The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-09-08
Farming and SpecuIatiou.

| Speculation is generally regarded as
| very different thing from farming, and
| yet it is sometimes difficult to draw the
| line between them. 1t is very com
mon practice TOR farmers TO hold their
! products. after they are ready for mar
| Eet, for rise in prices. Is not this
| speculation, rather than farming
My idea of the strict definition of
| farming is that it is the business of pro-
! duction. And the products are for sale,
| directly or indirectly. We may sell the
| products of the soil directly, as hay,
grain or potatoes, or We may first con-
| vert our vegetable products into animal
| products and sell meat, milk or wool.
| The commercial feature necessarily en-
| ters into the business in connection
| with the selling. But it seems to me
| that in legitimate farming, whatever is
TO be sold should be disposed of as soon
as ready for market, at all events as soon
as II can be conveniently placed there.
If grain harvested in summer is kept
| till fail or winter, as a matter of con-
venlenCe or economy III threshing,
| that seems to be farming. But after
grain has been dressed" as they say
in England, and is ready for market, if
we store 1t and hold it month or a
| year to secure a higher price, and, of
| course, at the risk ola lower one, this is
| certainly specializing. If making meat is
our object, we NAV properly feed the
animal so long as it is growing and lay
| ing on flesh at profit, and this is farm
| ing or what the dictionary makers pre-
| fer to call husbandry. But after the
| animal has passed the young and profit
able age and reached condition well
| fitted for the block, if it is kept along
without profit in feeding, simply to
I. l.
come, speculation has taken the place
of production. An old custom in the
dairying districts, which is gradually
dying out, but still prevails to some ex-
tent, is to pack the butter made during
the pasturage season, and sell all at
once In the fall or winter. This is a dis
astrous kind of speculation, as any one
can see by comparing the market quo
tations of centre diaries" from October
to February, with the average price of
fresh-made butter during the year.
The theory above advanced, however,
is not as Objectionable as the practice
Although money is made by specula-
ton, the gains are almost wholly to
those who are trained to the business,
and have little else to do. My business
reason for avoiding mixture of spec
ulation with farming is the observed
fact thatthis practice usually results in
direct loss to the farmer.
While the market prices are closely
watched, the changes at home do not re-
ceive sufficient attention. Very little but
ter is kept on the farm for any length Of
time, in these days, without losing it's
flavor and finally being rated as a poor
article in the market. A well-fattened
animal is far more likely to cause loss
than gain, as the return for additional
food and care. There are on record the
results of numerous trials in storing po-
tatoes, showing an almost certain loss in
weight and measure, often reaching ten
per cent. and sometimes twenty, The
shrinkage and consequent loss III after
wards sold in wheat and other grains
and vegetable products generally is
CORRESPONDENCE great.
Experience and observation COM
bIned have led me to believe that, as u
general rule, it is more profitable and
generally good policy for the farmer to
sell his products as soon as possible af-
ter reaching their best condition for
market.