The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1895-01-31
DIVERSIFIED 4EAR.uING.

AS means of encouraging diversified
farming, the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific railroad companies have de-
creased frelght rates about one third,
and furthermore the agents OF these
companies are disseminating literature
to the same end. Among the letters
sert out by General freight agent Moore
of the Northern Pacific is one by Geo.
NJ. Bennett, who made extensive expert
ments on his Westport farm last season,
from which the following extracts are
maze"
Referring to Your recent request that /
submit TO YOU such information as l
! might have touching diversified farming,
| ] wish to say that the present season
has not been very satisfactory one III
Nhicl TO test the system in the region of
my own operation on account of the
drought that prevailed during the
greater portion OF the growing months,
and this was the frs. year i'll which
have made any extensive efforts in the
directions referred TO. However, my eA-
perituce was sufficient to satisfy me
that diversified farming is what we have
to look forward to more than anything
else, to bring us out of the hard lines
that we have been drawn INTO during
the past few years.
I'VE farmers buy too much Of the pro-
duet Of others, shipped from other com
munltles, wlth packing, shipping charges
ana dealers profits added, all OF which
we might produce on our own farms %
just as good advantage as they can be
by the farmers WAC raise them, and save
all shipping charges and profits TO deal
ers. refer TO such articles as mess
polk. hams, bacon, sausage, dried meats,
canned goods, like corn, beans, pickles.
horse-radish, tomatoes, etc, (some Of us
have even been buying butter, eggs and
poultry With proper attention given
to these lines, the store bill. which in
many instances Is a serious draw back
and burden, would dwindIe INTO very
small proportions, and the merchant
blought into our debt on account OF
these very goods he has bought from
us instead OF selling to us during the
season. Exclusive and long continued
wheat raising viii rum the producer as
well as the farm.
"'Anothcr advantage in diversified
cropping lies III the greater amount OF
labor that the farmer can perform HIM
self if he does his own work with the
help OF his family. The work commences
III the spring by putting in certain
amount OF carly grain, snch as wheat
peas, etc., then following on later at
various times for sixty days he puts in
seeds of different kinds at their proper
date, SO that he accom- plishes d great
deal himself that he otherwise woul
have to hire if the work of seeding must
all be done within very short period,
and so it goes on throughout the seassn
In fact, the system gives something for
all TO do at times, insteal of, as in
wheat farming, being obliged to do a
great amount OF WORK during short
period at high figures and leave nothing
TO do the balance OF the time. In short,
diversified farming is farming. Exclu-
siye and continuous wheat farming is
IL,
anu us lIeacherous.
III our crops are diversified and one
or more should be very poor or fail al
together an any one season, the others
will carry us through. l. must be seen
at glance that there is an element OF
safety in The pan that wheat raising or
any other single crop system does not
possess.
~ have raised wheat very success
fully ON my farm of 500 acres-at West
port Mimi, for years, but, following
the natural Course OF exclusive wheat
farming, it became unprohitable, and
during the winters of 1898 ana 1894 |
set about active investigation as to
what course to take ia improve results.
nc outroInc On WAS put III only 100
acres OF wheat, III place OF the usual
coo, Go acres Of oats. 60 acres OF peas,
60 acres of beans, rs acres oi buckwh9at
80 acres OF nlillet, 10 acres oil fax, 90
acres OF potatoes, 50 acres OF corn.
SONG manse wortzel beets, a little
barley, etc. The results, as | have stat
Ell, we've not satisfactory as TO amount
OF yield, owing to the drought, but was