The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-07-17
Agriculture.

There is a strong disposition on the
part Of farmers to initiate, and this
faculty is carried to such an extreme
that it proves detrimental to our in
terests. What we mean by imitation
is to follow the success OF one man
in growing crop until il loses all
value from overproduction. There
is a limit to the demand for any kind
Of product, and that limit is always
reached when the supply goes beyond
the demand. As long as the demand
surpasses the supply the crop may be
remunerative, but when more is fur
nished than is wanted then loss fol-
lows its production. This law Of sup
ply and demand is the keynote of
prosperity, and the farmer. if shrewd,
will give it his attention before laying
out his plans for the future. 1t may
be a difficult matter to hit upon at all
times, but it is imperative if the farm
er expects a profit on his labors. The
disposition to follow in the wake Of
success reaches such a length that
often man actually loses on his
planting rather than gaining by it,
because he does not pay therequsite
attention to this law incumbent upon
him. Ii is his only sure me.hod Of
farming probably, and TOO much at
tention cannot be given it.
There are some farmers so lost to
their own interests they do not take
paper, and this keeps them in igno-
rance of the state of the market pros
poets, and they have no data upon
which 70 base a plan of crops Oh
course no man can expect to plant
singly and alone any one product
but it does appear to be bad Judge
ment for every farmer in the country
to abandon his usual productions tc
plant solely a crop which proved very
lucrative for one man the prevIOu:
year. We well remember the expe.
rience Of the community on broom
corn few years ago. The price haC
reached twelve cents per pound
which was about four cents above it
common price. This high price at
tracted attention to it, and the mex
year everybody planted it, and as Z
consequence the price reaei ed the bot
tom. eutailing heavy losses oil tn
community, greatly injuring SOM
farmers. The same thing followe,
the high prices of German millet, po
tatoes. beans peas, and several othe
farm products. We really see n
remedy for this disposition except tin
experience of the past, which mel
are 10th to follow when they imagin,
they see rich return ahead. I
should be the reflection of ever.
farmer to avoid the rush for any pro
duct which realized a big price th
previous year. 1t is an inva1iabl
rule Of trade, and the result is newt
able, that the crop planted by a rusl
of devotees will not pay for its pro
duction. The unfortunate plante
will argue to himself thus:
every body will expect a big GRO,
of this product this year, and no on
will plant; therefore 1 Will, and rea
a rich return" Unfortunate for tn
reasoning all come to the same cor
clusion, and hence more plant tina
usual, and the price stays below til
producing cost, and losses follows.
1t is far better for each farmer {
follow the line he is best aequaInte
with, or is better adapted to his sol
and if the price is low one year 1t WI
be better another, so that the ayerag
will pay him fair prices. AT the sam
time he can 50 diversity his crop tbs
nc need not depend entirely on on
thing, so that if one fails another wi
pay. But just as surely as he r-n
after every thing that sells at a hig
price the previous year, So sure WI
he make regular annual failures
Spirit Of the Farm.