The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-10-20
TIE IRRIaArEp FARM.


nm irrigated farm? is n question often
asked but very seldom satisfactorily
answered. The usual advice is to
grow what there is the most money in.
Sometimes there is n rage for peaches.
ut other times for alfalfa, with tho
usual result that whatever crop is
popularly believed to be the most
profitable is usually overdono and the
markets glutted with an over supply.
Ii man Is n working farmer and I'M
derstands his business, saws n writer
IN the Irrigation Age, believe there
Is always most money in raising what
is consumed in tho family. and herein
lies the first advantage of having a
farm under irrigation. 1t will always
insure food for the farmers family,
however small the farm be. The first
consideration, therefore, should be
to sec that the family is sup
piled with flour, fruit and vegetables.
Wheat may not be profitable as n mar
ket crop If grown on n small scale, but
better raise 1T yourself than pay some
one else to do it for you. Besides,
you probably save freight or hauling
and the profits of two or three mer.
chants. The same may be 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 n CORE.
spending proportion of alfalfa is fed
with 1T. Alfalfa is crop that should
never be omitted on an irrigated farm.
1t will supply more food for hogs,
cows, horses and poultry to the aero
than anything | know of, and is suro
cropper with plenty of water. With
the crops already mentioned farmer
should insure regular supply of eggs,
milk, butter 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 thero is
money in. Well, on this point think
1T good policy to grow that which can.
not DO successfully grown without irri.
CATION. In my experience those ar1
the crops which usually pay the best
in the long run. This is what makes
o'Nh % IuN lllb crop. YIN no
food can bacon and milk be so cheapIy
raised, and if were not for tho fact
that 1t cannot be grown without irri.
CATION, no farm in the world would be
without its alfalfa field. Celery md
strawberries are two other cbeaD
crops which, except in n few favored
localities, do much better with irrign.
ton than without. Several strawberry
growers In the East have made up
their minds that, even where the rain.
fall IS excessive, artificial irrigation is
necessary to insure regular crops and
they are putting up wIndmills and
other devices for pumping water. /
believe the day is not distant when
very few strawberry growers will risk
the loss OF their crops by droughts,
and They must necessarily 20 to n Great
expense il they have TO pump the
water. This expense is saved on the
farm furnished with water from
canal y good principle TO follow in
business is always 10 stick TO some
lino IN which you have special adviu.
taGes. Don't do what every fool can
do. DO not be led away with the iden
thnt there is fortune ia lemons, or in
Eimouds or in olives. The natural
law OF supply and demand tends TO re.
ducc the profits on all crops TO n level,
and what to. day looks the most profit.
able will tomorrow be the most I'm.
profitable. But grow what YOU are
best situated AMI fitted for and you
will hardly ever make a mistake.