The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1894-01-31
DON'T ENLARGE IT.

There seems to be very general de-
sire on the part of the farmers of this
country to obtain a larger quantity OF
land. There are cases in which this is
wise ambition, but such instances are
not as common as the wish to obtain
larger farms. Under the present cOndi-
tions of agriculture our farmers, as a
rule, already have more land than they
can cultivate to the best advantage.
AS things are now, and as they are
likely to be for long time to come, says
the American Farmer, the profits of
farming are to be increased by securing
larger crops per acre rather than by till
ing larger number of acres. Most of
the farmers who wish that they had more
land now own considerable areas which
have not yet been brought nearly up to
their limit of profitable production. In
these cases the owners will find it more
profitable to manure their present fields
more literally and cultivate them more
thoroughly than it will be to spread their
work overIa large n1mber of acres.
The expense of conducting a large
business, and the risk which it involves,
will be much greater than will be the
case with one of less magnitude. It is a
popular theory that the proportion of
expense decreases as a business is enlarg-
ed. Regarding some things, and even in
some lines Of farming, this proves true,
but multitudes of farmers who have
tested it have not found the theory cor
| rect when applied to their business as
whole. The fixed charges, such as taxes
and fencing land interest on the capital
invested should also be included), are
enlarged considerably when the size of
the farm is increased. If all the land
upon which these expenses are laid is
kept highly productive the charges may
be paid and still leave a good profit.
But if, as is almost sure to be the case, a
good deal of the land falls far below its
possible rate of production these costs
will bear heavily, and, when added to
those of the original farm, may prove
quite embarrassing.
A great many men who can manage
small or medium business pro1tably can
not be nearly as successful in conducting
operations on much larger scale. NJ
merous instances might be cited of farm
ers who have done well on small farms,
but who, by getting more land under
cultivation, have increased both their
expenses and their anxieties, while their
profits have been reduced.
The exceptions to the rule that farms
of moderate size are much more desira-
Bile than those which are very large are |
very few. In almost every case the man
who has money that he wishes to invest |
in charging his farm would use his cap
ital far more wisely by putting it into
and rendering more pro-
ductive the land that he already owns.
The man who has farm but has no
ready money will take great risk in
buying more land. Under such circum-
stances the purchase of a larger area will
involve years of hard labor and great
of care and worry. 1t will sub
ject him to numerous inconvenience
and troubles which debt always brings
ana may compel him to sacrifice not
only his own happiness but also the best
interests of his family. Such man may
want many things, but if he is wise he
will resist the temptation to buy more
and.
Many Persons are broken
down nom overwork or household cares.
RRnwJTeSa DAB 5e |