The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-11-09
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Are We Making Farming Profitable ?


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 a 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 practiced. 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.
1t 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
il 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 10 regard to keeping
an account of their business, conse-
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, l 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 we'll of. Unless the farmer keeps
an account of the expense in growing
a 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 considerable
profit ON their entire farms. Wheat
sown on clover sod / 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 oil
wheat. even If bran is sold. too. The
clover sod should be turned under four
or five weeks before sowing; the wheat
will make q heavier crop by so doing;
but it is profitable to sell clover
hay, or at least it would yield q
greater profit to feed it to farm
stock. By knowing the feeding value
of crop and the value Of the manure
produced from it, farmer can otter
make q calculation what crop can bt
sold of at profit or to sell one croI
and buy another.
In order to know whether we ART
making farming profitable. we should
know what it costs to raise every
bushel of wheat. corn and oats, ever,
pound of grass and clover in ever!
thing we raise. The farmer SHOULD
know how many pounds OF feed it take
to feed his stock, and to fatten his stool
for market. If he knows what it cost
him to raise every bushel of feed, ant
then knows how much he has fed ant
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 wha
oan <o1 xuhofh n