San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-30
Farming in West Texas Can be Made
to Pay.
Editor San Antonio Light

Farming in West Texas Can be Made
to Pay.
Editor San Antonio Light.
One hears almost daily the remark,
that western Texas Is not suited 10
farming, on account OF the smAlIhess OF
the rainfall: and this remark, more ire
Guently than otherwise, emanating from
a constitutional cTOaker, who persist
emily looks at the dark side OF every
thing. Is echoed and re-eChOed through
| ont the union. This opinion, Is IN
great measure. unfOunded. The capa-
| biIities of west L. Xas have never Oeeen
! thoroughly tested by proper system
ufhusbandrv. They have never had lair
trial. Until the last few years, farming
I'm western TeXat was scarcely attempt
ed at all. and even where II was al
tempted, IL was done in superficial ana
slouChy manner that invited disaster.
The climate OF west Texas Is OF such
a character as to enable fair crops to be
grown with only n small rainfall, pro
yidpd the soil is thoroughly broken up
by the plough and the crops are planted
in due season. Cotton succeeds very
we'll rs a general thing. Oars also
Weld finely. johnson grass for hay is
pretty sure thing. Now, cotton, oats
and Johnson grass give a farmer three
good strings to his bow, and ought 10
yield him fair revenue, one year win
anchor. Then, both Irish and sweet
potatoes produce astonishing crops and
in case they cannot be sold
ut remunerative prices may b.
profitahly used in fattening hogs
and beeves. The real farmer ne er sui
| fers ANYTHING on his farm to gOto waste.
but utilities everything IN one shape or
another, and cUntriVes to derive prOht
| from Ii.
While Texas is one Of the largest cat
| tie growing states in the Jniuu, IL l.
| mainly dependent on OrUrr statr- for it,
supply Of butter. and Uses an CalCuIa-
! be amOuut of bogus butter. Mllil us "i
! dollars are annually sent out Ot I'XH-
| for the single article of butter. Nov
hi condition of Things is sad sIur or
| our farmers Every iArurr with lOO
acres Of land -hruid milk from to IT,
| COWS. and market the butter uru uCru
! hy them weakly. thus making butter
making II source Of revenue ~ we'll hr
! Of home comfort Inc Keeping OF from
to IN cow on farm Of 100 acres Ough,
not to amount to mach Of a tax. BY
| cutting the grass that Is fed TO them, III
stead Of putting them on the pasture,
one acre VIII feed twice as many head
And IL the food be cooked. II Will b.
more nutritious, because more dIgestl-
bic RfuS" vegetables, potatoes, Iur
! n ps, brCis, g., On be prOftably fed t"
mich COW, aud beef cattle. Corn iUd-
der AMI hay can be put up for winter
feed. Turnips can be used Tor winter
frsd to great advantage.
The manure from ten COWS would en-
rich three or four acres so AS TO quad.
rupIe the crops per acre. with ten fair
mulch COWS properly cared for, farmer
ought to make n good support independ-
| emily Of the crops grown by
| him. Then, he should fattrn half
dozen beeves in the course of the year.
| II farming does not pay in West Texas,
| it ia sol " in consequence of the failure
OF the farmer to make every edge cut
and tOturn everything To account. lie
relies wholly upon his crops and does
| not endeavUr to raise all he needs on
the farm, so rs to get living indie.
| pendently Of his crops. so far from 1t,
he has to purchase everything out OF the
| proceeds # the crops grown, and, in
case of a partial, or total failure Of crops.
he is forced 10 sell himself to the money
| lender.
But this is fancy farming and it wont
! do in this dry climate" 1t is not fancy
farming" to insist that farmers should
produce all they need at home, and that
| i the SUN aud substance of what / have
| been insisting upon.
The intensive system OF farming is the
only true plan to be followed by the
wide-awake and progressive farmer
| What is the intensive system? Ii l.
manuriug high and cultivating thor
| Uughly-it Is making one acre produce
as much rs three acres do, ordinarily.
| No matter now rich the soil may be,
manure will augment its productive
Mesa fact few farmers have learned
| t. properly apprec ate. Manure will in
crease the yield OF oats, corn and cotton
as well as tend to render the soil more
| friahle.
The growth of johnson grass alone
ought to render farming reasonably
| profitable, as every pound OF hay thar is
saved, can be sold, or adv ,ntageOu>ly
fed to stock. 1t is a most singular fact,
that the hay crop of the United states
exceeds In value the annual cotton crop.
| II Texas could retain at home the i'm
| mense su OF money, which she pays
ont annually for northern and western
| hay, he would pretty soon have
reserved capital to invest in industrial
| pursuits and in farm improvements
of permanently bene fetal char cter
The cotton crop has to 60 to pay for the
| butter, bacon. lard. fl rur, corn and hay,
| which is imported ron other states,
and so long AS farmers pursue this sui
rldal policy OF purchasing thu food
supply, which they ought to raise on their
| farms. farming will prove unsatisfactory
| aud unremunerative. and the SONS of
farmers VIII manifest an uncuDqIerablr
| rrpugAncP to rhe calling Of Iheir fathers.
NV. let n farmer Thoroughly manure
| five acres Of land, plough il deep h.
| August. or september, AID plant II ~
| corn. the last al February, a,d INA e u.
! much on il as n" would ordinarily upDu
fifteen acres. Thar Is the alpha aud
omega of the intensive system n sNs-
TEN That pays in all climates and upon
! all soils. II will also pay IN West Texas
Every farmer should SOW Il couple of
acres in tuTnlUs for Winter feed for hogs
and cattle. In Europe, brets and turnips
| constitute the main food supply for cat
tie, hogs an sheep. No food crops pay
better, or are raised more cheapy. They
can he sOwn in drills, so As to admit of
their being cultivated.
Small crops pay better than cotton,
and require less tirlage and attention.
and on that account are more deserving
| Of the favor Of farmers. who desire to
attain comfort aud independence.
PLOUGHMAN.