The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-06-07
Y,.rce and Small Farrps.


ing over our agricultural papers fire.
quently notice that farmers are IN
favor of the cultivation OF small
farms, claiming that farms generally
are too large, but smaller ones could
be more thoroughly cultivated and as
a consequence yield better returns
than could be expected from large
areas. They seem, therefore, to think
that it would pay the owners OF large
estates to dispose of portions OF their
land.
My experience has taught me that
large farms can be cultivated just as
profitably as small farms and that,
as a rule, the large farms were better
titled and in proportion yielded equal
IL not better returns than the small
farms.
The value of farm depends upon
the quality of the soil, the climatic
conditions, the help that can be secured
and the situation in regard to the
market facilities of its products, the
profit upon the management It's orig
inal cost and the means Of the owner.
Experience proves and statistics
show, that even the best soil, under
favorable conditions, can then De
profitably cultivated If the owner Is
indebted to q certain extent only, ana
has sufficient working capital left Tor
the proper management or the Iarm.
The inadequate management or
large farms SO often referred to in our
agricultural papers, is more due to
lack of sufficient working
capital than to anything else, and the
advice given to farmers to concen-
trate their work on a smaller area is
therefore we'll founded, although the
reasons stated are not always correct.
The questions, If it is not better for
a country to have great many mid
dle-sized and small farms, or to have
fewer and larger farms in the hands or
comparatively few and wealthy men.
have often been discussed. There Is
no doubt that wealthy men who pos
sess we'll managed, large farms, will
do more toward the development
and prosperity Of country than farm
ers possessing small capital and
small farms, ranging in size from 30
to 80 acres, which they work with the
assistance of their families or few
hired hands, because the former are
able to buy and breed the best live
stock, and buy the latest and most i'm
proved farm implements and large
quantities of industrial joy-products
and fertilizers and are willing to ex-
pertinent on large scale with varie-
ties of useful native and foreign
plants.
They also build large barns and in
dustrial establishments, thus not only
employing many farm hands but also
giving work to all classes of mechan-
les, etc.
From political point Of view and
for the people at large, it may not be
advisable to have many large farms
in the hands of comparatively few
wealthy men, who naturally will be-
come influential and who may use
their influence to shape legislation for
selfish purposes, but from an agricul-
tural point of view the benefits derived
indirectly from large farms can not
be successfully denied.
A fair proportion of large to small
farms would probably offer the best re-
suits in the solution of the above ques-
ton.
To show the difference in the cir
culation of money between a large
farm in a settled country and num-
Der of small farms which, combined
have the same area, the following ex-
ample will be Of general interest:
In Germany, near Berlin, are two es-
tates of 300 acres each. One estate Is
in the possession of one man, good
farmer with sufficient capital, the
other estate is divided between ten
farmers, good farmers and not with
out means. Both estates pay annu-
ally on an average $3.50 community and
state taxes, the large farm pays adj
ditional taxes amounting to $3.50 for
license to run a potato distillery
and starch factory. According to the
last census, 120 cows and so horses
are kept on the large farm against
LAG cows and 81 horses on the ten
farms. The ten farmers send vegeta-
bles to Berlin and ship daily aver
age of 400 quarts of milk at ten cents
per gallon; from the large farm are
shipped 1900 quarts of milk daily at
thirteen cents per gallon. The ten far
mers employ annually twenty hands,
who receive their board and $3.50,
and pay for extra help during the har-
vest season from $500 to $500, making
a total of from $1,050 to 81, $50. The
owner of the large farm pays to over
seers, feed-masters, etc., to the hands
who take care Of the live stock and
to men who work in the distillery
and starch factory, besides their
board, $2,325; and to twenty-eight
families who live in houses on his es-
tate and board themselves (the men
being obliged to work six days and the
women four days in the week., $7,100
annually.
Besides the grain and potatoes
raised on the farm and used in the
distillery and starch factory, he pur-
chases additional quantities of these
products, which outlay, together with
that for coal, amounts to $500,
making a total of $16,925, as against
$1,150 put in circulation by the ten
farmers. The amount expended an
nually in the factories for oil, belts,
packing, repair of machinery, etc.,
and thousands Of dollars paid now and
then for new and improved machin-
cry, thereby giving employment to
number of mechanics, to plumbers,
boiler-makers, copper-smiths, ma
chinists and other artisans employed
in factories, mines, etc., is not in