Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-05-09
Making Farms Productive.

Comparatively few farmers realize the
amount of pitsl invt sted in there land,
uuless il be those most unfortunate ones
who are Indebted TO others for their land
ed CAPITAL, and are obliged to pay inter
eat on it. To such the realizing sense of
tied up capital comes forcibly anG fire.
ouently enough. Yet, where the policy
Of renting farms prevails, 1t is often
found that those who rent land often sue
coed in making it more productive than
those who own their acres that they till.
There s in gathering the rent money or
interest money an incentive to make
every acre produce the utmost OF which
il is capable, that does not apply to the
well-to-do farmer ont of debt, and who
has Abandoned the hope of making mon
" rapidly by farming. These are the
gorst obstacles to farm progress. Hay-
Ing the money to farm successfully,
which means thorough farming IA every
respect, their influence in keeping on in
theold fashioned, causious ways is there
fore all the more injurious.
There have been only exceptional trials
Of good farming in this country under
favorable conditions for succest. But
there are enough to show that this Is the
policy that sll farmers must ultimately
adopt. Almost every farmer has more
land than he can make the best use of.
To be sure, this is the right of every oiti-
zen IN this country to add acre after acre
and get little or nothing for their use.
We are sometimes almost tempted 10
wish that japanese laws applied here.
In that country the population is so
dense that it is of national concern mat
the land be pushed to it's utmost posslblll-
ties. The farmer who let's his land lie
idle or overgrown with weeds suddenly
finds his acres taken frCm him and given
TO those more provident and industrious.
1t ls, we suppose, practI ally much the
same law that prevails here and every
where else. 1t is the survival of the fit
test only here the exe mination requires
a much longer time than it does under
Japanese laws.
Perhaps land may never become scarce
enough IN this country to make this sum
mary dealing With poor farmers neces-
sity. But it will be because our people
are quick witted enough TO learn that
only good farming pays. Ills has al
ways bee. true, but with the increasing
competition OF European and Asiatic la.
Dor with the farmers vocation, 1t requires
a much better style of farming to succeed
now than was necessary fifteen, twenty
or fifty years sgo. Then this country
controlled the grain and food markets OF
the world, as il does not now, and per
haps nover may again. II a man then
was little more industrious or little
better manager than hIa neighbor, he was
sure TO make q living and something be-
sides. We were, III those days, selling
the virgin fertility of orr soil, and this
lever gave the American farmer his great
advantage. Latterly we have been los
ing this, and we must somehow make up
for it.
Can this be doneY We believe it can,
though It will require thought as well ss
muscle TO accomplish It. The first of all
the lessons to be learned is to increase
fertility and make every acre produce
more than il has been used to doing
With our improved machinery and skill
the American farmer can probably still
cultivate ard harvest his crops more
cheaply than any Que else. IL be can in
crease the product per acre, perhaps IN
some cases by growing q different kind
Of crop from that in which the compe-
tition is strongest, be can evade 1t and
make money, while those who go on in
the old ways must fually succnmb.
Some farmers have founo this the better
method il the improvement Of farm
stock, others IN fruit growing, and macy
more in judioious and intelligent com
'inaiion Of both. Good farming If indeed
not merely doing one thing well, bnt 50
far as possible adopting all improved
methods of increasing the productiveness
of land