Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-12-01
far,11 aud fireside.
FARMING OF THE FUTURE.

1t is assumed by those who have
given the subject close attention that
the worlds supply of wheat will in a
few years, be below the demand, al
though more land will be brought into
cultivation for wheat, yet there will
arrive a time when the yield of wheat
must be increased or the supply will
be inadequate. The average yield of
wheat per acre in this country is l3
bushels, while in Europe the average
is 80 bushels. In some sections of the
United States 40 bushels of wheat is
not unusual for a large farm, but the
use of the same land for wheat year
after year will result in diminished
yield in the future unless some change
occurs in the cultivation of that cereal.
The fact that the average yield in Eu-
rope is two and half times as much
as in this country demonstrates that
our farmers can at least double their
averages, which insures twice as much
wheat as is now grown. The fact is
that in Europe the farms are small and
highly cultivated, while in this country
land is cheap and many sections not
thickly populated, hut the systems of
Europe are worthy of consideration,
and should encourage our farmers to
expect better results.
At one of the experiment stations
wheat was tested in plots under var
ious modes of cultivation, and it was
found that when the seeds were care
fully selected, planted in rows and
cultivated with hand implements, the
yield was at the rate of 60 bushels per
acre, and a case is on record where a
farmer in England planted wheat in
rows l foot apart, and the grains s
inches apart in the rows, cultivating
between the rows and hoeing in the
rows, by which method he secured
over 100 bushels per acre; but such
cases are the exception. The English
field was first covered 6 inches with
manure and the manure well worked
into the soil, while the season was
favorable. What the cost of labor
amounted to was not stated, but the
fact was demonstrated that wheat
could be cultivated like corn and the
Weld largely increased. At the pres
ent day there are improved hand i'm
plements-seed drills, wheel hoes and
hand cultivators-that are aids to
hand work, and if the price of wheat
in the future warrants their use there
is no doubt that the average yield OF
the future will be much larger.
Before farmers can be induced to re-
sort to the intensive system Of culti-
waiting the soil they must study the
needs of plants and bring to their aid
the use of fertilizers but in the ap-
plication of more fertilizers, they will
eventually inaugurate some method of
irrigating the soil during periods when
the season is dry. That the farmers
will be compelled to increase their
average yields of all crops is fact
that is apparent, as the larger the
Yields the lower the cost of labor, and
thew can derive better results from a
certain proportion of fertilizer or man
ure on q small area than when the
plant food is spread over large sur
face. When prices allow of so doing
there will be no lack of labor to &C.
complish the desired objects; but the
farm should not be devoted to cereal
crops only. 1t is a frequent occur
renee for farmers near large cities to
make large profits, but they do so by
compelling the land to produce to 'ss
fullest capacity of those crops that
bring the best prices, and in these days
of superior transportation facilities
distance from market is shortened, be-
ing computed by hours instead OF
miles, and the farmer at distance has
opportunities which he should use to
his advantage.