Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-31

but no mater what he may call it, the
event well illustrates the case Of the season
IN which a certain general crop happens to
fail of paying good returns. To quit that
crop by one fell swoop, because it did not
happen to pay last year, would be just
about on par with quitting mules forever
because one mule had happened TO take
collie and die. Who could say all mules
on the farm would at once die of colic2
Who could say that the low price paid for
the cotton crop of 1891 would be the same
for the crop of 1892
We are not disposed to advocate the uni
versal adoption of any clop for any resioni
yet it is entirely true that we are earnestly
opposed to fighting any particular crop
grown in a region adapted to its growth.
We are in favor of farming on correct
principles The first thing for a farmer to
take into consideration is his own home
supplies. Such is correct farming While
''the farmer feeds them ALL" as they say
he is, at the same time, expected to feed
himself. He could not long run without
feed, and since feeding people is his trade,
why not take advantage of that trade to
feed himself by it, If he don't feed HIM
self some other farmer viii nave
to feed him, for the feed cannot
come through any other channel than the
farm. What would you think of the me-
chanic who has all the facilities for grind
ing and putting his tools in order, who
would invariably take his tools to some
other shop to have them ground, paying the
usual per cent of the profits TO the other
fellow on the performance, while he was
grinding tools for others (all he could get
to grind) on precisely the same terms7 OF
course there would be profit to him in
grinding the tools else he would not grind
them. Then why not grind his own tools
and save that profit to himself?
1t is precisely the same in farming. If
some other farmer feeds you he does it for
profit Why not feed yourself and save
that profit TO your business2
The true principle of farming is for the
farmer to feed himself If he has ali the
food needed he is safe. Then, being solid
on the feed question, it is Il, tiral that he
should wish to make some extra money out
of his business. With this in view he
raises money-paylng crop of some kind
in addition to his food crops. When he has
raised all his own food crops ne has fully
met all the requirements Of farmer who
desires to make a living at farming.
The extra crop to bring in money is simply
a side issue-an advance Toward gain.
And here comes in a place for the exercise
of good judgment; a place for the farmer
to study himself and the capabilities of his
farm. Some men are qualified to succeed
better with certain crop than they could
succeed with others. Some farms are
better adapted to certain crops than they
are to others. All farms must be adapted
to food crops-if they are not, then no
farmer should ever think of working
them. Farming as already intimated, is
feeding ones self.
AS to the extra crop, for gain, the farmer
must decide upon that by study of his
own capabilities and the capabilities of his
farm. If he finds cotton would be apt to
pay him best, under ordinary, circumstances,
then let it be cotton, by all means. If corn
would pay him best, let it be corn; if castor
beans would pay him best, let it be castor
beans; if peanuts would pay him best, let it
be peanuts; if watermelons would pay him
best, let it be watermelons; if small grains
would pay him best, let it be small grains;
if hogs or other livestock would pay him
best, let it be hogs or other livestock, and
so on to the end of the list of all the good
crops our region is capable OF, producing.
A great deal is said about diversifcatiop
of crops, but we are not much ia favor of
great divers;fcation in the moneyed crop
at the hands of the individual Raising the
home supplies should not be regarded as a
Investigation. but as necessity for all
good farming. After that, if the farmer
takes pains to find our the crop that would
pay him best, he needs no diversifcation.
If these rules were strictly followed by
farmers, there could be no more hard times
among the industrious portion OF them.
The good living would be secured, and
while contingencies might arise that,would
prevent their making and laying up much
money in certain years, there could be no
fall-back. Actual expenses would be paid,
as rule, and the less profit the surplus on
the moneyed crop brought, the less money
would be laid up for that particular season !
nothing more nor less. Make the farm
sustain itself and then make all the clear
money of it you can. The farmers ability
to make his farm self-sustaining. if he will,
is what makes farming the safest and mos.
independent business in the world