Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-02-25
WILD REPORTS.


by'some Of the extravagant statements
that are published from time 10 time in
the newspapers. As rule the state
mcnts are not altogether false, but they
are misleading. They show. perhaps
truthfully, what one person did in u
specially favorable locality in par
ticulary ! favorable year. Quite likely
the person who scores a marvellous sue
cess with certain crop in particular
| year failed dozen times before he
made its production pay expenses. A
| respectful silence is preserved in rela-
ton to all these failures, but great
noise is made over the single success.
| The publication of these great sue
ccsses only shows what may possibly
be accomplished under the most favor
! able conditions. IL does not show
what can be done under ordinary con-
| ditions. Neither does IL show that the
enterprise was on the whole profitable.
ihat several farmers in various States
have raised over a hundred bushels Of
sound corn per acre in field of con-
siderable size is no longer to be ques-
toned, though for some years many
doubted it. IL is doubtful, however,
whether any increase of corn crop
above seventy-iive bushels per acre re-
suits in pecuniary gain to the producer.
There Is pleasure in raising very
heavy crop of corn that is not to be cs-
! T. Ped by means of bushel basket,
bt; If the production Of il is not at
tended by profit few persons can afford
| the pleasure that comes from raising it.
| IL has apparently been demonstrated
that 1t is possible during certain sea-
| sons and in a few favored localities TO
| Use over hundred bushels of sound
| corn on an acre of land, but in many
cases where this has been done the cost
Of the fertilizers applied to the land
and cost Of the labor expended on it
have not been paid by the harvested
crop. a farmer undertook to furnish
the material for a newspaper item. and
was successful He saw his name IN
print many times and derived pleasure
from it.
he publication Of crop reports that
rank with the "iiSh stories" told by
amateur anglers often has an injurious
effect. 1t induces vredulous persons "
undertake enterprises which are very
certain to end in disappointment, If not
IN ruin. 1t creates anticipatiOns that
will never be realized. Every few
years the account is published of some
person who raised one thousand bush
els OF onions on an acre of land. That
such yield of onions has been pro-
duccd IN more than one instance i al
together likely. But it is not likelS
that one in thousand of those who
read the account will ever be able TO
raise such a crop. The conditions un-
der which the crop was produced can
not often be obtained. The land most
likely was portion of drained bog.
The amount Of fertilizers applied TO il
was large. The seed was fresh and Of
very productive variety. The season
was most favorable, and all the work
was performed at the regular time.
These facts are not stated in the para
graph that informs many readers that
a person succeeded in raising thou |
sand bushels Of onions on an acre of !
ground. Many who read the para
graph, however, conclude TO engage in |
raising onions and fail TO realize enough |
from their crop to pay expenses. The |
enormous yield reputed from small |
patches Of Strawberries have been the /
means OF inducing many TO engage in /
raising this fruit They conclude that |
they can in few years realize quite a
fortune, but they find that with even a /
good market for berries they pay no
better than most field or garden crops.
During the past few years much has
been written about the profit in raising
melons for the market, and the ac-
nj I
few individuals have served 10 induce
many to engage in their production.
The sGcccss Of the few has resulted in
the failure Of the many. The cultiva-
tion of melon, extended into portions
of country not adapted 10 them. and
the crop, were small and poor in
quality.
The sensational reports that have re-
suited in the greatest injury have been
those in relation 10 raising few special
crops, cultiyuting new varieties of
fruits and vegetables aud raising par
tlcular breeds Of animals and fowls.
These reports have been industriously
circulated by persons who have seed.
root, or stock TO sell. Many credulous
persons who have met with Indifferent
success or experienced failures with old
varieties of grains, fruits and vcgcfa-
blcs, or with breeds Of animals and
fowls in general use, conclude that they
VIII De nc once successful il they cX-
change the old for the new. They find,
after continuous trial, that the dis
cardcd varieties Of plants AMI the dis
placed breeds u animals and fowls are
fully equal 10 those that they have OBJ
tanned at heavy expense. The per-
sons who eNtOllcd the merits of the new
things might haye told the truth about
them, but they did not tell the whole
truth They declared that grape vine
Of a certain variety would produce
pounds of fruit, but they neg-
.cctcd 10 state that ii would only grow
In sheltered place and that il required
good protection during the winter; that
d COW of one Of the newly-intended
dairy herds gave milk from which fif-
."cn pounds Of butter was made in
week was true, but it was also true that
she had received the care generally be-
slowed ON q sick child had been fed
ike an cpicurc, and had died after c,-
ahlishing her fame for beating the
mixers record. Great caution and
good judgment are required to deter
mine hOw much reliance 10 place ON
hc statements in regard 10 the superb
'r virtue Of newly-inlroduccd breeds Of
and fowls and the remarkable
'lrld Of new varieties Of grain, yegeta-
,les and fruits, as there b. a disposition
o place them FAR above their real mcr-
.s.- Chicago Times.
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INSECTICIDES.