The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1896-11-28
FARMER AND PLANTER.
PLANTATION ECONOMY.

|
| There's Great Difference Between Econ.
omy and Parsimony.
A wise man once said economy Is
the road to wealth."
There is very great difference be-
tween economy and parsimony--one
is commendable, is praiseworthy and
tends to elevate the character, whilst
the other lowers by degrees until the
individual becomes groveling, unscru-
pulous, relentless and grasping. Lor-
EMO Dow describes an avaricious man,
of whom he said, if he had the whole
world in one plantation he would
want little piece of ground outside
for potato patch.
Are we not in the hands of Just
such men, who follow man for his
money? Would not rob the mails or
a railroad train, but would rob the
! government, which is simply robbing
the people out of millions of dollars,
and feel not the slightest compuncticn
of coDscience-ont the contrary would
be elated-would receive the common
dation of their friends, who would
laud them for their powers as success
full financiers. But what shall we say
OF the true economist, who labors and
tolls from day to day, and Is content
with good living and a gradual ac-
emulation of wealth? These are the
men who make our best citizens every
where, and whilst they live, are will
ing to let others live. Economy is pro-
ductive of thrift and independence, and
leads on to happiness and usefulness
in life. 1t develops a strong character
that is not willing to live for self
alone.
Our purpose in this article, mainly,
is to point out the many little econo-
mists, as the Southern Cultivator
would have said in the long ago, to di-
rect attention to the ''leaks in the pig
trough" :.
1t is plantation economy of which I
propose to treat. 1t is not to be ex-
pected in a new country like Texas,
with its rich virgin soil and salubrious
climate, with population of the most
cosmopolitan character, that they will
readily adopt all the economic meth
DDS of the older and more populous
states. But the sooner they do the
more thrifty they will become and the
better for the country.
| OF late it has not been 90 much
question of money-making as it has a
struggle for dear life, the providing
for the wants of the family-so much
the greater necessity for economy, for
taking care of everything pertaining
| to the farm, as we'll as to the house
hold. The extravaganza and waste on
many farms is very great, in forage,
in the gathering OF the crop, in feed
ing, ETC., but perhaps the greatest loss
is in the exposure of plantation i'm
| provement, to the rain and sun, from
year to year-wagons, haruesss, every
thing lying loose around the place, ex-
| posed to all kinds of weather In trav-
cling through the country. doubtless
more than 1900 miles, / have never
seen more than two or three well-ar-
ranged tool houses, where all the tools
were carefully housed. Under a good
| system of management, farm imple-.
ments deteriorate about ten per cent
ON many farms doubt not the loss
will be rs per cent. l have seen valua-
BILE implements overgrown with weeds
until you could scarcely see them. 1t
seemed to be the order of things
on macy farms in the country. There
are, it is true, occasionally exceptions
to this apparent rule, and they were
the thrifty of the neighborhood This
is what might be termed penny wise
and pound foolish"
Every well regulated farm has ga
place for everything and everything in
its place." A good tool house and am
pie sheds sufficient to house wagons,
harness, plows. hoes, in fact all the
implements pertaining to the farm,
and a shop where they can be repaired
in wet weather and kept in readiness
for use when needed. OF course the
family carriage should have a separate
building and well cared for. have
been thus explicit trust have not
wearied anybody. A wealthy old gen.
tleman twho had been poor) once said
to me that it was not the money q
man made, but the money he saved,
that made him independent-made
him rich. As 1 do not wish to monop-
Ollie in correspondence, it is well per-
haps that should wind up and leave
the field to those more competent to
instruct your many readers. 1 have
to important subjects untouched
horizontalizing and manuring. u. R.
jackson, in Farm and Ranch.
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