The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-11-07
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Are We Making Farming Profitable ?

~ We noAutS Farming TEOHtdUlS
Farming in its fullest sense is the
cultivation of the soil with reference
to the production of vegetables, and
the conversion of a portion of them in
animals and variety of forms which
are best adapted to the wants of man.
Every farmer does not farm in the
fullest sense of the word. Cultivating
the most leading crops, selling or feed
ing them to the various kinds of farm
stock, are the branches most common
ly practieed. Now the question arises
are we in these making it profitable.
We may cultivate many acres and
raise large crops; we may raise, feed
and sell much stock and yet not be MAX
ing it profitable. To raise larger cops,
the expense of producing them may
be greater than the value of the prod
uct; the draught on the soil may be in
excess of the supply of fertility; it may
be improperly sold or cared for; it may
be injudiciously fed, thus making
farming Improbable.
It is expected that the professional
man is. or should be, we'll educated and
well schooled in his business, or else
he can not succeed, that the merchant
deal in the best brand Of goods, that he
must keep an accurate account of all
expense, loss and gain that he may see
if he is making his business profitable;
by this he can see on what he makes
the most profit that he may deal in
these more largely.
These qualifications seem indispen-
sable to the merchant and all profess
sional men. 1t is equally as much so
with the farmer. His is not business
to be carried on successfully by the
unlearned or indolent any more than
any other occupation of life. The
farmer must not only be Industrious
but must be studious; his mind, his
thoughts must be in his business. The
crops, the stock and household econ
omy should be his chief occupation.
He should keep an accurate account
of all his business, the expense, loss
and gain, in what particular branch of
his business he is most successful,
what crops are most profitable for
him to raise, the most profitable dis
position to make of them; the best
and most profitable stock to raise, and
how best to dispose of them. Farmers
are too careless in regard to keeping
oI1 nf
quently they often raise crops that are
not profitable, and raise and feed stock
at an expense. There are few crops
that are profitable to raise and sell off
the farm From my experience in grow
ing vegetables, [ see many farmers
grow and sell vegetables at less than
the cost to grow them. 1t puts little
money in their pockets at the time.
but they were no better off than if
they had not raised them; in fact, not
as well off. Unless the farmer keeps
an account of the expense in growing
crop he will overlook this and sell
blindly.
Many farmers, if they would for one
year keep an accurate account of the
expense of each crop they were grow
ing, would be surprised to find the
profit of one crop consumed in de-
fraying the expenses of another, al
though they may make a considerable
profit on their entire farms. Wheat
sown on clover sod l believe can be
sold off to profit, most especially to
grind the wheat and sell the -four and
feed the bran, which, by the way,is the
most profitable way to dispose of |
wheat. even if bran is sold, too. The |
clover sod should be turned under four
or five weeks before sowing; the wheat |
will make heavier crop by SO doing;
but it is profitable to sell clover
hay, or at least it would yield
greater profit to feed it to farm
stock. By knowing the feeding value
of crop and the value of the manure
produced from it, a farmer can often |
make calculation what crop can be
sold off at profit or to sell one crop
and buy another.
Al OAQCE W huOW WL0GuSF we are |
making farming profitable. we should |
know what it costs to raise every |
bushel of wheat, corn and oats, every |
pound of grass and clover in every |
thing we raise. The farmer should |
know how many pounds of feed it takes
to feed his stock, and to fatten his stock |
for market. If he knows what it costs |
him to raise every bushel of feed, and |
then knows how much he has fed and |
knowing how much his stock is worth
before he commences feeding or to fat
ten, and knows the value Of the ma
nure produced by his stock and what
he has received he can tell whether
farming is profitable to him. -Thos. |
d. Baird, in Southern Cultivator.
The Best Breed of Fouls fov. 4ha