Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-24
Good FARMING.

Only by good farming are we assured
OF dividends; that is. anything beyond a
bare living. Therefore. he who sows or
plants SO unadvisedly as not to be assured
of good crops would better take lessons
and learn ways of some capable farmer.
as he is certainly deficient in even the
rudimentary knowledge of farming,
writes James A. Baird in the EpitOmist
me good farmer. one who understands
well the rudimentary elements of his call
ing, lis proven by the successive crops he
raises. and in the meantime keeping his
farm up, if he does not actually improve
II. In more comprehensive sense, the
good farmer is both a good manager and
good paymaster-that is, returns to the
SOIL its due. Any one may reap an ample
harvest from fertile virgin soil, but Ii is
the good farmer only who grows good
crops at first and continues to grow good
crops thereafter
The farmer who understands and
practices the rules of good farming sells
mainly such products as are least ex-
haustive. Necessity may constrain him
for the first year or two to sell grain, hay
or other exhausting crops, but he will
soon send off his surplus mainly in the
form OF cotton or wool. or meat. or but
Ter and cheese or other products which
returns to the soil more nearly all that is
taken from it. Such a farmer doubtless
understands that a bank account repeat
euiy Drawn upon while nothing Is being
deposited to its credit must soon exhaust
ehc AoHuS' anu tiidt III is the same with a
iarm run on the same principle. Hence
then. the Importance of the rule-return
an available fertiMzing matter to the soil.
rotation of crops is another important
rule IN good farming. If it does not posi-
lively enrich the soil, it will at least re-
tara It's impoverishment. He who grows
wheat after wheat. corn after corn, for
twenty years, will find that the fertile
value OF his farm is virtually gone, MOI
many farms can stand this drain for even
a less number of years and return even
the seed required to sow it. A change of
crop gives rest and the soil a chance to
recuperate itself. Many sections of the
country. once famous for their produce
tlveneSs of wheat and corn, are so M
longer, the farms having been exhausted
manly by continuous seeding to the
same Kind of crops. Even if land 10 Iih
eraiiy MANFRED, it will deteriorate under
such system of cropping, only its ex-
hauston is more tardy.
Deep and thorough breaking is another
swallow breaking is widely practiced. Der
maps, because farmers wish to push on
their work, and shallow burrows aIlou,
Wlder ones and so wider fields can be cui-i
tivated. If land be well and deenlv
broken crops will become more deenlv
rooted and will flourish fairly well from
suDsoii evaporation without much rain
And. In dry weather the first few inches
OF the loose surface soil be dry and dusty.
yet below this layer comes the moist
e;lrtn, with ITS well sustained supply az
nourIshment for the rootlets. which woujd
perish IN the dryer soil above. This deem
breaking serves against drought; white
on the other hand.by its greater depth its
absorbing capacity Is increased and this
serves as understanding and also saves
much OF the soil from being carried away
by excessive rains. "aS