The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-02-22
Leaks upon the E. rm.

1t is not uncommon to hear those
who make farming, or. rather, attempt
10 make farming an occupation, COM
plain that farming does not pay. If
such cases are investigated it will be
found that the trouble lies. not in farm
ing as an occupation, but in the farmer
himself. If cistern had a pipe empty
ing into it at the rate of ten thousand
barrels per year, and had forty small
pipes discharging at the rate of twelve
thousand barrels per year, it would be
as reasonable to expect the cistern to
be filled as to look for success on the
part of a neglectful farmer.
1t is an exceedingly difficult matter
to succeed in filling a vessel with water
if it is in such condition that the
fluid leaks away nearly as rapidly as it
is placed therein, and every farmer
knows it; but, at the same time, that
self-same farmer, whose farm is sub
ject to continual and numerous leaks,
wonders why he can not succeed as well
as his neighbor does, or else COM
plains that farming does not pay.
In the first place, commencing with
the beginning of the year, if farmer
fails to procure and prepare for use a
suitable quantity of fuel for the year, he
can mark down leakage which in
creases in volume just in proportion as
he is obliged to omit more important
work to furnish a temporary supply.
To be compelled to suspend planting,
hoeing, haying or harvesting to get a
load of wood and chop it is a drawback
OF a serious nature; it is a
leak in farming. Another leak
is occasioned by want of care of
animals during winter, with view
of economizing fodder. An animal
that is not carried through the winter
in good condition will hardly more than
get up in good flesh before the approach
of another winter, and in the case of
COWS there is q great loss in value and
quantity of milk, and in oxen in the
amount of labor that they are able to
perform, and in young stock in the
stunted growth which comes from poor
care. Such practice is leak in farm
ing that is sometimes quite large. A
case comes to mind in which the winter
was commenced with fourteen calves,
and the spring found only seven alive.
1t is a serious leak that will allow a
calf to slip away. The application of
manure may be so injudicious that a
large part of its virtue becomes una
valuable. That is a leak of the most
serious nature. For instance, if a soil
be sandy or gravelly, if manure is
plowed into any considerable depth, its
virtue is carried by descending water
SO deep into the earth as to be beyond
the reach of ordinary crops. Manure
forms very important element in the
farmer stock in business, and its loss
is equivalent to an extensive leakage.
The proper cultivation of CROPS is a
matter that presents itself very forcibly
to every intelligent farmer. All grow
ing plants abstract from the soil q GER
tain amount of fertility; and so, if
crops are not properly tended, the fer
tility is entirely misdirected when it
goes to nourish weeds, to the detriment
OF the cultivated crops, and this forms
another leakage in farming.
IT crops are not harvested at the
proper time their value is very much
deteriorated. Hay may be allowed to
stand until all the starch, sugar and
gums are converted into woody fiber.
whereby the same is not worth for feed
ing purposes one-half what it would
have been if cut in season. This causes
q serious leak both in the value of the
hay and in the effect upon animals that
are compelled to eat it.
The cutting up or harvesting of corn
may be so long delayed as to almost
wholly ruin the fodder, whereby anoth-
er leak is occasioned.
Large quantities of refuse material
that would add much to the fertility of
farm, instead of being accumulated
and utilized, are allowed to 90 to waste
and serve no good purpose. Here is
another leak that has an Important in
fluence on success.
Again, good fences are a necessity
upon every farm, both for the protec-
ton OF crops and to save time in hunt
ing for strayed animals.
Any cause that takes the farmer and
his employees from necessary labor af-
fects the general result. upon the prin-
pie that ''time is money! and time
spent in search Of estrays is SO much
labor or time for labor lost from leoitf-
mate farm work; it causes leak. Now.
It any farmers have any leaks of the
kind designated, let them commence
repairs at once, and years experience
under the new order of things will bo
OF inestimable value in encouraging to |
better things. WlRliqna FL Heoma,as, IN
Boston Globe.