The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1891-10-02
DIVERSIFIED FARMING.

II
There has been some controversy IN re-
gard to the comparative merits OF special
farming and dlverslfed farming, With a
general opinion that special farming was
the most pioatable. Undoubtedly Il Is so
In :nany cases, where the farmer has a
special liking for some one branch OF his
business, and an adaptation TO il,and Is In
locality or upon soil peculiarly fitted for
It. lie gives his whole aten,lon and en-
ergy TO Il, and liking Il well enough to
strive to do the best thing In the best
manner, he could scarcely help achieving
success,
Yet every successful one has had host
Of iniltators, who have failed 10 attain any
thing beyond mediocrlty, and financially
have not obtained good results. They
either are not adapted to special farming,
or have not found the right specially yet,
and specially In farming as In anything
else requires patience, perseverance and
courage to stick 10 Il despite discouraging
failures, and to wait until by many errors
the righ. methods have been found. Again,
here must be behind all this capitol to
carry him through the unfavorable seasons,
and the losses which seem TO come at some
time In any kind Of business.
Probably large share OF the farmers
are succeeding better under the old system
OF diversified farming. with dalrying, or
eharding and a variety OF field crops, by
which II one branch shall not produce o
profit in any year. some other will have an
exceptionally good season, that will insure
a moderate profit upon the whole.
Upon many iarps there might be a
much greater diversity of interests than
there now Is, with a reasonable chance for
better financial results The numerous
manufacturing villages OF saehusetts
and Rhode Island and the summer hotels
and boarding houses create demand for
many farm and garden products which
might be, but are not, supplied by the
farmers In their c~n vicinity, and make
necessary an appeal TO the markets of the
larger cities, which In their tern are
supplied by farms and gardens In localities
where land Is mere costly and labor more
expensive than Il would be within few
miles of the place where the same was TO
be consumed.
Why should the express teams and
trains out OF Boston be loaded daily with
fruit AMI vegetables, meat and poultry and
eggs, for the county towns of New HamP
shire or Of central Massachusetts, or The
resort, alcng the seashore, where land
Idle aud laborers seeking for work In al
these sections II certainly should not
be so, but It eeItaInly IL so. as an examina-
Ion will show. Can the farmers there
grow no other crops than corn and pota-
toes, and no iru. but apples' Have they
no one who can take care OF hens and
ducks, raise chickens and gather up eggs
Is Il not as easy TO keep few sheep, and
have lambs and mutton to sell, n II Is 10
keep swine and sell pork' Arc there no
flowers In the field or the forest which
would furnish honey for a few swarms OF
becsl Are there not bows, and girls too.
who could find time to attend TO the spec
ialtles, and who would, II given a share OF
the proceeds, take an interest In their work
that would attach them more strongly 70
the old home aud to the healthy farm llfei
Increase the size Of the family garden
and grew a greater variety Of crops oI
such sort as the local markets have &c
send away to procure. Get a few sheep 4"
run with the cows In the pasture. /, Is ar
old saying that a pasture will better feed
one COW and six sheep than IL will the Gov
alone, and II this Is not exactly true thS
first year. the sheep will so enrich the
land and keep out the foul weeds that th'
soil will soon be much better AMI the graz
more abundant. II accustomed to run to
gcther the cows will protect the sheer
from dogs, and the sale OF woGl ane
lambs will prove 4 welcome addition 10 the
income Of the farm. Build an addition tc
the pouliry.house and keep few more
fowls. Give them good food aud good
care, and keep a stlrct account of the ex
penditures and the sales. A good hen wil
pay more money over her KEEP Ing than q
poor COW, and chickens and eggs are cash
commodities In almost any village, as cur
: rent as national bank notes. or easily con-
yerted into them.
: Obtain few hives Of bees. They FIND
their own food. aud little attention daily vii
be all that they require. and in each one o
those hives viii be from 10000 10 $4,000 busJ
workers, gathering honey for their ownel
from the flowers Of the field and the forest
With the modern hives the labor Of taking care
Of the bees Is small. and the ar, is easily learn
ed, and within the limits Of the strength o
boy or girl, with perhaps little aSsi'tancc
from older persons At swarming time. A good
swarm 10 good location can easily make
twenty. FIVE pounds Of honey in season, be-
side what is needed for their own maintenance
and one beekeeper has reported taking 500
pounds from four hives Somebody makes
money in growing these things. and why
should not the farmer who has land enough
and whose fa-uily need work and need the pay
Tor their labor.