The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-09-25
THE IRRIGATED FARM.

What is the best thing to grow on
an irrigated farm? is question often
asked but very seldom satisfactorily
answered. The usual advice is to
grow what there is the most money in.
Sometimes there is rage for peaches,
ut other times for alfalfa, with the
usual result that whatever crop is
popularity believed to be the most
profitable is usually overdone and the
markets Slutted with IN over supply.
If man is working farmer and un-
derstands his business, says writer
i'll tho Irrigation Age, l believe there
is always most money in raising what
is consumed in the family. and herein
lies the first advantage of having q
farm under irrigation. 1t will always
insure food for the farmers family,
however small the farm be. The first
consideration, therefore, should bo
to SEQ that the family is sup
piled with flour, fruit and vegetables.
Wheat may not be profitable as u mar
ket crop If grown on a small scale. but
better raise it yourself than pay sql,-
one else to do it for YOU. Besides,e
you probably save freight or hauling
and the profits of two or three mer-
chants The samo may bo said of
corn. which has the advantage Of be-
ing raised the same year after wheat
In many irrigated counties Of the
South. The fodder will also make
very useful feed for stock if CORE.
spending proportion of alfalfa is fed
with it. Alfalfa is a crop that should
never be omitted on an irrigated farm.
1t will supply moro food for hogs.
cows, horses and poultry to tho acre
than anything know Of, and is sure
cropper with plenty of water. With
the crops already mentioned O farmer
should insure regular supply of eggs.
milk, batter; poultry and bacon, and
have something left over to sell. But
l am aware that this advice, although
perfectly sound, will not satisfy the
average farmer, who is always banker
ing after something that there is
money in. Well, on this point think
it good policy to grow that which can
not DC successfully grown without irri-
CATION. In my experience those nre
the crops which usually pay the best
In the long run. This IS wnat makes
alfalfa such paving crop. On no
food can bacon aud milk be so cheapIy
raised, and if were not for the fact
that 1t cannot be grown without irri-
CATION, no farm In the world would be
without it's alfalfa field. Celery and
Strawberries are two other cheap
crops which, except in n lew favored
Localities, do much better with irrica-
tion than without. Several strawberry
growers in tho East have made ND
their minds that, even where the rain
faii is excessive, artificial irrigation ia
necessary to insure regular crops and
they are putting up windmill, and
olher devices for pumping water.
hoiiove the day is not distant when
very lew strawberry growers will risk
the Loss OF their crops by arouehts,
anu they mus. necessarily 80 to n great
expense il they have to pump the
water. This expense is saved on the
iarm furnished with water from
canal. a good principle to follow in
business Is always to stick to some
lIno IN which you have special atvnn.
ta2es. Don't DO what every fool can
do. Do not be led away with The idea
that there is fortune in lemons, or in
almonds, or IN olives The natural
law OF supply and demand tends to re-
ducc tho profits on all crops to a level,
ana what to. day looks the most profit
"Dle Will tomorrow be tho most uu-
psohtabic. But grow what you aro
pest situated and fitted for and you
VIII hardly ever make II mistake.