The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-06-01
Ghe @armer,
Some Incidental Farm Profits.

Waldo f brown. in Country Gentleman.
have so often seen aud heard the state
ment that ''the farms Of this country do not
pay six per cent. on the investment, that
am tired Of hearing it. do not believe
there is any truth in the statement, and l
propose to tell why | think it mistake.
In the first place see fewer business
failures among farmers than among any
other class, aud more men begin without
capital, aud finally become owners of their
farms, and independent business men, than
in any other calling. The man who has
only his labor to depend on in these days
Of competition stands very small chance
Of becoming the owner Of a manufacturing
establishment or store, and statistics show
that more than three fourths Of those en-
gagged in these eallings fail
think that most persons who compare
the profits Of the farm with those Of other
callings reason from false premises. They
contrast the profits Of the farm with those
Of meu doing business with several times
the amount of capital that the farmer has
invested, and invariably with the successful
business men, and they overlook entirely
many things which are a legitimate part of
the profits Of the farm, and which should
be credited to IT, How many farmers arc
there, think you. IN oar land who are liv-
in. on farms valued on she tax duplicate at
from si,O0O 10 $4,000. who have no other
source OF Income than the farm, and who
vet are rearing and educating large FAINT
lies, living in the enjoyment Of comfort aud
with many luxarics aud in addition laying
up small sun each year2 believe it is
pruper to consider all which the farm fur
nishes 10 the family as legitimate part of
the profits of the farm. aud if the discon-
tented farmer would sell his farm and put
the money at interest and try living in
town aud furnish his family the same CON-
forts which they have on the farm, he
would hnd that il would require large
income to meet family expenses.
For some years past | have been trying
TO make just estimate Of the amount of
what the farm furnishes to nay family, and
| ind that leaving out entirely what | sell,
my farm i eniitlci 20 credits which repre-
sent from Ia l0 per cent, on its value.
10 the worst years have passed through
years OF drouth aud partial failure of crops
II have sold enough from the farm to pay
al hired help, taxes, blacksmith bills and
other repairs, aud in good seasons my sales
have paid from To 10 per cent. net, 80
that have had clear Of all expense the
family supplies. ! think | can give the
reader better idea of wha, mean, to tell
in detail what credit my farm with. rather
than TO speak in general terms. My farm
contains 90 acres, aud Is valued for taxa
,ion at $4,000, but | shall estimate its
value at $4,000, and this at 6 per cent. in
terest would give an income of $500 Now,
ii should sell my farm for $4,000 ana
invest il where il would be perfectly safe,
| should have $500 aud my own work with
which To support nay family. Ii rented
as good house in village | must pay at
least SIS month for it--for have a con
venient house with twelve roonls-and this
would take $50. Then my family have
always been accustomed to the use OF
horse and carriage, and as We always keep
horse especially for driving We should not
be satisfied without it, and 1t would cost 81
a week to keep it, or $50 a year. Our
breadstuff which the farm now furnishes
us would cost an average Of S35, and as we
kill a beef each fall and several pigs to fur
nish lard and cured meat for summer, we
must give the farm credit for $50 more.
Our butter, milk and cream would cost
Us in town at least Sl00 if We bought at
retail aud used as much as We do on the
farm, and very nearly as much if We kept
two cows aud bought their feed, and IL
would take two to supply US, but We will
call this item 81 week or So a year, and
as we use eggs and poultry almost every
day 10 the year We will call this item So /,
which is without doubt less than we could
buy the same amount and quality for. We
also grow fruit in great abundance, and
have strawberries, raspberrieS, blackberries,
currants and grapes with scarcely break
| from June until November, AID in addition
full supply of orchard fruit, and certainly
I $40 is very moderate estimate of what
/ the farm furnishes in this line. The gar
den and truck patch also furnish US con
slant supply for the table from April when
the asparagus and rhubarb are ready to use
until frost in the fall, and then the cellar
is stored with potatoes, sweet potatoes,
squashes, turnips, beets, onions and cab
bage, besides other vegetables sufficient for
the winter, and | am certainly within
bounds when | credit another dollar a
week or $50 for these. Bringing these
items together l find that they foot up
1923, which is a little over 10 per cent on
the valuation of So 900, or if we take $500
of it, which is what it would bring at pei
cent, we have left 1923, which would pay
for good hired man for year. If any
one objects to the items of house rent ant
keep of horse, we can drop them both anC
still have nearly per cent, profit.
Now, why are not the comforts and liv
ing which the farm furnishes just as legiti
mate part of the profit of the farm a.
what is sold from it for cash? The farm
ers family must live, and if the farm il
sold, either he must pay cash for all the
items | have enumerated, or else do with
out them | know that, taking one yea
with another, and crediting the farm will
what it furnishes, after deducting none,
paid for hired help (and in this l includ
my own work., my farm has paid me con
siderably more than ten per cent. on it
value, and in exceptionally good years full
twenty per cent, and even in bad years