Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-08
HIGHER FARMING.

HIGHER FARMING.
Tho Present Condition Of tho Missouri
Agricultural College Farm.
Prof. j. w Sanborn, of the Missouri
Agricultural College, presents an in
teresting statement of'what has been
accomplished on the farm connected
with that institution since it's purchase
in the autumn of 1882. The tract con-
tains GAO acres, Of which 80 were allot-
ted to the horticultural department,
while about 400 acres are classed as
bluffs and woods, thus leaving for
farming purposes only about 100 acres
OF pillow land and so Of pasture all this
in a very rough and unpromising con-
dition. There was, moreover, no
money to expend in its Improvement,
except what it's own resources could be
made to yield.
Prof. Sanborn seems to have tackled
the somewhat difficult problem before
him with great success. He cleared
away needless Enclosures fanked with
wide bands of bushes, got out stumps,
cleared up the pasture land, and went
to work with an intelligent system of
rotation in view, decided upon with
reference to the soil, climate and mar
kets of the locality. He determined to
save what he specifies as 1.-The dis
tinguishing' wastes of the West," al
though it can not be said that they are
unknown elsewhere-''n namely: straw,
corn fodder, manure, and soil waste by
excessive tillage," though he was
''again and again told that it was idle
to attempt to save the waste product
of the farm under our condition in
Missouri, and that elaborate farming
would not pay"
What have been the results of the
undertaking? The farm now pastures
and winters from two to two and a half
times the stock it kept six years ago.
In 1887 it produced 49, bushels of
wheat per acre, and promises 40
bushels this year, which latter it is
hoped will hereafter be the yearly
average. It has nearly reached the
standard set for it of an average of 60
bushels of oats, 80 of corn, and three
tons timothy and four, tons clover to
the acre. And, in the face of constant
ly shrinking values of all its products,
the farm inventory shows an aggregate
$1,440 larger than at the start; $3.50
has been spent on the pastures, and
5000 on orchards not yet in fruit; from
$500 to $500 per year has been used for
experimental work. Thus during FIVE
years, for the sixth is not yet conclud-
ed, aggregate improvements costing
3,425 have been paid for, and a great
advance in fertility has been made
from which future revenue will come.
The farm now ''has rich cleared fields
and good pastures, good tools and
stock, and a system of farming that
costs less to handle than at first"
=, The condition OF the farm at the out
set is spoken of as only typical of the
ordinary system prevailing in the
OGdGo. 1US uOW lurutSuCS jill
important example for imitation in
every community. Prof. Sanborn well
remarks:
I'm view of all the above facts,
feel authorized in saying to our strug-
Cling farmers, who are passing through
one of the hardest times our agricult-
ure has known, and who have my pro-
found sympathy in all their efforts to
better their condition, that a higher
type of farming which seeks not only
to give soil fertility but to increase it,
and which also saves all present wastes
so characteristic of the West, is a
most decidedly safe and encouraging
one to pursue. The same rate of in.
crease of crop growth for the State as
has been secured here, outside OF the
increase in personal property and
other advances on this farm from its
own revenues, would have an immense
influence on the wealth and culture OF
the State. ''-Countrv Gentleman.