The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1898-09-03
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THOUGHTS FOR THE FARM.
Ane question of Mixed or Speciality Farm
ing InteiIigently Discussed In
Its Various Phases.

During the last few wears of depres-
sion many farmers have branched out
In new lines with the hope of finding
something more profitable than the
general farming SO commonly prac-
ticed. As rule they have not found
the desired profit, and have returned
10 the old system, more firmly con-
WINGED that specialties do not paw. In
TINS they are undoubtedly mistaken.
Inc evidence on which they base their
opinion is derived from only one or two
years experience with new crop. In
the nrst place their land may not have
oeen adapted to the crop tried. And
aRian, sthe farmer not knowing the
special requirements of the crop, fails
in this way.
Special crops. with the general farm
er' usually prove failures. While
tnere is much truth in the old saw
ABOUT putting all ones eggs in one
basket, yet 1t is much easier to watch
one basket of eggs than to put one egg
IN half dozen baskets. The farmer
who keeps five cows, raises two colts a
year, grows few tons of hay, few
acres OF wheat and corn, keeps half q
dozen sheep, % fowls, a pair Of ducks,
q hen turkey and an old sow, has
small garden, few potatoes and so
cabbages, generally spends all the
pleasant days breaking the colts. and
nnds that the cows eat all the hay,
the chickens the garden and the hen
turkey the cabbage, while he does not
produce enoagh of any crop to pay to
sell, and what he does grow goes to
feed his stock.
Inc trouble with mixed farming is
that the farmer does not produce
enough of any one crop to call the
buyer to him. He has SO little that it
does not pay to go to the city and sell
1t himself, nor does he post himself on
the market price. As consequence
he takes what he gets and wishes he
had more. If it is so or 100 pounds of
wool he thinks another buyer will not
come his way for such a small lot,
while the buyer, knowing this. offers
several cents under the market price,
and then uses this sale as an opening
wedge with other and heavier wool
growers in the community. In case
the farmer sends his stuff to market he
has only small quantity of each grade
and the salesman finds it hard to real
ize on mixed lot of only few pack
ages.
While mixed farming is not profita-
bic do not wish to advocate raising
special crops only. This would GER
tainly prove more Improbable for the
general mass of farmers. But there
are many farms which are particularly
adapted to certain crops and where the
farmer has mastered the details of any
such crop, he may with great profit
grow it to the exclusion of anything
else The farmer should find out what
his land is best adapted to, then master
the details thoroughly and grow this
crop for all there is in it, no matter
whether it be squashes or beans, Gu
cumbers or peppermint. sheep or tur-
keys, tobacco or hops, or anything else
which will pay good return for the
money and labor invested.
Speciality farming, as opposed to
mixed farming, means more particu-
larry special lines of farming and not
growing one special crop only. 1t may
be fruit growing, grain raising, truck
ing or market gardening, stock rails
ing or dairying with its accompani-
ments of hogs and calves. If the
farmer grows fruit the crop should not
be all peaches or strawberries, but the
farm should be devoted largely to fruit
OF all kinds BY starting with straw
berries the summer will be CON-
tinued with raspberries, cherries,
currants, gooseberries, dewberries,
blackberries, peaches and plums,
while the fall will find him busy
with pears and grapes, and apples will
keep the work going half through the
winter. In such line of farming
mans thoughts are concentrated large
ly in one direction and his energies are
expended where they will accomplish
the most. If he tries to keep dairy
and produce hay in addition to fruit
growing he will find that the COWS
must be MIXED at the same time the
strawberries need picking, while
meadow of hay must be watched and
raixed when the cherries are fit to pick
The trucker will not grow cabbage
entirely, nor will the dairyman keep
nothing but cows, the poultryman raise
anything but broilers. nor the grain
grower give his whole attention to
wheat But he should select line of
crops which will nick one with the
other and not conflict, and produce
enough of one of two things to WELD
some influence in the market.
This is q broad subject for discussion
in single paper, but enough can be
said to show the folly of trying to grow
everything profitably on one farm. The
thankfulness of many writer's in well
coming return to the good old times