Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1892-09-01
Small Farms Are Better.

Federation of old truths cannot out
he beneficial. Thomas Z. Monfort, IN
the Prairie Farmer, repeats lactS '""
should not be forgotten: ,,-
"The day of large farms Is rapluiy
nassinp away, and it is well that IL i
90. There are two potent reasons why
the large farm, comprising hunGreus
of acres. should become obsolete. FIRST
II Is better for the farm-owner TO re
strict his possessions to a moderate
amount ofland; and, secOnd,i 1t is better
to have as many homes in this country
as possible. email
farm-tbe farm of reasonable size-
pays better than the large iarn'
Eighty acres of land properly managed,
manfred, cultivated, and kept up ~
its highest standard of ~productlon' wiz
produce more returns from the saInS
amount of labor and capital than VIII
twice that many acres managed IN d
~balf-bearted way, as most large farms
are managed. 1t is not the number OF
acres one cultivates, but the amount OF
returns one gets that makes farming
profitable. u-;,
the west, farmers bend every effort 10
add to their landed possessions. lhey
scrimp themselves, their wives, anu
their children in order to be able 70
accumulate more land. The result CT
the matter is they get loaded down
with land that they don't need ana
which they are unable to use to al
yautape. and all their lives they are
worried TO keep up expenses n pay
taxes. They become land poor, they
nor their families get any enjoyment
from living, and they get a small re-
turn on their investments.
"The small farm, where ii Is kept In
a high state of cultivation, all the
hooks and corners utilized, and every
acre of it made to produce to its ut,
most extent. is sure to pay a gooo
profit on both capital and labor. Wher
farmers confined themselves almost
exclusively to corn. wheat and stock
raising there was some excuse fol
large farms, but o. that it has beer
demonstrated that other things pay a
/, well or better, requiring less lanC
and capital, that excuse no longer ex
} lists.
: Il would rather own and operate 2
acres of good ground, planted largel,
in fruit, than 100 acres run altogethel
; to grain. One good, thrifty apple
> tree an its prime will produce NOR
snaucial income. one year with anoth
er. than an acre devoted to corn. An
. vet there Is little expense or labor re
. ouired by the former, and the groun'
= occupied by an orchard can be mad
= 70 do double duty by raising o fair Gro
: of grain, vegetables or grass.
D @Then there is small fruit There
n nothing TO which the farmer can tur
u his attention with an assurance
q greater profit, and but little ground
q required. Poultry Is another thin
that pays, and pays big. because on
farm it is easily and cheaply kept, an
"a there Is no requirement for an
. marked outlay ST capital. There al
7" inuumerable ways by which the sma
farm can be made to yield, not only
:. good living. bat q snug little bank a
1t count besides. And hat is somethin
S, that cannot De- said of the large farn
"a Then, again, there are THOUSAND
E. of farmers wanting homes, and |
L. cutting up the large, u~nprottab
5; bodies Of land they can, many of ther
I'd secure what they want. The i'd
or acres that are neglected and left
d. grow up in weeds and bushes viii
cleared up and made to produce
st money-earning crop, thus not on
he bringing a return on the investmen
st but enabling honest, industrial Poop
s, to live. What we want is more al
ne better homes, a higher state of cultiy
st ton, and no useless waste of land.
rs other words, we want small farms j
&c stead of great tracts OF lands that a
hs membranes 10 the owners, as well
m profitless."