The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-09-17
CHANGES IN
Farming Has Become u Compiicatoo
Business, Requiring Tact, SKILL
and Information.

past fifty years as in trade, manutac-
turing, and transportation. Less than
half a century ago the average farmer
was a plodder. He pursued the beaten
path which his ancestors had so long
trod. Scarcely a book had been pub
lished in the country on agriculture,
horticulture, or the raising of animals.
There was no agricultural ~iourna!
worthy of the name, and no periodical
devoted to horticulture, Horticulture, or
dairying. The maXims in Poor Rich
ards Almanac constituted most of
the agriculture with which the farmers
were acquainted. Most of the informa-
ton obtained by farmers was tradition
airy. Crops were planted. cultivated,
and harvested in the same manner
year after year. There was only n
way to perform any operation on the
farm. There were no machines for
doing any kind of farm work; only
hand implements were employed in the
field and garden, and these were of a
very primitive style. The blacksmiths
and carpenters in the nearest town
made nearly all the farming tools.
Many farmers repaired their own tools,
and if they were ingenious they made
many of them. The wood-lot on the
farm furnished materials for making
handles to plows, frames for harrows,
as well as for rakes, OK yokes and
bows.
Most of the improvements on the
farm were made from articles which it
supplied. The first buildings were
made Of logs cut in the forest. The
fields were inclosed by stone walls or
fences made of rails. Bars were used
instead of gates, chiefly for the reason
that they required no hinges OF latches.
Tile-draining was unknown, and if q
piece of land was too wet to be plant
ed it remained a permanent meadow.
Scarcely any attempts were made to
change the natural conditions of the
soil. The value of rotating crops was
not appreciated or understood. Ma
nure was known to be useful, but no
commercial fertilizers were employed
for enriching the soil. No attention
was given to the cultivation of small
fruits, and if berries were used by the
farmers family they were gathered in
the fields or woods. Seeding apples
were almost the only kind of fruit pro-
duced on farms. There was no market
for milk and cream except in the vicin-
ity of large towns. Creameries and
cheese factories we're unknown. But
ter and cheese were made in nearly ey-
cay farmhouse in quantities sufficient
to supply the occupants. The first OBJ
ject of every farmer was to supply his
family with food produced on the land
he occupied. He had but little to sell,
and accordingly he could buy but little.
The modern farmer may get along
with doing less work with his hands
than the farmer of the generations that
preceded him, but he must do more
brain work. He must know more, read
more, think more, and consider more
Farming has become a very complicat-
ed business. More knowledge, iudg-
ment, and skill are required in order to
succeed in it than were needed even a
few years ago. The farmer of to-day
is something more than a producer.
He must be a successful merchant in
order to make money. For improving
a prairie farm almost everything must
be purchased. The only natural pro-
duct Of a piece of prairie land is a sod
that must be subdued before anything
but grass can be raised. Instead of de-
stroying a forest the prairie farmer
must set about raising one. To this
end he must buy trees or seed that will
produce them. He must purchase all
the materials for his. buildings and
fences. He must invest quite heavily
in machines, and great Judgment is re-
quired to decide how many and what
kinds to buy. Unless he has quite
large means he must hire money. and
if he does not make a judicious loan the
chances are that he will be financially
ruined. Many farmers lose their places
while attempting to improve them.
AS the modern farmer has so many
things to buy. he must raise much to
sell, or the '.balance of trade will be
against him and he will fail. If he has
hired money he must make arrange
ments to meet his Indebtedness. He
must be a financier as well as a produ-
Ger and a merchant. He must keen
himself informed in respect to the state
of the market at home and abroad. In
order to do this he must become &C
quainted with the condition of the crops
in all parts of the world. He must a.
50 study to find out the demands of the
market, SO as to know what to raise.
He must not, however, neglect to supply
his family and help with food to the
fullest extent possible. He must be
prepared to substitute new crops for
those he has long raised when for aay
cause their production ceases to be
profitable. III he raises articles for
which there is little demand, he will be
obliged to sell them at q very low
price. He must exhibit as much
shrewdness and enterprise in supply.
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