The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-08-16

mess rules as that of farming
Tie farmer requires more educa-
ton, and a knowledge of greater
variety of subjects, than any of the
so-called learned professions.
The man who knows only how
to turn a good furrow, prepare the
soil FOR the seed, stop the growth
Of weeds, and promote the growth
Of the plant, has not mastered the
art of successful farming. Nor
has the man who knows only how
to raise fine horses, sleek cattle or
fat swine, or how to fertilize his
fields to the best advantage. raise
the best corn or potatoes. or the
highest yield of oats or barley -
The man who to-day really
makes thorough success as q
farmer must combine all these ele-
ments Of knowledge and many
more.
1t used to be said that any fool
could be a farmer; but at the pres
emit day people begin to realize
the fact that the farmer needs the
more education. The time has
gone By when the haphazard, slip
shod, go-as-ycu-please methods of
farming can be made to pay.
Agriculture has come to be re-
eoenized as a science. Millions
Of acres of soil in our states and
territories have been opened up to
the pillow, and their surplus pro-
ducts are forced upon the markets
IF the world. The products of the
cheap labor of foreign countries
are also emptied into our midst to
slut our markets. The farmers
apcn the worn soils of the older
states, and especially our own New
England, must look closely to the
ietails Of their business or go to
he wall
What would be thought of the
manufacturer who did not know
% the fraction Of cent the cost
IF the raw material and labor put
! to q yard of cloth, or the manu-
Iaeturer Of leather who did not
know the exact cost of the materi-
al and labor required to make a
case Of boots or shoes, or the man
ufasturer of oleomargarine who
knows what it cost per pound. and
laughs in his sleeve at the farmers
gilt edged butter.
And yet how many farmers can
tell the cost Of a pound Of butter
or pork. a bushel of potatoes or
corn, or ton of hay? They sell
their product for what they can
get offered, not knowing whether
they are making or losing.
The remedy is this. when farm
ers come to realize that farming is
q business as much as manufactur-
ing or banking or buying and sell
ing goods, and by careful keep
ing Of accounts learn to figure the
cost Of every article they produce,
then a successful beginning viii
have been made. Let them keep
debt and credit with every acre of
corn or potatoes or beans or
grain.
Charge each acre with the in
terest oa its value, the probable
amount Of fertilizing material used
by the crop and the cost of labor
IN its care. Credit it with market
value Of the crop produced The
difference between the two viii
represent the profit or loss.
A Ike account should be kept 4
with the herd Of COWS. Ifany one
Of the number entails loss upon /
you, dispose of her.
Keep a strict account with the
! rchard if you have one. Debit
Z with the labor employed In its
care and in harvesting of its fruit.
Credit It With the values of its
golden product and learn from the
balance on the right side of the
ledger that it is one Of your best
friends. / have said that the
farmer needs 70 be educated for
ms business One branch OF
study I would particularly recon-
mend, that is bookkeeping. Il
speak from personal knowledge
and experience aud know It PAYS.
Il is Ike the compass to the mari
ner.
The farmers book is one of re-
ference to which he can at any
time refer for dates Of article
bought OF sold, and price given
or received for the same. This
book viii solve the great problem,
Where does cur money 60 tor
and pershanee lead to more care
ful consideration and economy.
Having learned to calculate the
ct Of the products Of the farm,
the next business is to know how