Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-11-12
FARM ECONOMY.
Various Matters to be Considered In Rcck.
oning the Profits or the Farm.

various Matters to be Considered In Rcclx.
oning the Profits OF the Farm.
The profits and receipts from farm
can not easily be computed for single
year. Labor given this season may
bring results for years to come. Walls
and fences that are built, drains that
are dug, and trees that are planted,
are but labor exchanged for profit that
Will extend over long series Of years.
Manure on some soils is lasting, and
the beneficial effects of some fertilizers
are more apparent the second season
than the first. Labor expended in
bringing new ground into cultivation
is not supposed TO yield adequate re-
turns for several years. A crop OF
clover that gives yield as hay may
leave in the roots and sod much valu-
able nitrogen us supply for some sue
ceeding crop, all of which lessons ex.
penses in the future by reducing the
proportion of labor or manure which
would otherwise be required. Profits
on the farm are, consequently, much
greater when the averages for sew.
eral years are compared, as each
year must bear its proportion OF
expenses, and failure tc
secure profit this year may not be q
loss, because there may be CORE
spending reduction of expense next
year. Nor must we overlook the ad.
vantage of the opportunity offered the
farmer selling his own labor in the
form Of some product. Where farm.
er makes only small profit. but has
derived fair sum for the labor he per.
sonally bestowed, his gain is greater
than the actual profit. The farm has
increased in value as the labor or ma
nure or other accretion has failed tc
yield reasonable cash profit. On the
farm the item of labor must be consid.
cred according TO its actual cost as an
expenditure. Though the labor of the
farmer himself is an item of cost, and
must be paid, yet he pays it to himself,
and it really is profit because of the
employment secured by him on the
farm. For that reason a small farm
or small flock or herd will always pay
more in proportion to expense in.
CURED, than larger areas or an in.
crease OF stock. The personal super.
vision OF the farmer, or the interes,
taken in the work performed by him
will also add to the gains, because OF
the closer application given and the
economy practiced In every depart
ment. The labor on the farm
therefore, is the heaviest OF
all expenses, and it is princi.
pal standpoint from which all profits
must be estimated. But labor alone
can not make crop. The soil must be
fitted to derive the largest possible
product by the proper use of plan;
food, which permits of the application
of labor to the best advantage. Small
farms can be made to largely increase
their yields more easily and rapidly
than large areas, because the manure
or fertilizer can be concentrated in
stead OF spread over wide surface a..
an increased cost of labor foi
men and teams; hence, proper
tionately, as the yields increase
the expense decreases. Expense,
are reduced when the yields are in
creased because in many instances Il,
requires but little more labor TO secure
a large yield than n small one, and ex
penses are also lessened when fertiliz.
ers are used to increase the yield be.
cause the cost of the fertilizers will be
more than regained, as well us assist
in securing greater result, from the
labor. The best mode of reducing ex.
penses is to cultivate no more land
than can be kept up to its highest limit
of fertility so as to secure the larges.
yields possible. IL. Sweet, in Agri
cultural Epitomist.