The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-07-11
Economical Farming.


false system OF economy more appa-
rent than in the management Of a
farm. The man who thinks that Geo.
nomy stands for starvation Of mind
and body, for mean, petty, selfish,
narrow way of living will ever be as
far from success in farming as he is
from the truth of the matter of econ
omy.
The farmer has constantly before
him the best teacher of true economi-
cal principles that there is in the world,
and that is Nature itself. All her
operations are carried on according to
those principles in their best aud strict
est sense. Nature is wise conserva
tor OF forces, and her energies are al
ways spent when aud where they are
needed, to the full extent demanded,
no more nor less. She gives to every
herb and plant its full compliment of
nutritious juices and makes the mistake
of supposing that if she holds back a
part this year they will do just as well
for it in the next. She Is generous
without being prodigal she is free
without being foolish. She does act
upon the principle that it is waste of
time and energy to make some things
beautiful as well as lasting, and that
everything is lost that is not spent in
ministering to the commonest every
day uses. Among other lessons that
may be deduced from study of the
science of economy is, that it is poor
way TO effect its ends in farming to
erect poor, unsightly, unsubstaatial
buildings for any purposes.
1t may cost less money to build a
house in q make-shift fashion, with
thin, open walls, unseasoned doors and
windows, and refuse lumber for the
roof and floor timbers, but after few
years, if the cost is counted up, of re-
pairs, mending leaky roofs, and putting
in now materials, to say nothing of the
doctors bills brought about by cold
and dampness, it will be found that
economy missed its aim in this instance,
and that good house, well put to.
getber, strong and durable, would have
been saving in the end. There is,
moreover, more actual waste in house
hold matters where accommodations
for storage are poor and inadequate,
than where facilities and conveninces
are provided for doing work quickly
and neatly, and properly caring for
things.
1t is much easier to practice economy
in all household matters where the
house itself is built and conveniently
arranged in its interior The same
principles may be applied to buildings
for storing produce and farm imple-
ments and for sheltering stock. Sue
cess in farming depends to a very
large degree not only in producing
abundant harvests and raising fine
stock, but in knowing how to care for
them after they come into possession.
The profits of summers work will
soon leak and waste away in poor,
rickety granaries and barns, and the
finest stock soon deteriorates in cold,
dirty, crowded stables.
No farmer can afford to put the pro-
duct of a seasons labor under shelter
that is not shelter but where it is con-
stantly exposed to drippings from the
roof, to destruction by mice and rats,
and wastefulness mall directions. 1t is
the poorest kind of economy to erect
cheap, ill-arranged out buildings on a
farm.
The economical farmer will keep well
supplied with the best agricultural i'm
plements that his means will afford and
that he can use to advantage. He will not
make the mistake af thinking that be-
cause these things cost more at first
than the old-fashioned tools he will
save money by plodding along in the
old way. He will see that a machine
that does the work of ten men much
easier than all together could do it,
will be a saving in the end over a tool
that does not cost fiftieth part as
much but which requires ten times as
much hard labor. He will keep his
implements, when not in active use,
under cover, and make such necessary
repairs as they may require without
delay. Good tools in bad order are a
continual drain upon the farmers pock-
ct.
Good, strong fences on division lines
and between pastures and growing
crops are true means of saving. A
single inroad by the sheep and cattle
in field of growing corn or wheat
costs more than long section of firm,
well built fence. Economy goes wrong
when it dictates the building of fences
out of material that rots down or blows
aWay the first season.
1t pays in the end to keep the bes
breeds of stock and feed them well ant
treat them kindly. 1t costs no more tt
feed and shelter the best kind of caLtl,
than it does an Indifferent, mongre
breed. Poor, broken-down, diseased
horses are more expensive than young
sound animals. They require mucl
care and do not do their work half a
we'll. The same truths will apply tt
sheep, hogs and poultry. If any o
these are kept, it pays to keep tn
best.
In short, it will be found that tn
true way to save is ofttimes to give
to deal generously with man and beas
and not spare to-day what must b
compensated or wholly lost tomorrow
1t is not the way to make sure gain
by wasting the powers of mind an
body in unremitting labor. He
wisest who rightly so distributes b
time between necessary work and n
creation as to keep the whole bein
mentally and physically in tune.