The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-08-27
ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURE.

ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURE.
Folly of Settling Facts which Have Al
ready Been Settled by the Experience Of
Others.
While every intelligent cultivator OF
the soil is doubtless well aware of the
fact that the same kinds Of plants and
animals do not thrive equally well in all
climates OF under the same conditions,
still there are comparatively few per-
sons who pursue this subject further
than what is forced upon them through
dear-bought experience. 1t is quite true
that experience is often the most direct
medium through which a man can OBJ
tain the information or facts which he
may be seeking, but it can scarcely be
said in this age that all must travel the
same road in order to secure the same
amount Of knowledge. Accumulated
individual experience may be con-
sidered as at least q fair basis upon
which to establish principles that will
not mislead the inexperienced, aver if
they do not enable the novice to secur
SAOooOA "a ~ 40 q WdSbO Va cAAaCS
if nothing more, to repeat experiments
just for the purpose of being able to say
that you have settled certain facts or
f~allacies by actual individual experience.
There is still room enough for expert
ments without going W. old ground,
and agricultural science has certainly
reached a stage where some of the old
and mooted questions may be consid-
cred as decided, and it is worse than
folly to spend mor time in their in
vestigation. We have certainly de-
termined the fact that there are climates
and soils especially adapted to the
growing of wheat; and while the nat
ural limits may, by artificial means, be
somewhat extended, il is a question if
it will pay the agriculturist to under
take to force nature in such matters
and try to raise crops that at best are
uncertain, and in a majority of in
stances cost more than they are worth.
To run counter to natural con
ditions is, however, n of the fol-
lies of a large number of %agricultur-
lists in all civilized countries, and
perhaps nowhere are the numbers
greater than in the United States, for
here we have thousands of farmers and
fruit growers who seem to be perfectly
| oblivious to all principles of adaptation
as well as to ignore the experience of
all who have gone over the same field
before them. If a hundred or even q
thousand men have utterly failed to
make any special branch of agriculture
a success in a locality, they will not be
satisfied until they have tried it them
selves. They will try to raise wheat on
a soil only adapted to rye. and perhaps
winter wheat upon land where it is
almost certain to be thrown out by
frosts in winter and killed, and do not
once imagine that the results were due
to their own ignorance or persistent
stupidity. Now, it is well known that
we have vast regions of country where
both the soil and climate are especially
adapted to the growing of wheat and
oats. others for corn, rye, potatoes, and
various farm crops; and while the
farmer may by artificial means achieve
partial success where natural conditions
are against him, we should at least hes
itate to advise others to attempt to dc
the same as a matter of business.
There are natural dairy region!
where all things seem to combine in
making conditions especially favorabl,
for the production of milk, butter, and
cheese. The pasture and meadow
grasses may grow fully as luxuriantly
in other localities, and still dairy. hus
bandry a not be made a success. tn
reasons for the failure being due Il
other causes than food. Low, mois
soils in warm climates may produc,
more succulent food than high and DIR,
land, and yet that from the former ma,
be deficient in nutritive properties. Low
lands also produce more food when uset
for pasture than high grounds. but the,
are never as healthy for cattle, AM
fevers, foot-rot, and similar diseases ar
usually. developed on moist soils. Wha
are called malarial regions are really q
unhealthy for domesticated as for hu
man beings, and should always b
avoided by stockmen if they expec
permanent and continued success, il
their business.
Large, heavy breeds of cattle, like tn
S~horthorns, are not adapted to hill
regions, where they will have to elm
for their food; neither are they suited t
!. the thin pastures of the Western plains
where they must travel a long distanc
to obtain sufficient food and water. Th
breeds that are light of foot are best fo
such regions. and the same is true {
horses, sheep, and other stock. TIL
stock raiser should keep these things i
mind when looking for a stock farm
and, further, not expect to find any or
breed equally valuable for all purpose.
The lo~ng-sought general purpo:
breed" has NOT as yet appeared, an
until one is developed it will be safe
select the very best of those alread
known that are especially adapted I
certain purposes and the condition
under which they are to be reared
N. =. Sun.