Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-09-24
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
THE COST OF FARMS ABOVE
THE PRICE OF LAND.
Value Of Developed and Undeveioped
Land-A Powerful Manure-Rels-
ton OF bees to Plants
Domestic Dots.
what Farms Cost.

In estimating the value Of land due
allowance should be made for fences,
buildings drainage, fruit trees ana
other improvements put upon it. II
this was done generally it would be
found that very little land. except IN
the near neighborhood OF large cities
practically costs anything. Men talk
about abandoned farms in New Eng
land and other eastern states. SO far
as land is concerned, all the farms OF
the country may be said to be valued
only for what Improvements have
been added to them. Usually, too.
the more these improvements have
cost the cheaper the land will prove.
We have known land SO poor that no
one would work it for what the crop
would bring, excepting occasionally
after two or three years rest. Such
land is worth nothing. Other land.
naturally no better, but fortified and
set with fruit in bearing condition. will
pay the interest yearly on *SOO to
81, 900 per acre. Yet it is very rare
that this best land unless set with
fruit. will bring anything like these
figures.
Planting land with fruit trees. if
done ]udiciously, is the cheapest way
10 mako it more valuable. 1t requires
time to get the trees or plants in bear
ing to get the full benefit OF this inn
provement Yet with fruits that come
quickly into bearing, every years
growth counts, and the fact that the
trees are set and growing gives
value largely beyond the cost incurred.
In grape-growing localities land suited
! to this purpose often sells ut $500 or
more per acre if planted. Bearing
vineyards often bring $500 to 81. 900
per acre, according to proved produc-
| tiveness.
| The truth that the value of land
! like anything else is what it will pay
interest on after deductng the expense
OF working, shows in what directions
increased cost of farms may best be en-
pended. Many farmers make serious
mistakes here. They build either
houses or barns. and especially the
former, disproportioned to the pro-
ductive capacity of their farm to main
tain. If they run in debt, as is often
done, heavier burden is imposed
than the farm can carry without eX-
haustion. The debt is always on the
land What the house furnishes is
accommodation for the owner and
family and for those employed in
working the farm. Farther than this
it is dead capital except in the few
places where extra house room can be
used to accommodate summer boarders.
One of the expensive Improvements
OF most land which is sure to pay is
nder-draining. says writer in the
American Agriculturist. If done as it
should be the drain will run forever,
and every year pay large interest on
its original cost. When wheat was
worth 81. 40 to $l.5O per busheI it was
usual to estimate that the gain from
understanding piece of land would
pay its cost in three crops, sometimes
in two. All the extra yield is profit
from the drain. II costs no more eX.
cept in harvesting to grow large
crop than poor one. The cost o
blowing and preparing land for any
crop is less on drained land, for it car
be worked within twenty-four hour.
after shower while undrained lane
!, may often have to be idle in Il we
a time, not drying up between shower
= long enough to allow blowing or cul
tivatiOn.
r Manure always pays if used judic
iously. by which we mean used 50 tina
ut least part of its benefit goes Il
, clover and grass crop. and is thu
a kept on the farm. With this precau
, ton the high pribed mineral fertilize
a may be used with profit wherever tria
q shows that they help crops. If a min
Z eral is deficient III the soil. it must b
supplied. But there are other ways G
y doing this than by the purchase G
mineral fertilizers. II the domesti
r. stock is good enough it will pay t
- purchase grain feed, cotton and lin
II seed meals and bran or middlings
4 All OF these make manure rich i
!. nitrogen and phosphate. the tw
II scarcest and dearest plant foods b
one way or another no farmer ca
4 afford not to have his land constant
. growing richer. Capital put into it i
IA | tnlS way Is sure W fclttFu Even
p prices OF crops are temporarily belo,
;. the cost OF production, making tn
Il soil richer enables the farmer to gro
N them at less cost. This is better i
most cases than raising the price 5
that everybody can compete and ha
knock it down again. Putting MOI
"A money in the farm, if in ways tn:
~ make it more productive. is the safe
;. way to use surplus capital, and it
~ better to do it by making the lar
10 richer than by purchasing more Ian,
le killing Beef
le l saw a man last winter who is ov,
lg sixty years old, who owns a lar,
OF farm. has three strong boys ov
to twenty-One years old and far above u
10 average as far as intelligence is co
Id sidered. who was asking about gettir
to an expert to help kill beef. VIII,
I'D asked why he needed any help
said he had not missed killing o.
beef for home use for twelve or fifte
years, but somehow he never thong
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