The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-07-01
Agriculture.

Large crops with low averages
have had much to do with prOduc-
ing the condition of things Of which
the farmer most complains: it has
deteriorated soils and ruined thous-
ands of farmers.
1t is the doubter who makes intel
lectual progress growth. The far
mer who is entirely content with
present methods never made pro-
gress. He who finds a question in
prevailing modes is in a fair way to
find better.
No vender or fertilizer can in
struct the owner of farm as to the
needs of his soil; said farmer must
learn for himself what his acres
lack, and there is no escape from it.
A fair crop may cover expenses,
and after that all the surplus is pure
gain. OF course, he succeeds best
who makes this surplus large, and
does not vince at the labor and eX-
pense in enriching his land.
A library is not a luxury, but one
of the necessities of farmers life.
Mona has right to bring up
family without surrounding them
with hooks. There is no reason
why the sons and daughters of far
mers should not be as highly edu-
Gated as those of the professional
class.
Instead of adding more acres to
the little farm, spend your surplus
money in tiling and fertilizing it,,
bringing it to the highest state of
cultivation. Tile we'll, manure we'll,
hire less, waste less; it will bring
greater profits than large farm all
the time. There is profit in grain
at almost any price, If we get a suf-
f1ciently large yield.
We see grain fields all about us
which should be converted into pas
lures or meadows. In grain they
are not paying the cost of cultiva-
ton; if we turn them over to the
stock they will repay us and grow
better all the time. Fortunately
there are other ways of getting the
treasures out of old mother earth
than digging for them with pillow OF
hoe. If field is too stony or broken
for easy tillage, remember that many
of the valuable timbers are growing
scarce, and that nearly 200 trees to
the acre may be made to grow al
most anywhere, which, by the time
you are % years older, will be worth
two or three thousand dollars; IL
five or 10 years they would ado
much to the value of the farm. BY
turning such fields over to the gooC
offices Of sun and rain there will bt
more time to make the most out o
the finds which are in good condi
tinn for production, while the younI
stock or the young walnuts are al
most taking care of themselves.
Preach good roads. Preach then
to the neighbor who has to haul t.
the market with double team
through the mud who has to take ;
day for it every time his wife call
for supplies from the grocery store
who spends more than he makes II
keeping flesh on his horses and hi
wagons in shape; who has sorr!
time of it to get to church, to tn
school-hOuse or to the doctor; VIII,
seldom finds the courage or inclina
ton to make the effort to get to hi
neighbors for social evening, ant
who actually stays at home becaus
it Is so hard to get away. A hal
mile is often journey, in winter
and those who live in such insola
ton can not be up with the times il
any regard, and in these days o
progress can never hope to accumu
late. While we move about 5
easily on our level roads of summer
let us not forget the VOWS we mad
to procure better state of thing
when the season of rains and frOs
comes