Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-03-23
A HARD QUESTION.

ny IdlSluS NuSot oSho uo W WI
him what to do now, since wheat
farming does not pay as we'll as it
did few yeats ago.
We do not think that We are
qualified to give explicit directions
as to how a farm should be con-
Quoted ; ont there are some general
principles which will occur to any
one who observes and thinks.
Avoid the old rutS, and do not fol.
low then, because you can pull the
load more easily. Old ruts are
often used so much that they be
come the worst part Of the road,
and the careless driver will only
get out Of them, when he can stay
in them no longe".
Times change and we must
change with them or be left be.
hind. There was a time when
stores were few in number, and all
that was necessary was for the
merchant TO lay in a stock of goods,
pace a store box in front Of the
room in which he proposed to do
business, or tack up a board upon
which was inscribed IN rude char.
acters "STORE," and he would
sell all the goods for miles around
him. Bat such IS not the case
now. The man, who attempts to
do business IN that way, at this
day, would have plenty OF time to
mediate upon "hard times" and
the scarcity OF business. The
''hustlers" now get the trade and
do the business. They are careful
in selecting a stock Of goods which
they know that the people want,
and they then use every legitimate
means to let the people know that
they have the goods which are in
demand, and sell them at prices
as low, or lower, than they can be
bought elsewhere. People do not,
IN this day wait for business to
come to them, but they 90 after it,
and seek their customers.
fla merchant should purchase a
heavy stock of goods that sold
well years ago, 6ut tor which there
is now very little or no demand,
and would continue to purchase the
same class of goods, because they
once afforded a good profit, and
would refuse TO buy goods that are
now in demand and afford better
profits, be would at once be looked
upon as an old fogy, and person
too tar behind the times to do bust
ness.
The modern and successful mer.
chant buys what the people want
1t is his business to supply their
wants and he is always ready to
meet every whim and to furnish
any article for which there is a
popular demand.
So it is with the successful far
mer. He cares not what 1t is that
the people want. He is always
ready to meet the demand if it pays
him a good profit.
we have known farmers who
would proudly market a crop OF
grain or car load of cattle, at cost,
or even a little below it, who would
be ashamed to sell eggs that paid
over hundred per cent profit. We
do not advocate blind book farm
ing, bat a good farmer must think.
He must know not only what crops
are in demand, bnt what pay the
best profit.
Horses at one time paid a hand.
some profit, but if farmer wcIld
devote his whole attention 10 breed.
Ing horses, for his entire life, be
would be a failure.
Years ago, we were a long dis
lance from the market, now the
market IS at our doors. Then per
ishahle crops did not pay, now they
pay good profits.
The wide awake farmer, as the
wide awake merchant, must suit
bis stock to the market where he
proposes to sell
In some sections, f,rmers have
become wealthy by selling milk; IN
other sections, they have made
money 10y making butter. Some
have accumulated fortunes by
raising and selling fruit, while
others have done the same thing
by raising garden vegetables.
Farming is a GOOD business, bot
no business will succeed simply
because it's good. We have the
climate, we hare the soil, we have
the necessary supply of water, we
have the demand for our products.
What more do we want We want
men who will think, who will 10
form themselves what products
are in demand, and What products
aft ,rd the best profits, men wLo
will keep themselves posted and