The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-07-24

The massing of capital in order to con-
! duct business on the largest scale is now
| the tendency In almost every branch OF
| manufacturing industry. In this wav, by
| employing the best methods and the most
expensive machinery most of the small
dealers and manufacturers have been
| forced out of business. OF late years this
has gone still futher. and the large capital
ist has been Obliged to join some trust or
to be crushed by II. Some have though:
that in this method lies the remedy for the
depr ession that has for q number o. years
been suffered by the farming industry. III
wholesale methods and the EN- oloymenJ of
large capital are necessary to make other
industries profitable. why should not the
same means produce like results in farm
ing?
Those who ask the question overlook
the fact that farming on an extensive scale
has always been practiced in this country.
While Ii Is true that this has mostly been
with insufficient capital, 1t is likely that
even with an unlimited supply of money
the farming could not be more profitable
over large areas under one management.
There are several difficulties which con-
front the wholesale farmer at the start.
Very few men have the requisite ability to
handle large bodies of laborers and get as
much out of their work as they would earn
working for themselves. 1t is very diff
cult to get good farm help now. and the
difficulty is likely to prove greater rather
than less. Farm. work requires the con-
stant and active thought of those engaged
in it to far greater extent than does any
branch of manufacturing industry. The
nrIr, ,Ia g ha.
himself In time something like the ma
chine which he handles. The workman
on the farm is in partnership with nature,
and he must vary his work with all her
changes. The idea that any body can be a
successful farmer is the greatest mistake
that can be made. The successful farmer
must be thinker. and such men are less
common than is generally believed. The
men whoare thinkers can generally get en-
ployment at something that will pay bet
ter than farming.
But the chief reason why farming on
large scale cannot be made successful Is
that enough manure cannot be either made
or purchased on a large farm to maintain
fertility. The large farmer almost invarI-
ably grows the crops which have the great
est facilities for harvesting in improved
labor saving implements. These are graiG
crops, and all are very exhaustive. They
quickly reduce fertility TO the point where
the crop, even with these facilities for har-
vesting 1t. will not pay tor growing. 1t is
only by the continued extension of wheat
growing In the Northwest into new terri
tory that the cultivation of this crop in
hundred acre fields is possible. This
cannot last many years longer. When the
area of uncroDped land is exhausted. the
wheat growing of the future must be done
on smaller farms. which will necessitate
growing a larger crop per acre. This has
become necessary already. The low price
of wheat leaves no profit If grown extern
sively, except on land that has never borne
more than two or three crops. After this
| the bononza wheat farm with the cream Of
| its fertility taken off must be slowly re-
| stored to productiveness by being developed
| to stock growing, to dairying aud to mixed
husbandry.
What is wanted in most parts Of the
| country is the cutting down of too large
| farms, and their subdivision into small
| places, with a greater amount of capital
to work them. 1t is a mistake to suppose
| that money cannot be made on small farms
| of 20 to 40 or so acres. If their owner is
| quick to perceive what his land is best
| adapted to growing, he can make more
| money on one of these small farms than
| any one can on five times as much land
| devoted TO the crops in which there is the
| strongest onpetition.-Americdn Guilt
| gator.