The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-04-28
GOOD ROADS.
From tho "Gospel Of Good Roads. y
CHAPTER XIII,

610 SSt8eIy IeSpOnblOlo TOT tile eXlStIDe
misfortunes of farm life, and that the
freighting of graiu aud similar prod
ucts from the immense and fertile
farms bordering xlo.'g railroad lines at
low rates, has killed tho business OF
farmers who own smaller and less pro-
ductive farms, aud shut them out of
competition. Ihave also heard the op-
posite view maintained by other farm
ers, who assert that the railway
freights are altogether too high. and
that if these we're reduced q farmer
could ship his produce to distant points $
and still realize comfortable profit
The railroad Is the best friend the far
mer EVER had. 1t has enriched this
country beyond limit that could pos
sibly have been attained before rail-
roads were constructed. Your grand
father used to haul wheat 200 miles in
farm wagon and sell it for thirty five
cents \ bushel. Eiis farm had no fence
to iuclose it; his stock were protected
by only most primitive shed, and
everything about his h me life ws<
conducted on miserable and undevel-
oped scsl-. If you are living 6 miles
from railroad on IN upland farm
with gravelly soil, you cannot expect
to raise corn and wheat as cheaply rs
the farmer who plants his crops in the
black loan of the prairie and reaps q
thousand acres at every harvest. His
farm Is perhaps close to the railroad
station, and the railroad will haul bis
grain from Chicago to New York at
twenty cents per 100 pounds, and make
y handsome profit by the operation.
With that sort Of competition you will
never grow rich at farming. Don't
concern yourself too much about
through freiehts. Look out for local
froights aud the cost Of transportation
right ut home in your own county. 1t
costs you more money to haul ton Of
produce from your farm tv the railroad
station than it costs the railroad COM
pany to haul the same amount 500
miles. You are both using the same
power. The main difference is in the
track. When you are about to buy
steam engine to perform y given SER
vice the manufacturer tells you that
you need an engine Of say ten "horse
power" Steam tugs, passenger boats,
steam pumps, steam locomotives, and
all kinds Of steam engines are rated
according to the ''horse power" which
they develop. All this came from the
old custom Of ascertaining the exact
amount Of work which horse could do
uuder certain conditions and compsr-
Ing it with tho steam engine. You
haul your loads to market by horse
power; and II you give your horse
power the Same chance to work ito re-
suits to tho lest advantage, you will
6nd that local expenses and home
freights will be diminished in . won.
derful degree.
Another thing: II you find it unprof-
table to raise wheat and oats. try veg
etables or dairy farming; raise fruits
and berries and sell them At home at
the nearest market. The distant far
mer who works the mellow soil Of the
prairie cannot deliver fresh fruits and
vegetables, egss, butter and milk at
your county seat ~ chesply ~ you can
do It, nor in most cases can he do It at
al. Study tho capacity of your farm
and see II your soil and other condi-
tions are not adapted to this kind Of
industry. One thing you muet remem.
ber, however, 1t is an indispensable
condition to the successful market gar
dener and dairy farmer that he should
deliver his goods in tho local market