The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-05-15
FARMING FOR TO-DAY.

Large 1arInS, DrOdu lo1uo, CAP0
machinery driven by steam or man
aged by large, heavy teams, agrlcul-
tural implements requiring hundreds
of acres of grain to make their use
profitable, all belong to the west;
Our many Western subscribers Will
know that we do not forget these
facts. We glory in those large reaches
Of wheat and corn, which there justify
the largest expenditure in implements
and machinery. Steam plows and
heavy ~harvesters and everything OF
the largest and best and most costly
belong to the large farms of the West,
many of which are about equal IN fer
tile acres to some of the ~principalities
of the old world. -1"".
And Notwithstanding all this we
wish to speak particularly to the
farmer readers Of u magazine in the
States along the Atlantic Seaboard,
and to urge upon them a few of the
ideas which have been growing
stronger and stronger in our mind as
the years pass by. In these States,
the time Of large fields of grain we
believe to have passed away, if any
real profit is desired by wi farmers.
Something must take the place of
these and a very different method of
farming must be pursued. This has
become a settled conviction with us,
and the only question is, what shall
this method be for the farming of to-
day, and how shall it be carried for
ward :? .,.....
Our first idea is to cultivate much
less ground with the plow; but make
what is cultivated rich and productive
to it's full capacity. In this grow such
crops as will be the most profitable in
the best markets Of the country; and
whatever is needed for home con
sumption. In carrying out this idea,
where much land has heretofore been
under the pillow, seed it down to grass
and keep stock for the larger portion,
and turn many acres into orchards of
the best fruit in pears, ounces, apples
and peaches. ..
Carry much stock of various kinds
and Of the best character, not forget
ting the value of ensilage in their
keeping. Stock under these circum-
stances can be made to supply nearly
all the fertilizer you will need on the
acres which are broken up, and are
themselves a source of revenue of no
mean character. Bear in mind that
the fertilizer from them almost equals
the value of the feed you are obliged
to supply for them, and the growth
and increase become nearly all profit.
The land in orchards will always be
profitable if the fruit is judiciously
chosen, the orchards properly cared
for and a little attention paid to the
marketing of the fruit. For many
years to come, longer than any of US
now living may number, the demand
for all the fruit of good quality which
can be raised will remain good. The
natural increase of the population is
vastly greater than the increase of the
standard fruits and IS likely to remain
SO. If this country should, however,
be overstocked; we have a foreign
market continually calling for our
produce of this character. The world
is open to us. Apples only moderately
fine have brought by the barrel at
least a dollar a bushel all winter.
Orchards are destined to be a good
investment.
Then comes the great field Of small
fruits; but we must not enlarge upon
this subject now. We would refer to
former numbers of the magazine for
particulars. A great source of profits
for labor bestowed is certainly here,
and a very small attention to this
branch of farming has hitherto been
given.
But the best source of profit to the
farmer of to-day is to be found in
truck farming. The cultivation Of
comparatively few acres, brought to a
high state of productiveness, put into
crops of vegetables of various kinds,
such as sweet corn, potatoes, tomatoes,
onions, beets, cabbage, celery, as
paragus, peas, beans, &c.-and placed
on the market in an attractive manner.
For the Atlantic seaboard, this out
line gives very briefly the true farming
Of to-day. And we believe the time
is very rapidly approaching when sue
cessful farming here cannot be done
in any other manner Grain farming
must be thrown aside, for it does not
now pay for the commercial fertilizer
which must necessarily be used upon
tit can only be raised here at a loss.
Specialties, if not depended upon as
sole crops, will always repay study