
bushels per acre, why raise balf that
quantity? When sixty bushels of corn
can be raised per acre why raise only
thirty? On land that can be made to
produce two tons of hay why be content
with one? III it be lack of fertilization
apply that to be obtained to half the
land. Ii 1t be for lack of labor to give |
proper cultivation, far better TO work |
half the land and let the balance grow
what 1t will, tc be fed of by the stock. !
The new farms may net be fitted for
high farming, but good farming can be |
everywhere applied. There is 10 need |
of raising two head OF cattle to produce
the same meat that can easily be grown !
IN one, nor of feeding two sheep to pro-
duce wool that one can easily grow.
Nor is this complete statement OF
the manner IN which success is wrought
out 10y the toiler. The farmer, all other
things being equal, who Is most accus-
toned to studying crops elsewhere, re-
ports, statistics, methods Of farming and
all that, will gather the greatest profit
from his Investment and labor. When
everybody is planting a certain crop he
will not hasten TO enlarge his acreage of
that crop. WneL any crop Is drug on
the market he viii not hasten to ignore
its cultivation The following year.
Farmers more than any other elIss of
people may live well at a little expendi-
ture of cash. On a thrifty turn nearly
al that is eaten can be produced on the
iarm. In consideration of the fact that
, large proportion of the good things OF
ife III the food line can be and are grown
)p the soil of our own climate, il is la
nentable to see how poorly supplied are
many farmers tables with these same
articles. There can be an endless round
)f fruits Snd vegetables for the whole
.hree hundred and sixty y-five days of the
rear. The whole list o. grains and meat {
an be had, all OF the best "a lity and
,ost price, no mIddle-man'S commission
n retailers prof added.
1t is true that the lack Of ready money
,ften prevents farm improvements.
Money could he used to good advantage !
t only money could he had. Labor is
,ostly, and on new farms it does not
,ring really returns, while most of it
,oes into capital only in the way of per-
nanent improvements. Hand labor es- I
,eciaLy Is expensive and slow, and the
armer must as sOoI as possible avail
nm self OF AL the help attaInable in the ,
way of machines aud mechanical helps. ,
n newer neiShborIoois farmers can .
hub together for purchase OF stock or ,
Implements otherwise quite beyond their a,
each. They can buy mowers, harvest
rs, seed drills, ditchers, dredgers, levee
builders aud many other useful and la
,Or saving implements always rcmem-
,ering that the occasions are few when {
I viii pay to run in debt for any OF
hese. Pay day always comes and the
often fall short.