The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-07-05
skilful TIllage Of the Soil.

u
mer as q class that there Is go much IN.
akilful farming. Were every man Of the
four OF FIVE millions engaged in this
occupation in this country d thoroughly
skilled workman, the amount of produce
made would far exceed the local OF
foreign demand, and glutted markets and
nominal prices would be the result.
Farming would be overdone, there would
be TOO much made for the demand, and
the calling would be even less remupera.
tive by far than it is now.
We conclude, then, that poor and
unskilfal farming, inasmuch as it occa-
sions q shortage in crops, and thus keeps
the markets from becoming too crowded,
is a benefit to the farmer class, both col.
lectively aud Individually. As unskilful
farming is general throughout the land,
the shortage caused by it amounts to q
great deal, and the relief wrought by it
saves the farmer from utter bankruptcy,
no doubt. by giving him better prices for
what he does make. But for this relief, it
it would not be possible for farmers to
maintain themselves st present prices for
what they buy.
No doubt it ia because ofthe somewhat
better degree Of skill that has prevailed
in farming within q few years past that
the present low prices are in part due.
Larger crops have been made, which, Of
course, affected the prices.
We know, from general observation
and common report, that the mass Of
farmers are saving no money at all and 8
accumulating no property; while on the
other hand, there are 9 few men who
are making headway and becoming inde.
pendent. These latter are the few who
are: good skilful FARMERS. They manage
to make money, despite the low prices,
not by, reason Of big crops, but better
crops. Their skill manifests itself 10 the
quantity of what they produce, but they
are careful not to have it necessary to
increase the size of their barns.
The last paragraph answers the ques.
ton that We suppose Thereafter was about
to ask us, namely: Is skill in farming,
then, undesirablea By no means, if it
is applied in the right directions, that is,
as we have said, to the standard Of DUAL.
3ity, and not Of mere bulk swell of crop.
As knowledge may be 9 bad thing
badly directed, so akill in farming may
be q bad thing for the farmers when it
leads in wrong directions.
This is the fault with much of the skill
Of the present day. Il is leading farmers
the wrong way. AS long IS this is the
case unskilfal farming is blessing in
disguise. Bat'skill in this occupation is
highly desirable. nevertheless: The far.
mer wants relief from labor. He is Civ.
ing too many hours to his work. He is
constantly sinking the intellectual and
the @sthetical in the ceaseless animal
drudgery of twelve and fourteen hours q
day. He needs the ten hour system.
needs relaxation and rest mixed in with
his daily toll.
+ skilful farming will bring this. 1t
will save him time for some Of
the relaxations of life, and still
afford him all that he needs for a good,
substantial living. It is not slipshod
farming that We needin ordev that far.
mers may be men. tits the highest skill
in the art that We want, to prevent the
farmers from being always the mere ami
NAL drudgein the human hive.-Psters.
burg lndey.