The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-10-17
Things That viii Sell.

The low prices of farm produce have
discouraged some farmers, but the result
win be an improvement in the management
of farms. Low prices do not imply poverty
for there are thousands OF farmers with
well filed granaries, who have more than
enough for their surplus. While they
may have more than enough in one or more
articles, yet something else may be in de-
mand There is too much dependence
placed on special crops, and diversified
farming should be considered. Is there
not something which the farmer can grow
that he can sell? That is the question
which is now most frequently put, and it is
one that interests ALL The most successful
farmers at present are those who convert
their crops into meat, butter and milk.
This requires more labor than to simply
grow the crop, but the labor is itself sold
with the product and brings Its return. 1t
is the labor that is sold in the manufactured
articles from the factory, and it is the crop
which requires the most labor for its pro-
duction that the farmer is most fortunate
in securing return for his investment of
capital and labor.
APPLICATION OF LABOR.
There is no industry that does not have
its full complement of workers, but all
manufacturers add new lines of goods when
they have reason to believe that such will
be salable The farmers can also add to
their list Whenever they find that there
are portions of the year when they may
be idle the first consideration should be how
best to utilize such time. The minor in
dustries on the farm are sources of profit.
The keeping of large focks of poultry is a
winter occupation which should not be con-
fined to women and children but be made
business, as there is nothing produced on
the farm that gives so large profit in pro-
portion to cost as eggs. Give the fowls
room, as is done for COWS; put the labor in
that direction, and make business of sup
plying fresh eggs to customers, and there
will be weekly returns at a season of the
year when the labor would be thrown
away, because it cannot be otherwise prof
itably employed. Lost time is lost money
when the farmer cannot find employment
DIVERSITY IN FARMING.
There is no stability in prices, and there
may be scarcity in some particular article
at any time. For that reason the farmer
should endeavor to always have something
to sell, and not depend on one or two
crops If his granaries are overfowing he
should increase his herds and flocks, as he
can thus retain large proportion of his
crops for use another year in the shape of
manure This is no loss, though it is
bringing in the profits somewhat slowly.
There may be opportunities to raise an
extra calf or colt, or the number of pigs
retained may be increased More fruit
and vegetables should be grown and the
production of milk and butter be made
larger Where the labor is given the
quality will be improved, and there is al
ways room for quality. Low prices do
not result always from overproduction, but
from inferior articles on the market.
There are thousands of farmers who are
today receiving good prices for their arti-
cles, but they sell only those that are
strictly choice, and as there never was a
time when the markets have been crowded
with choice goods the object of every farm
er should be to improve the quality Of the
articles he sells and thus add the sale Of
more labor to that which he takes from the
soil