The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-02-19

prosper? They can or else lev have
sadly degenerated, and that thew win
not admit for an instant. We have not
too many men farming, but there Is too
much tendency in producing most that
which costs the least labor. The world
has not too much to. eat nor too many
wholesome kinds of food.
How do Eastern farmers on poorer
soil, with higher land values and dearer
products, compete with Western farm
ers with better and cheaper soil, and
cheaper grass and grains? They do it by
utilizing everything. Those who viii
not SO economic fail and come West
and fail again. The farmers of Mime
sofa and the Dakotas depend upon the
grain crop. One reason for this Is prob
ably because that crop can be planted,
harvested and prepared for market by
machinery. The result is that il the
grain crop fails the farmer fails. He
has but one resource. The moral is
plain.
The want of system and the
general waste which characterize the
work of many farmers would
bankrupt any railroad, factory OF
business house as quickly and as readily
as it does the farmer. The great pack.
ing houses, which come IN for share
of public condemnation, survive because
they utilize everything; nothing is lost
except the squeal of the pig. Down in
Maine where was raised, and where
whole township win hardly produce as
much as a section of land here, without
fertilization, vegetables are canned and
line the shelves of the Western grocers,
and, I doubt not, help feed Western
farmers.
Farm Homes Can BE Made Best Homes
What field of study and information
opens before the intelligent farmer; he il
hand to hand with nature. Sir John
Lubbock spent years in watching and
studying the habits of ants and wrote an
interesting and instructive book about
them. The great Darwin gave a year te
the study of the common angle or fish.
worm, and he says in his book on the sub
ject that these little moving things that
boys think are only good for fish bait are
the most potent factor in making the
soil of England suitable for agriculture
Our own Downing spent many a useful
year among fruits and berries, as Audi
bon did among the birds. A mere list
of those who have found profit and
pleasure in fields and woods and proved
themselves public benefactors can be ex
tended beyond the limits of an ordinary
paper. There is many way to make
country home life so attractive that the
boys and girls viii prefer remaining on
the farm to be drudges in city stores and
shops. No city table can be furnished
with the sweet fresh butter, cream and
milk, good meats and vegetables that
the farm gives at first hands. Very few
farmers give their farms credit for fur.
nishing home rent free and hundred
other necessaries and often luxuries
which would have to be paid for in cash
in the city.
Require the Boys and Girls to Help.
The children of the farm should be al
lowed and taught to help and have an
interest in affairs. They should be as
signed little parcels of ground for garden
patches and to be cultivated for Their
own benefit. They should be given a
share and concern in the live stock and
poultry; the feeling of ownership stimu-
lates attention and ambition. I recall
an instance where country girl in ar
Eastern state sold over 81, 900 worth OF
chickens Matched in an incubator and
artifcially brooded. There are plenty
of girls in Minnesota able and willing to
do something of this kind. Incubators
are not expensive and can be had to hold
from 100 to 1000 eggs. They are heated
by lamp, which beats the hen, for it
never leaves the nest, never tramples
over the eggs and breaks them, and
keeps uniform temperature. There is
an incubator factory here in st. Paul.
There should be 10000 of these Matching
machines among the farmer boys and
girls of Minnesota. They could be made
to pay the interest on many mortgage
and reduce the principal too. Have flower
gardens and trees near the house; adorn
the home with pictures, if nothing more
than Autographs of harvesters and plows.
Supply the family with literature; home
papers first, farm journals next, and
then magazines and books. The bulle-
tins and publications Of the state expert
ment station and of the national depart
ment of agriculture are sent free to all,
and every farmer shoHd have them.
Know Your Farm and Work It Well.
The methods of the old time farmer
in diversifying the crop industries
ought to be taken up. Every
farmer ought to be familiar with the
character of every acre he owns.
Full attention ought to be given
to small farming. Every farmer
knows the dependence that is placed
for household supplies upon the
garden and struck patch" Commonly
from an acre of ground enough vege-
tables can be raised to supply a whole
family and at a total cost practically in
significant. To many farmers the idea
of raising vegetables for the market
seems never to have occurred, and yet
the subject is one of Importance. On
nearly every small farm the grain crop
only pays the expense of running the
farm; the small crops and incidentals
can be depended upon for profit. On
every small farm there should be plant
ed at least an acre of potatoes for mar
ket. With proper cultivation, involving
but little time and labor, the yield will
average 100 bushels. worth % to 80 cents
per bushel. Last fall the price in St.
Paul ranged from IS to 80 cents a bushel
and they have been selling at retail all
winter for about 81 bushel.
Some Other Money Producing Crops.
Navy beans can be very proftably
raised. They will grow on almost any
kind of soil and produce well with but
little attention. Soil that Twill not raise
beans" is proverbially worthless. They
are always worth from $3.50 to % a
bushel. The present price in st. Paul
is from So to $2.25. Northern
grown seeds are considered the best, and
several of the largest seed growers in
the country have farms in Minnesota
and produce beans, peas, ETC., by the
carload.