Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-26
AN INTERESTING LETTER.
Successful Farming as Noticed by John
Dusty.
To Lhe Tobaceo Loaf. ChronIele.

TO the Tobacco Leaf ChronIcle.l
The first step in farming is to have
the farm; let it be large or small.
Have the best of land if you can get
it; if poor take systematic plan TO
make it fertile. This can be done by
converting all stalks into manure.
Fill your barn yards two or three
feet deep, and your stables also, with
straw in the fall /; let your stock rnn
over it al winter and you will have
more manure than you can well get
away with in the spring. Put what
you have on land enough that you
want to cultivate in tobacco to make
it rich. Follow this with wheat ard
clover. Take another slip of land
adjoining the first piece MANFRED and
treat it as the former until you get
over your field you want to Improve.
Do not scatter your manure all over
the plantation improve by sections.
The next step is to make your cal
culations as to how much land you
can cultivate well. DO not over-crOp
yourself in anything; one acre well
cultivated will be more profitable
than three half tended. The two
extra acres will be worth more to
you in grass and clover and will be
more beneficial to the land.
Have sheds for your hogs and
cows and sheep if only made
from wheat straw.
The next step and one of the most
important, hire good hands if you
have to hire, and then stay with
them if you want them to make their
wages and board.
You cannot do suCce ssful farming
at cross-road stores, or spend two
thirds OF your time in town; stay
with your hands and see that they do
days work you will be better sat
ished and so will they.
"He who by the plane would thrive
Must either hold or drive"
The next step, try and make sur
plus Of everything you raise, that
you may have a little to sell--hay,
corn, oats, wheat, hogs, cattle. If
you have to buy anything you can
raise (misfortunes eXcepted) you are
not thriving at farming. Have such
stock as is profitable for you to keep,
few or many. Let them be good,
but do not go off on any of the
many crazes that carry away our
people. If you have a fine colt sell
it to some one who will give you
fair price and is in the business of de-
velOping horses you have no time
for such business, besides it costs to
train horses. While most every one
is raising horses, it might be more
profitable to give more attention to
raising mules. Try and keep out of
everything that is oVerstocked. If
you wish to prosper, as | have stated,
try and have good stock,
especially if you are hiring
hands. You cannot afford to
work broken down teams, worn
out stock, half harnessed stock. Will
it not pay better to have two good
mules than four worn out ones. A
pillow or machine that takes half your
time at the shop and a quarter more
in going to and from the shop, is
you in debt. Keep your
tools in good fix from your hoe up to
your reaper. Have place for every
thing, and when you get through
with Il tool have it put where it be-
longs. You will know then where
to get it when needed, and no time
will be lost in looking for them.
/ know many will say these things
are easily said, but not so easily done
1t is done, and | can point out sew.
eral in my neighborhood, and all are
successful as farmers, if making mon
ely Is counted success. What | have
said applies as we'll to the small farm
er as the large to "A renter as we'll as
an owner. 1t is said:
"a little farm well titled,
little house well hlled
A little wife well wlled,7
will make any man happy,
More anon,
Nov %, 1891. JOHN DUSTY.