Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-09-17

It IL put'llcatnHs
1t should be the aim OF writers on this
subject to treat it in such a way as to
make it practical and OF interest to farm
ers OF this county.
The writer o. this article desires that
what may follow shall not be taken as
final authority; but merely as an indvid
nal opinion given with the hope that it
may slar in some mind Il train OF thought
that shall lead to the truth and greatest
good to he greatest number. Improve
ment Of most farms in the county should
begin with the farmer; he must be educa
ted not only in a general way, but along
such lines of farming as he follows. l in
sist upon his because Il he successful farm
er must be a business man; and bust
ness aud education go hand in hand. But
what is educations Although man may
be "A graduate OF the best college OF the
land, and have read he greatest uthority
OF the lines Of work he may pursue; yet,
Il he goes about unseeing, unthinking,
uaheeding the creations OF nature and the
provisions she has made for their sus-
tenance, failing to apply that " hich he
has learned to the every day life about
him, | contend that that man is not edu
Gated nor can he ever be-
| have said that a successful farmer
must be business man. Mat is your
definition OF business man? | think |
hear some old level healed farmer say" 1T
is man " no understands, buying, selling
and handling goods and products which
are in his line OF trade Can better
definition be given OF n good farmer?
An up-to- date farmer viii be good
buyer; he viii be posted on the prices OF
those things hich ne has TO buy; prob
ably through some good farm paper. lie
Will read and remember. How many
people (not agents. buying commercial
fertilizer can tell how much they should
pay for any brand, by the marks on the
bags? Those marks placed there by
the order OF the state, Tor the protection
OF the consumers OF this class OF goods; in
nine cases out OF ten il is no protection
at all because the farmers will not post
themselves on this point
Would clothing merchant send man
10 buy his clothing who could not tell
cotton from wooden fabric? IL he did so,
would you expect him to be n successful
business man? Yet how many users OF
the commercial manures are throwing
themselves on the tender (?) mercies OF
the various agents for these goods, when
ever they buy.
l believe that 1t is through the above
named commodity that much OF the farm
Improvement is to come, not through its
exclusive use in its most soluble and
available forms to produce crop which
is to be sold at a small profit and thus
take away so much OF soil fertility, but
through its application in connection
with stable manure for the production Of
fodder crops and the increase OF soil fer
tility.
And IL l may be allowed to diverge, 1t
is upon the latter clause which l wish TO
dwell at some length. | have in mind
farm that at one time supported over one
COW per acre, the year through. For
reason the owner reduced his stock, and
to-day that farm will not support one
half the former number OF animals kept,
and l think it is generally allowed that
an increase OF stock can be made to re-
suit in an increase in fertility up to
self-sustaining point. But the problem
with most is, how fast shall that increase
be made? This quest ion is one that can
best be answered by the individual ac-
cording to his circumstances, but it
would seem that with Il considerable area
OF land not under the highest state of
cultivation one COW per year would
not be phenomenal rate, and should be
easily attained by the use of fertilizers
intelligently applied to the production OF
forage crops. / have no doubt but that
Sl5 worth of chemical manures applied
to land in average condition and devoted
to the production of Hungarian grass,
clover, corn or almost any fodder crop,
can be made to nearly summer and WIN
Ter an average COW. And with proper
care Of the solid and liquid manures, that
animal should sustain herself at profit
to her owner for years to come.
Let us suppose case, parallel OF which
can easily be found near home. A man
takes farm with the intention OF dairy
ing it will cut hay enough to permit the
wintering of four cows; the pasture Is
poor and will not furnish feed for more
than two or three cows through the sum-
mer; what course shall that farmer take
to bring up his place?
The fields cut not more than one-half
ton OF hay per acre, but are reasonably
clear Of bushes and stones, the fences are
poor, the pastures large and covered IN
the most parts with scrubby bushes;
the buildings are more or less out OF re-
pair; the yards are weed grown and ut
tered with sticks, stones, and broken
dishes and tools; a deplorable state OF