Wichita eagle., 1890-03-08
WEALTH OF THE FARM AND
FARMING.

! 20 tne EU4tOf OF Ile fdsIe.
The science of farming does not I'M
prove with the advanced thought of the
! age as it should. How changed the con-
| ditiOns of commerce, of manufacturing,
| OF architecture and travel, TO what they
were thirty-tive years ago; yet farmers,
amid the whirl of progressive develop
ments constantly going On in all depart
| ments of business enterprise, continue to
| move i'll deeply worn ruts of the past.
1t is true the inventive genius of the age
has como to his assistance in labor saving
machinery, with which is accomplished
with ease the routine work of the farm;
these are purchased too often without
due regard to economy in sheltering from
exposure to the weather, species of
economy that hangs on the wrong side
of the ledger with too many Kansas
farmers.
The constant dripping of water wears
away the most solid rock. The bearings
of a machine are worn out by
use and require repairing; in the
economy of animal organism
the vital functions give way to exhaust
ion and require sustenance to invigorate
their powers. These are principles un-
derstood more by intuition than by phi
lOsOphy of cause and effect. In either
case it is strange that men can see no
analogy in the exhaustion of material
forces and the gradual decay of plant
food in the soil where constant cropping
Is SO thoughtlessly persevered in.
Poor farmers understand to perfection
the art OF making poor farms by taking
from mother earth all they can get, and
in return for kindness refuse to give her
even the crumbs from their crumbling
stables. Where the raising of grain is
made special feature it can not be ex-
pected 10 renovate the vital forces of the
soil by the application of manure, as
there are not sufficient quantities made
on the farm; consequently the next best
and cheapest fertilizer is red clover,
which can be grown to perfection in our
deep soil. There remains no longer anv
grounds for cavil on the success of this
lnestimable plant.
The time is at hand: farmers should
begin change of tactics from all grain
raising to that of more grass. The soil
should have rest and nourishment. This
can be obtained by sowing cloyer and
letting it stand for two or three years.
IL intended for pasture 1t should not be
grazed the first year, and not too short
at any time, otherwise serious in Jury
would result; many fine piece of clover
has been ruined by pasturing too short.
When plowed under the crop should be
in full bloom or when the seed is ripe,
and sow to wheat in the fall. After that
two or three crops of corn, then back to
clover again. By this means the fertility
of the land can be increased and larger
yield in crops secured, thereby relieving
the farmers of much hard labor and en-
hancing the value of our farms.
When our farmers shall have learned
the great value of clover as fertilizer
and the Importance Of maintaining in
our lands u high state of cultivation
there will be less cause for complaining of
low prices. have frequently heard men
say it is not necessary to enrich our
land, that one generation cannot wear it
out. No man with head that isn't
cabbage head would make the assertion
Experience in all ages and all countries
goes to prove the unreaSOnabelneSs and
inconsistency of such theory; it is con-
trary to the laws nature, common cense
and practice Of the the best and most
successful farmers IN the older sections
of our country.
Grass is king of the soil and the farm:
1t rules with beneiiciency and deposits |
wealth within its domain: it creates beef, |
butter, cheese, wool, mutton, provender, |
cents. dimes and dollars, and they are
what we are all after. BY enriching the |
soil they come with graceful ease to |
nestle in the pockets of the diligent. |
Farmers ignore resolves; will to do and |!
act IN this most vital ma after that so |
much concerns our future welfare and |
we shall have inaugurated q new era of !
lasting prosperity to our families, our
selves and the commonwealth of Kansas. |
Hail. king! Monarch of the farm. |
By ali means sow clover.
u. W. BROCKWAY.