Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-11-13
LARGE sARMs VS.. SMALL EAaMs

INNoc rsNMS NS. SMALL FAHMs.
The almost uniform COUNSEL Of rhs 81
who give instruction and sdvice OF gu g.
tons pertaining 20 farm NAB cement Is
TO extend and enlarge farm operations :.
lhey tell Us we must make OF our tsr n
inx business operation of suffiei nj
magnitude 70 be worth while. A usi-
hess large enough 10 do Justice 70 the
proprietor as an Intelligent business
man.
| This counsel of expansion may une er
some conditions oe proatably carried
into practice. More often, we believe,
a m jority of farmers would better con-
tract the acreage fsrmed rather than,
under their present circumstances, at
tempt expansion.
The strongest argument opposed 10
the enlargement OF farming, as applied
10 msiority Of those engaged 10 the
business, Is this, that farming, IS tlsi-
ness occupation, "a su Investment for
capital And the employment OF labor AS a
rule cannot be made profitable, or az
best will De found less profitable than In
vestments and labor In other lines or
business effort.
Again, farming 10 those who sre so
situated as 20 engage in it, Is \ means
OF procuring home and providing for
The family snppOrt, rather than the OPP
portunity OF investing capital and car
rying forward n large business.
To the young people reared on the
farm a time comes when they will have
the opportunity OF making choice 10
remain on the home farm or go away To
the city or manufacturing town as wage
earners. IL is 20 be regretted that the
choice far too often is TO leave the farm,
not because they do not appreciate their
homes. but rather that they think the
opportunity OF earning money far better
elsewhere.
IL this be generally conceded as fact,
that because farming as business Is
less profitable than manufacturing
merchandise, and other lines OF business,
Is one reason Of It's abandonment by so
large nImbers of Ocr young men, We
may well inquire what Is the cause Of
the unprofitSoleness OF farming and
wherein lies the remedy.
Is the relief TO come through enlarged
operations, in increasing Investment OF
capital, and the larger employment Of
laboFs Those Who have cApitNl sno
well equipped farm may succeed IN
doing an extensive business with hired
labor and make small profits. o5hers
with equal Intelligence, wanting iu
capital, and obliged 70 hire money
or get along on the credit system, would
quite likely make a business failure.
The margin OF profit over loss being
so narrow that the possession Of capital
in carrying on the business or maintain
ed for the want OF capital would likely
change the margin from gain on the one
hand To loss on the other.
A serious difficulty experienced mex
tensive farming Is that OF securing re-
liable farm help. Those who work for
wages do not like farm work, snd ss a
rule the farmer cannot afford 10 pay so
high wages as can be earned Ia other
emplOyments. For these or other reS-
sous farmers well know the difficulty of
securing satisfactory farm help.
From the several arguments presented
and many Others that might be enumersi-
"a the conclusion, l think, must be
reached thst Ss rule governing the
msjority of those engaged In farming 10
MAiue the true policy Is not expansion,
not larger farms, not more hired labor,
bur smaller farms, more Intense cuitiva-
tiou on fewer acres, depending largely
On the home supply II labor, aud making
the farm In all respects more largely self
Supplying, IL the true policy for most OF
u 10 fOiloN Turf, Farm ana Home.