The Springdale news., 1889-12-20
AGRICULTURAL.
The Farm as a Factory.

If the farmer could realize that the farm is a factory, and to sell the crops off the farm is selling the raw material which always brings the lowest price, that he is thus losing more thaa hutf the profit he should obtain from the farm, there would be less poor, rum down farms, less poor, bankrupt farm CTS, and less heard of hard times and that farming does not pay. The farm is not only factory, but also produces its own raw material from which to manufacture articles of sale. The soil and air are the sources from which the farmer draws his supplies of raw ma- teriaI, and the plant and animal life are the machines by which he works up this raw mate rial into useful, manufactured arti- cles, such as wool cotton. beef, pork, butter and cheese. Instead of the farm being adapted to single occupa- tion it is really q combination of d great many pursuits. The implements and machinery are varied and the products are not limited to any par ticular article.
 It is because all the advantages of farming are not utilized that so many failures occur; for with proper man. /agement and judicious system no y business is surer; for the farm pro- 1uces it's raw material; it raises it's own machines and manufactures it into articles ready for market or for use.
 The farmer to certain degree is in- dependent, He can partially regulate the prices obtained by sending his produce to market in the forms that will bring the most profit He can watch the markets, and if he finds, all things considered. that it is more profitable to sell the raw material, which is seldom the case. he can do so. If stock, the farm machinery, is in great demand and prices are high, he can turn it into stock and sell it in this state; are in demand and prices are high, he can run the raw material through the farm machinery manufacturing 1t into these articles. The COW. which unlike other machines used for converting the products into milk. butter and cheese, is self-sustaining and self-re- pairing. There is great deal of matter produced on the farm which there is not market for and would be lost; but by the assistance of the COW, the farmer is enabled to manufacture 1t into a form for which heean find a ready sale. while at the same time she returns portion Of the original cost in the shape of manure, for the pur- pose of assisting to further increase the amouHtof raw material.
 The eve comes in with her mite giving greater variety of .sala- ble product in the shape of wool mutton, lambs and manure, besides keeping down briers and other pests of the farm. Notwithstanding the great advantage this valuable Ina ehinery is to the farmer. there are many without who buy their families supply of wool and mutton, and dig up the briers and sassafras bushes with .telbow grease. . While much of the production Of the farm that is not marketable in it's present shape could be eaten by the sheep.
 The SOW, another valuable machine, comes in to enable the farmer to culti- vate crops that are rarely saIable eX- cept al low prices, and to manufacture them into pork and valuable progeny that mature quickly and reach a maJ- f1et in d short time.
 Then again comes the valuable mare, that gives Us the power with which to perform the work required and adds her offspring to the reve- aHe. There are few. fl any farmers. who do not keep horses to work: but how many avail themselves of this ad- vantage of keeping d mare as a ma chine and working her 10 her fullest capacity? If the farmer will give the mare chance she will take much of the farm's produc- ton that does not sea at prices much above the cost of production. and manufacture it into the shape of valuable colts, that will make him in- dependent of the markets and fill his pockets with money.
 We should not forget the little feathercd machines, though but q small part of the whole, are effective and eapable machines for the con version of much waste material into feady-selline careasses and eggs. Thus we see the animals and birds act as SO many machines, performing their work by different methods, manufact- uring the raw material of the farm into variety of manufactured prod ucts, which are salable at all season of the year.
 But since the former has become Il manufacturer and the farm his factory, he should procure the best machine to run his factory with, that he may make the most out of his raw material