The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-02-06
AGRICULTURAL.



ligent observer. That they are often mis-
led and their discomfort increased to their
detriment by theorists is not to be Denied
1t is also true that the farmers Institutes,
the agricultural press, the grange and other
agencies are potent factors In spreading the
light of knowledge and Improvement.
Whenever a company of farmers meet to-
gether and exchange ideas upon topics of
mutual interest they are sure to be bright
ened and benefited by such intercourse.
AT the recent meeting Of the Vermont
Dairy Association, j. NJ. Connors, speaking
of success and failure, said Many fail be-
cause of the lack of business methods.
not imputing to the farmer a lack of
intelligence. l have the highest appreciation
of his ability. His employment is an iso-
lated one. He is attempting success where
no person can succeed. In this age of COM
petition, or improved methods and tastes,
man is big enough, one man has
breadth and scope of mind enough to carry
out to their fullest and best results all de-
partments of agricultural work
One of the strongest elements of success
in farming is faith in the soil AS class,
farmers seem to feel that money laid away
in the soil is dead property. They do not
consider that land reclaimed pays in
single year a better interest than any saw
ings bank.
The abandoned farms are SO many stand
Ing monuments of once faithlesS owners.
SHOW me a man tndt re-lnVeSlS MS surplus
money in his farm, and | want no better
evidence that he is on the high road to sue
cess
To make farming a success more depends
upon the man than the industry. He must
be a live, wide awake, earnest man. He
must be abreast with the times. He must
be an Independent man, and not go cring
ing about thinking he is the mudsil of
society.
Success is not measured alone by dollars
and cents. 1t is not alone by multiplying
our acres and increasing our f1ocks and
herds. Rather is it not true success that
uplifts the man as well as the industry?
The stream can rise no higher than the
fountain. All his labor, all the products
of his hands, the reflections of the man
within. He who has a keen sense of the
possibilities of dairying, feeding and hand
ling the products, works no harder than
the one who blindly plods along in the
use of old methods, who comprehends no
system and acknowledges no law that gov
ems development Did l say that he works
no harder? Rather should 1 say that such
knowledge of the laws of animal life and
the laws that enter into the handling of
the products lightens his burden and makes
his labor cheerful
do not believe that we can carry on our
farms by the brain power alone, that we
can arise our corn without hoeing do our
churning with dog power and ride over the
rocks and stumps on a sulky pillow. He
that by the pillow would thrive must either
hold drive If he commits both to 9TH
er hands he will need to be more success
full in obtaining help than most farmers
are.
We must not 1atter ourselves that the
road to success is any other than earnest
dilgent, persistent labor. If there is any
one thing more than another that is cast
ing gloom over agriculture, yea, over ev-
cry industry, it is the thought that has TAX
en- possession of the rising generation that
there is no dignity in labor; that it is to be
summed, that by hook or crook, they will
get living without work.
How can success crown this as an in
dustry? There can be but one answer Or
ganized effort. The order of Patrons of
Husbandry is doing a noble work in this
direction 1t is lifting the farmer to a
higher position in thought and labor 1t
is the first organization that has taken
woman by the hand and bid her come up
and aid in making the labors of this life
cheerful
If we would build up the waste places
II we would stay the tide that is con-
stantly setting towards the city, that is
draining our rural towns abandoning the
old homestead, we must build up the
grange, and make it a still greater edu-
Gator for the upbulding of the social and
material prosperity of our farming commu-
mites. Thus will the church and the school
be retained, and these little fountains. the
farm homes, remain as they ever have
been, the purifiers and upbuilders of orr
civilza ton.
Diversified Farming.
A. B. Stickney, who is careful student
of economic conditions as well as a sue
cessful railroad manager, has some very
sensible and practical ideas about farming
that are well worth reading. In a recent
address he said:
Can wheat be profitably raised at the
present market value? 1t depends upon
how it is cultivated If upon an exclusive
wheat farm, where the value of the farm
ers time and the cost of feeding his
teams, the interest the value of his
farm, and the interest and depreciat ton
on farm machinery for the whole year
must be charged against the cost of the
wheat crop and the land is so exhausted
from continued crops that it produces only
II or less bushels per acre-under such con-
dltions wheat crop, at present prices, will
result in loss instead of profit to the
producers.
On the other hand, if it is grown on
farm with other crops and with STOCK so
that the farmers time can be completely
utilized, where, say, only one-Quarter of
the value of the farmers services inter-
est and depreciations, etc, is chargeable
TO the wheat crop, and the land is in such
good condition. resulting from rotation of
ton, as to produce 30 bushels per acre
under such conditions a wheat crop at pres
ent prices is profitable. Under a mixed
system of agriculture, it does not cost so
much to cultivate acre of wheat as on
wheat speciality farm, for the reason
that the different varieties of crops are not
planted or harvested at the same period
OF the season. and thus the farmer utilities
more OF his own labor and the labor of
MS teams, and the land will produce more
wheat per acre, because by keeping stock
and rotating the crops, the lands are both
rested and fortified.
The history of agriculture proves that in
the long run those sections produce the
most profit where the farms are small and
produce variety of crops and live stock
me history of the southern counties of
TINS state also proves this theory most
reIlaple farmer living in Goodhue county
told me few days since that last wear
ne raised so bushels of wheat per acre on
iand that a few years ago failed to pro-
duce bushels per acre. This wonderful
transformation was brought about by a
Jew years of diversified farming I asked
MIN II his neighbors have had the same
experience, and he said they have His
crops OF oats, barley and flax were cor
respondingly large, and his dairy was
equally profitable
Inc profit in wheat raising depends upon
.he yield per acre, the cost of cultivation
pelng substantially the same if the Weld
Is ~ or 80 bushels per acre. About 200
years ago the soil of England had become
SO exhausted by exclusive wheat farming
.hat the average crop of wheat was only
pusheis per acre By a system of mixed