The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-15
PROFITS ON THE FARM.


Philadelphia Record.
The profit is that left over after all
expenses are paid, which includes rent
or interest on land and buildings, capital
invested in stock. labor and food, but
the opportunity offered the farmer of SELL
ing his own labor in the form of some
product must be considered as one OF
the advantages. Where a farmer makes
only small Profit, but has derived a
fair sum for the labor he personally be-
slowed, his gain is greater than the ac-
tual profit. On the farm the item of
labor must be considered according to its
actual cost as all expenditure Though
the labor of the farmer himself is an item
of cost and must be paid for, yet he pays
1t to himself, and it really is profit De-
cause of the employment secured by him
on the farm. For that reason a small
farm, or small flock or herd, will al
ways pay more, in proportion TO expenses
incurred, than larger areas or an increase
of stock. The personal supervision of the
farmer, OF tine interest taken in the work
performed by him viii also add to the
gains because of the closer application
given and the economy practiced in every
department. The labor on the farm,
therefore, is the heaviest of all expenses,
end it is the principal standpoint from
which ALI profits must be estimated
Expenses are reduced when the yields
are increased, because in many instances
1t requires but little more labor to secure
a larger yie.d than small one, and
expenses are also lessened when fertili2-
ors are used to increase the yield the cost
ers are used to increase the yield, be-
cause the cost of the fertilizers are used
to increase the yie,d. because the cost
Of hA lfar,N fa
gained as well as assist in securing great
er results from the Labor. Labor can
not alone make crop. The soil must
be fitted to derive the largest possible
product by the proper use of plant food,
which permits of the application of labor
to the best advantage. Small farms can
be made to largely increase their yields
more easily and rapidly than large areas,
because the manure or fertilizer can be
concentrated instead of being spread over
wide surface at an increased cost OF
labor for men and teams; hence, pro-
portionate,y, as the yield increases the
expense decreases.
The profits and receipts from a farm
can not easily be computed for a single
year. Labor given this season may bring
H. results for a year or two after the
work is done. Manure on some soils is
lasting, and the beneficial effect of some
fertilizers is more apparent the second
year than the first. A crop of clover that
gives yield as hay may leave in the
roots and sod much valuable nitrogen as
a supply for some succeeding crop, all
of which lessons expense in the future by
reducing the proportion of manure or
plant food that would otherwise be re-
quired, with the necessary labor. Profits
en- the farm are, consequently, much
greater when the averages for several
years are compared as each year must
bear it's proportion of expense, and a
failure to secure a profit this year may
not be a loss, because there may be a
corresponding reduction of expense next
year. The best mode of reducing eX-
penses is to cultivate no more land than
can be kept up to its highest limit of
fertility, so as to secure the largest yields
possible.