Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-09

s.
rather snubbed- off expression; ears near
ly erect, inclining forward. In general
form they possess much genuine value,
are very popular in England for their
early maturity, and are becoming more
and more so here year by year.
The Suffolks are small white hogs, with
very thin hair and fine pink skin. They
are popular with amateurs and villagers.
These swines are really modified York
shires. They mature early, fatten easily
and make fine, delicate pork if killed at
s to 10 months old.
The Essex, a blue black hog, have many
points of excellence, somewhat resem
bling the Yorkshire except in color. They
are popular in the Eastern States, and of
late years have grown in favor in the
West, for all those who admire medium
sized black hog.
Lower Cost of Production.
Pioneer Press
The Press is pleased to find its plea for
better and more economical methods of
farming repeated anG enforced by those
most familiar with the condition of the
agricultural interest. The following
statement is from the column of the
Farmer:
wheat raising, even at present prices, and
some actually make money with wheat
at 55 cents bushel. A ''bulI'' On the Chi
cago board of trade may be well posted
and speak within bounds of his own ex
perience when he states that wheat cannot
be produced for 40 per bushel in Dakota.
However, representative of the Farmer
few days ago visited large model Da-
kota farm, the Grandin, Bros farm at
Mayvill, Trail county, where far better
results are obtained. w. W. Warren, ESQ.,,
general manager, courteously exhibited
some figures which, without giving in
detail, we may say amount to this, that
crop of something over 10000 bushels
of wheat, averaging nearly twenty-five
bushels per acre, costs, from time of
seeding until stored in elevators (includ
ing interest on capital, wear on machin-
cry, wages, incidentals, etc., little less
| than "a cents per bushel. While the soil
and location of this farm Is excellent, we
know of no special superiority of quality
above good average Red river valley soil.
The results ere the Legitimate reward of
business methods and thorough system
from breaking to marketing.
The low price of wheat is, of course, an
unqualified misfortune. But, the fact
existing through circumstances beyond
| anybOdy's control, the practical question
is, how to make the best of it. If the
farmer loses at one end Of the business,
he must try to gain at the other. If
wheas has fallen in the worlds markets,
he must make good the deficit by decreas
| ing the cost of production. The thing
can be dono by increasing the yield per
acre. In estimating cost of production,
the cost of labor in blowing, harvesting,
threshing and marketing per acre
are added together. The total
is divided by the average yield per acre,
| giving tho average cost of production per
| bushel. Now it is obvious that, if the ex-
| penditure on an acre is divided by thir-
| teen, the average number of bushels rails
ed to the acre, the resulting cost of pro-
duction will be nearly twice az great as if
we we're TO divide by twenty five, the num-
Der of bushels per acre which the rich
soil of the Northwest will easily yield IN
der thorough cultivation. We desire to
make this argument fair, as well as ear
nest. The cost of production given in
| the case cited by the farnIer-less these
| "a cents per bushels below the average
| figure. 1t holds good for large farming
where the product is 10000 bushels, and
| where the economies of conducting any
| business on large scale and according to
the wholesale plan can be brought into
! play. But the saving is there, all the
same.
A close computation, made some time
ago, shows that the cost of wheat produc-
ton, by the old wastefQl system is, to the
large farmer, from 4G to so, and to the
small farmer from so to 60 cents per
bushel. This is on the basis of an
average yield of not more than fifteen
bushels per acre. Now, what do we find ?
The larger farmer, by adopting the care
full methods in use in older and more
economical com munities, by thorough cul-
tivatiOn and summer following can raise his
average crop to twenty-five bushels per
acre. The cost Of raising the greater
amount being about the same as that Of
| the less, it follows that, for him, the cost
of production is reduced nearly one-half.
That margin is clear profit. The small
farmer can do the same thing. By bet
! ter cultivation he can, at little if any
greater expense, secure the same yield
of twenty five bushels per acre. That
would lower the cost of production to
him from between so and so to between
80 and 40 cents per busheL There would
be a very comfortable profit in that
even with wheat at lower prices than it
! has reaehcd or is likely to reach. We de
sire for the farmer of the Northwest
every advantage possible. We hope that
he may have lower taxes and railroad
freight rates as reasonable as are any
where known. But, with all these, he
must still vork out his own salvation.
He must cease to use his land as he uses
expensive farm machinery, which usually
han oftn l.
reason of lack of ordinary care. He must
appropriate the millions that are offered
him in profit by reducing the cost of
cultivation, merely as premium upon
car eful, intelligent, economical methods
of tillage.
A Flying Leap.
Chicago Herald.