Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-13
The farta1 aud gireside.
AGRICULTURE as A BUSINESS.


were dependent upon them for the building up
of their success. Although this was probably
in most cases, the mere slang of the demagogue,
to gain the votes of those who were to decide
the political contests of the day, yet there was
solid truth at the bottom of it, and the result
of the harvest of last year is an evidence OF
the fact. Compare the shipments from the
United States To foreign countries, with those
of the preceding years, and we find falling
off of One-thirrl in amount, OccaSioned by the
shortening of the yield by the drought of the
summer 'Tis true, the increase i'll price to
the farmer occasioned by the smaller supply OF
the products of the earth, caused the calamity
to fall less severely on them but to the mer-
chant, the ship-owners, the trafickers of every
class, as well as the common carriers, the dis
astrous results are told in tile numerous inso-
venceS throughout the land Occasioned there
by. Notwithstanding the casualties which
have ensued, the permanent prosperity of the
country has been but little impaired; for we
still had in reserve large stock of our pro-
ducts to supply a sufficiency to meet the abso-
lutte needs of the foreign markets, though at
advanced rates to them. This reserve stock
must now be replaced by the future cropping,
and at no time for years in the past could the
cry for help upon Hercules by the farmer be
more i'll order than at the present time, to pre-
serve to us that prosperity which, for some
years past, has been enjoyed by our country.
The time is now come when the brains as we'll
as the strong arms of the husbandman are to
be brought into play. The intellect-as re-
marked in an address by Col. Horace Capron--
''must share more largely with muscle the toll
of agriculture; machinery directed by skilled
labor, and propelled by brute force, and also
by the mighty power of steam, must take the
place of expensive and inefficient HUMAN
strength. This change involves the necessity
for better culture, liberal use of manure, rota-
tion in crops and a larger working capital in
proportion to permanent investment" You
are already spending millions annually on the
old lands of the Atlantic States for CONNER
cial fertilizers. While would commend a ju.
dicious expenditure in this direction, would
make this basis of practical rotation with
course of grasses and other restorative agen.
cies of scientific agriculture
The business of agriculture should be an in
duStry and not a speculation. The insane
pursuit of specialtieS, has long been a curse to
American Agriculture. A whole community
runs wild upon hops, when selling at fifty cents
per pound, and in two years they are scarcely
worth the price of picking, and extravaganza,
begotten of high expectations, is forthwith
followed by bankruptcy. Wheat brings 81 pei
bushel, and whole States become wheat fields,
while every other interest languisheS until the
bread crop becomes so abundant as to be fed to
swine in preference to shipment for human
food. The sheep, with wool at 81 per pound,
holds high place in popular esteem, but is
kicked from the pasture by every Randolph OF
the farm at the first indication of a heavy de-
cline in the value of it's fleece.
Cotton, a great boon to our agriculture, as a
constituent in the aggregate of production,
may become an unmitigated evil if left to
usurp the place of all other crops. The crop
of last year produced 800, 900, ,000-more than
fifty per cent. larger than ten years ago. Three
millions of bales may command profit OF S4O
per bale, while five millions may not bring a
dollar above their cost. But present profit is
not the main consideration. The increase in
value and enlargement of the productive ca
pacity of the soil, by judicious rotation, in
Guiding the restorative influences of green
cropping and cautle-feeding, is an increase of
capital, source of larger annual income, and
an addition to the inheritance of ones chill
dren.-Baltimore american.
OvERsTOCKING PAsTUREs-The OverstOck-
ing of land is ore of the SureSt and quickest
ways of running pastures. It is an everyday
thing with many farmers, who cannot be made
to believe that they are getting the full benefit
of pasture unless the grass is eaten off a lit
tie faster than it has time to grow; conse-
quently all who put this method in practice al
ways have bare pasture and poor cattle. The
advantages to BE- derived from allowing the
grass to gain on the cattle during the growing
season are many, among which are the follow
ing Cattle which are kept growing all the
time come to maturity at a proper age. Ami
mails kept constantly OH bare pastures never
mature properly those kept on good pastures
do not have to work day and night to satisfy
their appettes or use up all their food III build
ing up system worn down by partial star
vation. A good covering of grass is a protec-
tion to a pasture. 1t is natures protection
against the effects of bad and dry weather and
the cold rains Of winter, so that new grass will
be growing under a covering of the old crop.
1t is true that cattle will thrive better on Il
mixture of old and new grass, while the seed
ing Of the mature grasses will keep up the full
variety of those kinds native to the soil. Con-
sequently pastures thus treated produce more
food for stock during the year than those kept
continually eaten down to the bare earth.
The practice of keeping pastures in good con-
dition is easily done upon large farms, where
reserve fields can be provided, but even the
small farmer can succeed in having renewed
and fertile pastures, if he but study the laws
of nature and practice according to the knowl-
edge thus acquired.
ABOUT CRows.-Professor Linden said a
good word the ether day at Buffalo for that
much persecut. bird, the common crow
(Corvus Americus). The crow of America
belongs to a scattered family of about 200
species, including among them the buzzard,
jay, raven and magpie. Of the genius proper
~.,l boil lnc
are found in the United States, the great
black raven being at the head. In the wilder
ness about 100 miles from Buffalo, on the
shores of Lake Ontario, ravens were found.
Their nests were so secluded as rarely to be
discovered. So wary were the birds that Mr..
Linden had found it impossible to obtain a
specimen. They were reported more abun-
dant on the Canada shore of Lake Ontario,
but it was impossible to procure specimen
even there, though a liberal reward had been
offered. The crow was only preserved from
annihlation by it's great cunningneSs. Even
in captivity the bird displays degree of
sagacity which almost resembles human intel
ligence. Mr.. Linden admitted that the crow
could hardly be called sweet singer; still
when tame he made very interesting pet
On the whole he might safely be set down as
a useful bird and a real friend of the farmer.
He eats large quantities of noXious insects,
and though he has bad habit of pulling up
young tender shoots of grain, it was ques-
tion whether the damage was not more than
compensated by the number of larvae of beetles
thus brought to light and devoured.
CUTTERS FOR Cow STABLEs.-Tlere is
nothing that pays as we'll as commencing in
the stables. Besides the saving of time in sta
BILE work in well arranged buildings, there is
the profit from the contentment of the animals
for they do thrive better in such buildings
The Ohio Farmer says of making cutters in
stables