Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-01-14
Horticultural

W.
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II is within the memory Of most OF
lis that the farmers table was mainly
supplied from the farm at least to the
extent OF the meat fruit and vego-
tables. and il would have been consid-
cred the most reckless eNtravagylnce
to buy any OF these articles for use in
the farmers family When sheep,
calf or pig wsls killed the meat WAS dis
trhuted through the neighborhood
to be replaced when announcer farmer
of this voluntary cooperative assncla-
ton performed similar act In the
fall a beef animal and one or more
fat hogs we're butohered and the vlrt
Gus parts were salted. picked. smoked.
| ground into sausage or frozen and the
farmers family had a variety of meat
for four months ut least without pat.
roni2ing the butchers cart and of far
better quality than they would have
had If they did. The same general
plan in regard to other table supplies
was adopted and they had the best of
these thngswithout noticing the cost
as is the case when purchased in the
market.
All this is changed and the farmer
depends upon the middle man for near
| ly all such supplies. Peddlers find
their way daily into nearly every farm
ing community with a supply Of edibles
for the table In almost ns great var
iety as are to be found In the market,
and the farmer has como to be about
as dependent upon them as are the
people without farms. This Is all very
convenient, but 1t takes the farmers
hard-earned cash to pay for things
that should have been produced upon
the farm or at least something to take
their place should have been produced.
1t is all very we'll for the farmer who
has special crop or special line of
production to which he liz giving spc-
cial attention and thereby making 4
profitable to such an extent that these
supplies can be more economically
purchased but this Is not generally the
case. The person who is following
diversified farming, or who is doing
no farming except to harvest what
grows upon an impoN crishe1 and weed
grown farm cannot afford to purchase
all his table supplies from the peddler's
wagon
The farmer who sells his lambs for
So Il head and pays the butcher $2.25
for a kindergarten of the same isn't
doing paving business A farmer
cannot afford to sell his pork for four
cents pound and pay IL cents a
pound for ham from the same hog
a few weeks later, because II should
be part OF his business to know how
20 prepare and cure the han as we'll
as other cured meats W. nnot AZ
ford to raise milk and sell It at Two
cents quart and pay the money for
Strawberries ut twice the cost II their
production. We cannot afford to sit
around the corner grocery grumbing
about the unproftablenesS Of farming
when we should be growing some of
the very things that we are depending
upon the marketman for Doubtless
someone will suggest that the person
who max os a onccialty OF growing
these things can grow them cheaper
than the farmer who does not, all Of
which Is true and is a convincing ar
gument providing the farmer will pro-
duce something TO sell that is more
profitable, and get the money with
which to purchase these supplies.
Although the profits OF farming have
been small in late years, farmer who
has the taxes and insurance TO pay
must do something. He should not
reason as the man did who, when asked
II he raised corn replied that he did
not, for 1t was more profitable to raise
oats. and when the query was put In
regard TO oats was forced to admit
that he didn't raise them, but he should
either grow and prepare for use some
OF these food supplies to VIII ch we
have referred or produce something
that pays better
In addition TO the economic reasons
for supplying the farmers table from
his farm and garden there is the sen.
timental side, which is Of no little i'm
portance. No person In the world ever
sat down To dinner, however expen-
sive. with such feelings of supreme
satisfaction as does the tiller Of the
soil to a well-cooked meal from the
products Of his skill and Industry, and
he can. II he will, enjoy It every day
In the year When under these cir
cumstances the farmer can sit down 10
tic table with his family three times
day. he needs 70 worry but little
about those matters which bring 30
many business men 10 a premature Old
age. but who can take with them al
the final call no more OF the wealth
they have strfven to accumulate than
the sturdy old farmer who has found
&C much enjoyment in the cultivation
Of his farm and In his table supplied
In 80 bountifuI and healthful man
ner. Mirror and Farmer
Fall Flowing.
To prepare the ground for the seed