The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-12-23
FARM IMPROVEMENTS.


Have the readers of the Cultivator,
like the writer, in all panics or depres-
siOns that affect business i'll general,
noticed that the value Of farm property
was the last to show it effects, but when
1T did fall it was the last to react when
reaction took place? And why is it so?
Simply because active business is moro
sensitive to reactions than passive bust
ness like farming. For the last few
years all business has been very much
depressed and values have fallen, cspc-
cially farm lands, SO much so their value
is but nominal, and to-day farm proper
ty is at its lowest figures. Reaction has
taken place in city and town property,
and their values are rapidly increasing,
and why is it SO? Because the owners
OF such property are wido awake and
alive to their interest and boom il up, as
the commercial and financial baromctors
indicate. This riSe in values in cities
and towns, II permanent, in time, will
have its effect on country property, for
prosperity, like dcprcssions, has its in
t1uence on all surrounding interests; and
as prosperity brings money into active
circulation, tho amount of money raises
the value of all kinds of property
throughout the country. $ such, it
pehooVes the farmers to begin to put
their long neglected farms in order and
dress them up, for appearances add
much to values, and has much weight III
influencing purchasers. All buildings
on the farms should undergo repairs
and renovation, and where buildings and
sheds have been neglected for stock,
they should be built In short, the
outfit should be complete, and paint and
Wmtowash used to make everything look
neat and nice. And SO it should be with
fencing. Have as good fencing and
gates as one can afford, for all such adds
to the value Of the farm. There is u
time to do all this kind Of work and i'm
prOvcmentS when it will not interfere
with field work, and it will be time we'll
employed and in the end prove most
profitable.
Then comes field improvements and
proper culture. As one rides along the
roads and sees the fields quilted and
washed, the impression made, is, "hcrc
Is n farm going to ruin and waste; there
can be no profitable farming done on
such IL falm;" and where bricrs and
bush IS have taken the fields the same
impressions are also made, and the con- !
clu1ions are perfectly correct; for where |
gullies, briers and bushes prevail no
profit can arise from such Il state of
things, and if even should there be a !
suiliciency OF other land to cultivate, to |
admit Of this waste OF land what an ugly |
appearance it gives to the farm, such
yawning glllics and msighuy roughs |
Now, what should be done? First, ter |
race all the hill lands and slopes so as to |
stop washing and Outlying, and if there |
are ilat lands that hold water ditch them |
OIL, and when that is done, the plow and !
harrow must do the rest and diversified /.
farming follow; and let grain, grass and !
stock be the basis on which the farm /
must be built up. Our greatest trouble !
now is fencing, for timber is very scarce, |
which makes fencing more expensive |
than we can undertake to have properly !
done. SO why not abandon fencing and |
keep up stock; for wherever it has been !
adopted 1t has proven very satisfactory, |
and has rid the farmer Of an expense in |
trying to keep up fencing which proved ,
Intellectual and waste Of the little tim
Der left us. Let property be ever so
valuable, if neglected and suffered TO |.
run down, it will dcprcciatc in value and /,
oftcntimes we sec property sold above |
its value, owing to neat and comfortable F.,
buildings and good fencing being placed
on it. Attractivcncss has much or moro
to do with the value of farm than the |
value OF the land; as such, We say to
the farmers, go to work aud improve
your farms and whether you wish to sell
or not it will enhance their value.
JOHN II. DENT.
Cave Spring, Ga.