The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-01-23
FARM RESEARCHES.
The Best Time for Considering the Claims
of the New and URtried Crops.

Of the New and Untried Crops.
Many farmers contemplate making
some change in their business in spring.
Some propose to give up grain-raising
on an extensive scale, and to engage in
dairying, general stock-raising, or the
breeding of fine Snimals. Others are
thinking about engaging in the produc-
ton of some crops that have never been
raised in this vicinity. as hops, broom
corn and tobacco. Some are consider
ing the PrOpriety Of preparing and
stocking fish ponds. Others are think
ing Of constructing asilo. with view of
preserving green fodder TO feed to their
stock next winter. Some are consider
ing the profits of poultry-raising on an
extensive scale, with view of supply
ing the market with fowls and eggs.
They have read of the success of others
IN this branch of husbandry, and from
their statements have about come TO the
conclusion that it pays better to feed.
grain to fowls than to pigs, cattle. or
sheep, or send it to market. A smaller
S>ssaber, perhaps, have thought that
there was large amount OF honey an
nually going to waste in the district
where they live, and are thinking that
it would be profitable to keep bees that
would gather and store it. As the price
of nearly everything produced on farms
is quite low and gives promise of re-
manning so, very many farmers are
thinking Of making new departure in
some direction, hoping that it will be
productive of greater profits.
It is often advisable to make changes
IN the management of Alarm. Farmers
of small means are generally obliged
to keep scrub animals or none. They
have not the money to purchase inn
ported stock, and they have not suita-
BILE buildings in which to keep costly
animals They are generally obliged
to raise grain to sell in order to procure
money to pay for their land, to erect
buildings and fences, and buy imple-
ments, They can not engage in dairy
ing until they have the means to pay
for, or raise, herd of good COWS and
70 put up barns that will shelter them.
To raise fine stock requires considerable
capital. as good buildings and improved
pastures as well as expensive animals.
The drainage of low land, the erection
of wind-mills for raising water, the inn
provement of cranberry marshes, the
planting of ornamental hedges, the set
ting out of orchards, the formation Of
shelter belts, the preparation of lawns,
and the making and stocking of fish
ponds can not ordinarily be undertaken
by farmers who have moved upon tracts
of raw prairie and who have families to
support. In the great majority of cases
the improvements on farms must be
slowly made. One change for the bet
ter must be made this season and an
other next, till at length the farm is
all that the owner desires to have it be.
Farmers often make changes in their
business very injudiciously. They read
a paragraph in some paper that q
farmer has realized small fortune in q
few years by raising certain crop, OF
by keeping certain breed of animals
OF fowls. They think that they can dc
quite as well by adopting the same
course. Without knowledge and with.
out experience they embark in the new
enterprise only to fail. They discover
when it is quite too late that they are
mot suited to the new kind of business
that their places are not adapted to it
or that the time for engaging in it il
past. The report that farmer some
where realized five hundred dollars pei
acre on an onion, celery, or strawberry
crop has had the effect to turn the head
of many farmers. They neglect theil
cid standard crops to plant those will
whose cultivation they are unacquainted
and for which there is no market neal
where they live. They become finan
4cially embarrassed. Their creditor
press them, and they are obliged top par
with their places at sacrifice and Il
commence life over again in a new
locality. Every time that hops o
broom-corn happens to reach higl
figure thousands of farmers hasten Il
engage in their culture, often in place
where the climate and soil are no
adapted to their growth. Those VIII
succeed in producing good crops fin'
that the market is overstOcked, and tina
prices have fallen below the cost of pro
-duction.
No radical change should be made il
the management of farm, and n
costly improvement undertaken with
out due elaboration, thought and study
Great pains should be taken to acquir
all the information rel tive to the re
quirements of every new crop, and i
thinking of introducing it in an untrie
locality, the cost of obtaining seed an
the facilities for sending the product t
market should be carefully considered
The statements of those who have see
for sale should be regarded with col
siderable suspicion, as they are int,
ested parties. The sorghum sugs
spool" was inaugurated and has bee
kept up chiefly by chose who had see
and machinery to dispose Of. The sil
culture mania is largely the result of Il
circulation of advertisements issued /
parties who have silk-worm eggs an
mulberry plants for sale. Nurserymt
who had large stocks to dispose of hay
been chiefly Instrumental in causing Il
European larch and the Russian mu