Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-05-19
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.
Tho Availability of Keeping Many Kinds
OF Animals and Fowls.

generally good. There are greater
risks in raising crops than in any
branch of manufacturing. Persons
who work in building. are protected
from the weather. and are not obliged
to suspend operations on account of
the occurrence of rain, snow or severe
cold. Daring many seasons. however.
farmers are kept from work nearly
half the time by the unfavorable
weather The weather which inter-
feres with the work of farmers also in
terferes with the growth of his crops.
Some crops are injured more by
droughis and protracted rains than
Others, and the larger the number q.
farmer raises the more likely will he
be TO have at least one that will sue
coed. Depending on one crop has re-
suited in the ruin of many farmers, If
the weather is unfavorable it will be
failure, and if it Is favorable the crop
may bedestroyed by insects. If good
crop is raised, the price may be very
low in consequence of large produce
ton over great extent OF country.
With many crops farmer is toler-
ably sure of large yield and fair, if
not high, prices for some of them.
Wheat raised last year commands but
a small price, but the price of pota-
toes and field beans is very high.
Strawberries sold low, but apples
raised on the same farm command ex-
celent prices. Last season, in many
parts of the country, was favorable to
crops that were planted or sown early,
but generally unfavorable to those that
were put in late. The reverse may be
true of the crops that will be sown
next season. Some minor crop, like
beans, flax or buckwheat planted be-
cause something else failed, or because
seed could not be obtained, may bring
in more money than is realized from
what were regarded as the leading
crops on the place. They may hit the
season and insects avoid them. Only
farmers who have large reserve fund
can afford to risk the labor of an en-
tire season in any one crop, as its
failure would result in the ruin of q
farmer of quite small means.
AS with field crops, so with farm
animals. There is the greatest safety
with many kinds of animals. If there
was no danger from cholera, hogs
would be the most profitable animals
the average farmer of limited means
could keep. They multiply fast ma
ture quickly, eat many kinds of food
and required but little protection.
But experience shows that there are
great risks in keeping hogs in large
numbers. The farmer who devotes
most of his land to raising corn, and
who feeds tito hogs, runs great risk.
The breaking out of an infectious dis
ease may cause the loss of all Of his
hogs, as well as the crop they have
devoured. The disease popularity
called 'pink-eye" has, during the
past few years, carried off many horses
in the neighborhood and on the farms
where it has occurred. When foot-rot
appears among large flock of sheep.
the losses are generally very large.
Contagious diseases are not so COM
mon among cattle rs with most other
farm animals, but they are likely to
occur at any time, and to ruin farm
ers who keep no other kinds of stock.
As with risks. so with prices. Some
kind of farm stock is low almost every
season, but some other kinds is likely
to be very high at the same time.
Meat-producing animals are now low,
but draft animals are very high. Small
as is the demand for beeves, the de-
mand for horses and mules is active.
During the past few years good milch
cows in comparatively poor flesh have
brought more money in dairy centerS
than fat bullocks of the same age have
in the great beef markets of the
country. While dairying is prosper
Gus, the demand for good mixers will
be active. 1t not unfrequently hap
pens that mutton is high when wool il
low. There is less risk in feeding
horses. mules, cattle, sheep and hog:
on the some place than in devoting the
farm to raising only one kind of stock.
A disease that aff1icts one does not en-
danger the others. A fall in the price
of beef or pork does not affect the
price of horse-fesh or of wool. A
urchaser may come to buy pair o.
mules when no one can be found tc
buy fat steers at the price of the corn
they have eaten
: An old adage tells us of the danger
, of putting all the eggs in one basket.
, The caution in relation to eggs applies
to the birds that are Matched from
them. Every large farmer, would dc
!, we'll to raise turkeys ducks, geese and
chickens. The first, though they sci
well and furnish most excellent eating,
are generally difficult to raise. Tur
, keys are never classed among the sure
crops The hen is the best general
purpose fowl, but is subject TO many
diseases A season that is unfavorable
to turkeys and chickens is often an
excellent one for ducks and geese.