The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-09-24

We all like to tel Of our suocess. but
few Of Us like to reveal our mistakes and
failaceS Just fos change, am going TO
tell Of some q my blunden- 1t may help
others
The worst mistake ever made was
irving 10 carry on a big farm when
couid atf5ra only Sufficient labor and
manrre to properly cultivate very snail
one. Ito k msaboHt tEo years o 'na n 5
out and bring ny operations down to
their proper limits With twelve acres
obtain far better results than ! did
with $50. and reckon I have saved over
1870 miles in travel for men and teams
already. ] am not certain but that q less
number Of acress would be better yet
Nv next mistake MAS in breeding COM
mon or mongrel ssoct-I'unghill fowls
instead Of thoro0ghhre5s This ! very
soon corrected. aud stocked my place
with pure blooded stock, which costs no
more to keep and brings in far larger re-
tarus. besides the pleasure aud grstihoa-
ton there Is IN keePing the same. Mis-
take numbersthree was made in trying
70 raise many kinds Of crops ! very
soon slfled down 70 selected few, Of
which make speciality. In trying to
keep aud raise everything il divides your
labor mind and attention too much 10
one Is made a success ana many are COM
ple.e failures ] believe in diversified
farming just 50 far as Zine and labor per
nit one to give all bis interests their
proper attention, but no; beyond that, for
this reason only--thst should one branch
Of farming fsil one season, one has anoth-
er TO look to for an income. | would
select such branches as required their
creates, attention at different periods Of
the wear. and which brought in an IN
come al different seasons. After had
made nv selections ] should stick to
item for life by 50 doing your Thoughts
become centered on these particular
branches. you become an expert in that
line. are sought alter as authority on that
sui5ect, and soon have a reputation that
will aid very much in securing ready
market at higher prices
Mistake number l9ur IS not was using
too small an amount Of manure or fertili-
zer. This seems 70 be difficult one for
me 10 correct, and I DO not believe ] ever
shall. though think I grow better" in
this respect every year. L seems very
hard 10 take dollar that ! have got
safely into my pocket, give it TO fertili-
zer man, and then throw the stuff ne
gives me on my ground One must have
great faith TO do it, but there is no ques-
ton that such faith Is well founded i
the fertilizer isequally well compounded
The fact that the fertilizer man will trust
vou for the same for six months, or unit
you have had time to get at least its COS
back. Is sufficient reason that he believes
that what he sells you, if properly used
will be the means Of your obtSinin.
enough from its use 70 at least pay him
and he. in a sense, stands in" with you
From my ohseryation-with the excep
ton of market gardens-not one farm II
fifty receives anywhere near the amoun
Of fertilizer end manure it should. I
farmer plants crop, manures the sam
as much as he thinks he can afford TO, o
what 10 him seems a liberal supply, Gu
tiyates il very carefully, ond obtains
fair crop-Perhaps the usual amoun
Now in nine cases ont often, / assert ths
right here is one Of the important turr
ing points between making money, {
only just holding your own" or maxim
a loss. say that if this same farmt
had used three or four times as mue
dressing, or even twice as much, that
all probability il would have doubled III
amount of his crop and added very larg
ly to the quality Of the same. all Of whic
excess he obtains from simply supplyin
the extra manure. The amount inves
ed in teams, land, labor, taxes, interes
cultivation, &c, Is the same in both cas-
with a slight increase in cost Of haryes
His land is left in Tar better condition
and ms crop is Of tine quality aud NEE
a ready sale. believe such case mean
profit, while the former means failur
1t is the same in principle as keepin
mongrel stock, in place of the pure bree,
and both can be summed up as follow
Mongrel stock means dunghill fowl
razor-back pigs, worthless ours little
no manure means poor land, poor croT
poor stock, poor man, deserted farn. 1
the other hand, pure-bred stock meal
blOoded fowls, thoroughbred pigs, ped
greed dogs plenty-yes Iots-of manu-
means rich land, heavy crops, choic
stock, a well-to-dO-farmer a prosperol
home and valuable farm.