San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-06-20
Cbe Daily Itgbt.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1896.
Profitable Framing.

The farms that give the largest
profit are those which receive the
labor of the farmer; that Is, the
farmer utilities his capital In the
shape OF labor rather than to ex-
pend any sums for help. Labor Is
so much capital to be applied, and
IL the farmer does not utilize 1t he
keeps that much out Of his bust
ness which should be invested in
1t. A farm may pay, yet the
farmer receives but small sum
therefrom. 1t pays because the
investment may be very small.
1t required capital to derive a pro-
fit, and unless the capital is used
the farm will not produce more
than the venture. Large farms
which are said to pay do not al
ways give more than fair per-
centage on the investment of capt.
tai employed. A farm in which
$4,000 capital is invested for land
and labor, and which produces So
600 per annum, while small farm,
in which only $1,000 is employed
may be claimed to be unproductive
if only 5000, yet the dividend there
from is 20 per cent, or twice as
much as that derived from the
large farm proportionately.
The farmer who gives his own
. labor devotes more capital to his
farm than he may suppose. II his
labor is worth 5000 per year it is
equal to the interest on q capital
of $4,000, for he receives back his
labor In his profits, and applies 1t
to the farm every year just the
same as though he devoted $4,000
capital and paid 5000 for labor.
Labor is therefore, capital that
brings in return every year ut
matters not whether it is styled
wages or interest,) and II the pro.
fits are only 5000 then the farm
does not pay for the capital invest.
ed in the land, buildings, ETC.,
though farmers who operate small.
er farms without help are usually
satisfied to. receive back q fair
recompense for their labor only,
where farmers with larger farms
are compelled to employ help they
are not so easily satisfied. 1t is,
consequently, more profitable to
operate q small farm, because the
labor Of the farmer is an item
which can be applied; or, rather,
the labor can 60 to waste for want |
Of application otherwise.
Small farms are better managed,
for when the farmer does the work
himself, he learns where the mis-
takes are made, and how to
economic. The work Is also done |
more thoroughly and skillfully,
and the cost OF production Is re-
duced to q minimum. The profit |
on small farm is proportionately
larger because not only is more
economy practiced than on large
farms, but also because the crops
grown will be kind that will bring |
the best prices. This has already
been demonstrated where small |
fruit farms are made to pay, as In |
New Jersey, the farms in some |
sections being not over five acres
in area, and yet they have sup
ported their owners comfortably |
while owners Of large farms else
where have been unable to make
a profit on their investment. The
small farm that is we'll titled is al
so more fertile than a large one, as
1t receives more manure proper
tionstely; this increased fertility |
representing profit or capital
locked up in the soil for future
use, but which is just as available
for the next crop as so much capt.
tai deposited in a bank.