The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-09-20
Leaks on the Farm and How to Stop

Leaks on the Farm and How to Stop
Them.
An able address delivered before the
Giles county Farmers Association,
Saturday, Sept. 8, 1889, by d. E.
Wilson.
The filing of vessel depends as
much on how well the vessel holds
as how much is poured in it.
If the slaves are shrnnken, the
hoops loose, worm holes numerous,
the bung out, we expect to make
haste slowly in filling it; and if the
leaks pour out as fast as we pour in,
we all know the vessel will remain
empty.
Now, in the subject for discus
sion to day, "The leaks on the farm
and how to stop them," we have
the bank, or our pocket, or whatev.
er holds the increase in our finances
for the vessel, the net income for
the contents, and the unnecessary
expense or outlay for the leaks.
The leaks are what we are look
ing for, and we must find them and
stop them.
This subject is the most impor-
ant one that has ever been brought
up before this society as it takes in
the entire question of farming for
profit, and is the key to bette r
ment of our financial condition.
Anybody can make, but every
body does not save. 1t seems
strange that your worthy body has
est emed SO lightly this great ques
ton and fear have made a very
grave mistake in placing me in the
responsible position of '6rst inspec-
tor" of this Ieaky and pretty much
empty vessel. But as sometimes we
can preach best that which we prac-
tice Least and most any fool can
start people to thinking, perhaps
and may suggest something which
may stop wormhole Or two.
In my estimation, there is one
great and most generally prevail
ing leak, every farm loosing more
or less, and the failure of a great
many farms to pay profit depends
solely on this one leak which we
shall call waste. The farm which
suffers most is the only or princi-
pie source of revenue expected, is
cotton. There you find farmer
who, relying on his cotton crop to
pay his yearly debts, and it being
ascrop taking nearly all of his time
and attention, he finds no time for
seeing to the other and smaller
products, raised perhaps only fol
home consumption, but from the
care of which he might make nice
profit. He plants, say half of his
farm in his favorite crop, the othel
half in corn, wheat, oats, potatoes,
fruit and vegetables. HIS idea is
as | said before,to. make his money
on the cotton and wants only
enough of the others to run his
, farm. Well, his oat crop comes II
first, and then the waste begins. H,
cuts and shocks his oats and his
cotton must be worked before ht
can haul it to the barn. He loosei
half of it by the rains, the othel
half he feeds in the bundle because
he has no cutting machine, in bat
racks, and his stock waste a grea
part of that. The wheat is little
cared for, because it comes in at
time when the worshipped cottol
must be worked, and that Is nc
profit. If he sells any it is a scanty
nusty sample, and he gets low
price. His corn crop is only tor hi
stock and be feeds in wastetul gen
erosity. His mules get theirs i,
: open troughs, his hogs are fed in
The mud, his cattle eat theirs GU
4 the rain and snow, and oh
@retched, inexcusably, sinful waste
FOR this rich flesh producing feet
S all consumed in keeping then
only in living condition and no prof
It accrues.
There is enough corn wasted i,
, Giles county every year, that is
: years of plenty, to feed her. If tbi'
IS not true, why then when W.
have an off year, in which we make
L poor crop and at least twice in M
D own short memory we made none a
all scarcely, can the farmers pull
through and get on with very littl,
, help. 1t is because they are fore et
, TO save and to utilize other feed.
= which grow just as we'll during goot
corn years as bad ones. Then tn
leak does not need any stopper, i
has stopped itself.
:; Now the other crops which GU
people have always regarded as to-
small and valueless to regard at ell
> except for family use, such as pc
tatoes, peas, fruits and vegetable
: now wasted, ought to and can b
utilized and made ofimmense prof
when properly handled, We mus
- learn how to take care of and mar
ket these.
: Such societies as this and tn
discussions in agricultural paper
are just opening the eyes of tn
very good but awfully wasteft
: people of the south, aad blessed b
n the day when we save and marke
5 everything that will bring US pei
d ny and be no disgrace to US or los
TO our farmers.
c There are number of otht
e leaks, perhaps some call them littl
G worm holes, but if left alone, the
can leak out farmers profits s
= fast as he can pour in, and nc
e make any fuss about it either. A
e we stand around, our eyes open an
y pencil in hand, we jot down and a
;. forcibly and plainly As If we sa
s the balance Sheet of each farme
h we see why the proprietor fails t
make profit or perhaps comes GU
in debt at the END ct the year, The
o sre not the same on every faru
i but 90 nearly every farm some G
II them are seen. Our farmers hir
TOO much help and that too nm.
: sRilled, trifiing and unreliable an
by too much money paid to thes
: hired hands and improper use /,
y The labor, makes the cost of tt
! crop to equal or exceed the selin
At price-with of course his living Il
le ken out, for we assume that thes
leaks all are in the net profit vesse
Another farmer keeps a surpl,
:. of Improbable stock, eating off