Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-03-03
FARMER AND PLANTER.
DOES FARMING pAYq

Say on the Subject
What | said in my first article was
preparatory and intended to show the
fact that while one kind of farming
may be made to pay some other kinds
could not. l wish to reduce the mat
ter down to plain common-sense
basis-no speculation, no guess work
Let each of our readers think for one
moment. Can't each one OF you now
call to mind some one or more farmers
in your own neighborhood who have
been and are now making money farm
ing?
Before go further in what | intend
to say wish it distinctly understood
that | am talking about farming in
Kentucky, and not other states. What
/ shall say may be just as true as APP
piled to other sections of this great
country, and of course, much of it will
be. But as all my cwn actual expert
ence in farming has been in this state l
wish to apply my remarks to condi-
tions as they exist here. | can pick
out quite number of farmers in my
own county, and in different parts of
the state where l am acquainted,
who have uniformly made money farm
ing and are making money now.
They have no other occupation, no
other source of revenue and are getting
in better fix financially every year. If
in debt for land, improvement or other
property, they are lessening their
debts II already out of debt, they are
laying up something or making new
investments
1t must be understood that even the
most successful farmers may encounter
a year occasionally when the farm does
not pay. This may happen from a
very unfriendly season, or from cy-
clones or destructive storms, or some
unavoidable accident. What mean is
take an average for any five or more
years and a fair profit has been made
Large investments pay about four
per cent Smaller ones, six
to eight per cent, with greater
risks Many of the class of
from four to six per cent, and previous
| to the last few years were making from
eight to ten per cent Now If these
| statements be true-and | am persuad-
ed no observant man will deny them
why is it that the other class of farmers
do not make farming pay? While you
are considering that proposition, will
say the very same thing happens in
every other occupation, trade or pro.
fession Look at the merchants, you
find one getting rich and ten making as
signments for the benefit of their
creditors. Take the mechanics, manu-
facturers and other trades peo-
| pie. The few succeed and the many
fail. 1t will be found but little bet
ter in the learned professions; a few get
to the top and make fame and money;
the vast majority make lifetime
struggle for existence and die poor.
| What is the reason, then, that farming
in the great majority of instances does
not pay? Largely the very same reasons
that apply to other callings, and make
it impossible that all, or even large
majority, shall succeed Some of these
reasons will be stated, and they will
apply to farmers as well as to other
classes:
1. Many persons make grievous mis-
takes at the beginning. From false
| pride, the advice of friends or necessity,
they choose the wrong calling. No one
will be likely to succeed in any business
in which he is not specially interested,
and for which he has not at least some
adaptability.
2. Some have too much theory and
too little practicability.
3. Some wish to do too big business
at the start with little capital; they go
largely in debt; the interest consumes
all they can make, and the first reverse
they go under.
T. Others trust their business too
much to other hands, spending their
own time in idleness, or worse, in vi
cious habits.
5. Some, unwilling to restrict their
own wants and those of their family
within their actual income, spend more
than they make, and, of course, must
soon reach the end.
8. Others have no capacity for any
| business and of course can not succeed
The following reasons apply especial
| ly to farmers: Some with poor farms
and large families can not, even with
fair management and faithful work,
more than make a frugal living 9th
ers with good farms have no ability to
control or properly direct laborers, and
in the end the cost of production ex-
ceeds the value of what they produce.
Many other causes might be men
toned, such as lack of intelligent ac-
ton in making, saving and using ma
nure Lack of the necessary knowl-
edge as to how and when to use com
mercial fertilizers, and the particular
kind adapted to the soil cultivated
also the causes which have operated
injuriously in depressing the prices OF
farm products These latter may be
treated of more fully hereafter. Those
mentioned will suffice to elicit thought
on the subject and an effort to find
some remedy, which possibly may be
reached hereafter. BE patient and
trust. Common Sense" in Farmers
Home journal.
THE TWO WAYS.