Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-11
Sound Business Methods in Agri-
culture are Necessary.
Cutting Down the Expenses Some Advan-
tases of Living on the Farm Mistakes
Made That Ought to be Avoided.


been advocate in favor of soils. breeds
and cultivation, the fact is ALWAYS plain
that success or failure depends upon
the man, and it is not out of place to
claim that the man is as frequently a
subject for Improvement as the stock. |
Fortunately the breeds of animals are
forcing upon the farms better breeds
OF men. with the result that as each
generation passes away new systems
OF farming appear ana farms become
more desirable. The farmer looks for
q profit, out III that respect he may be
fortunate even when no actual profit
mas been made. for he paws unto him
SELF wages for his labor. The farm.
therefore, provides its owner with en-
pioSnent and enables him 10 derive n
lNlng FOR himself and family through
the exercise of Judgment and labor.
mere is a distinction between profit
anu loss on the farm us compared with
othef occupations. The merchant or
nechan'c must support his family
from the net receipts of his business
The farmer estimates his receipts from
the farm without considering the fact
mat he has had shelter and food for
ms FAMILY during the time he has been
| producing his crops. The real profit
on q farm is that left over from the
sroSS receipts after all expenses are
PAID the expenses being great or but
iittle according to the degree of econ
ony practiced. Like the merchant, he
may make mistakes, but he is not as
! dependent upon the condition of the
| markets as the merchant, for the rea-
son mat the farmer has home mar
ket Tor much that he produces.
Many OF the losses in farming occur
on the farm and are not due entirely
to outside influences. There arc sea-
sons OF the year when IL is difficult to
curtain expenses. but if the farmer will
avoid entaiing upon himself unncccs-
sary expense he Will have performed
Tor hlniSelt an important service. For
instance. many farmers abuse the priv
lioSc OF credit. They are tempted TO buy
aud go in debt because they are not
competed TO pay cash: but there ar
rives time for each when the obliga-
| tons must be met. and such frequently
| happens when they are least prepared
for so doing To purchase harvesting
machine out of the sea son because no
cash is required is to assume an obi
cation i'm advance. and to discard an
| implement that can be made 10 per-
form more service i'll order to procure
newer one is TO lose the use of q
certain amount Of capital invested. II
is possible that one of the greatest
blessings that could be bestowed upon
some farmers would he to deny them
credit. They would then be more dis
posed tn hold on In their cash and
would also learn economy that in after
=.
selling and general mana cement Every
! farmer should purchase what he re-
quires. as il is not economical to at
tempt to farm without the aid of the
/ best implements. stock and fertilizers.
| but it is not economical to purchase
anything that is not absolutely ncces-
sary. The expenses include everything
purchased. and the pro6ts are decrcas-
ed accordingly. hence the pront de
pends, as stated. more upon the farmer
than upon the farm.
Many expenses on the farm are Gre
ated by the farmer. To retain some
| thing that is of itself an expense adds
! to the expenses and lessons the profit.
and to endeavor to force the farm he
| You'd it's productive capacity without
| compensation in the form of manure
! or fertilizer Increases the expense, be-
cause the item of labor may exceed the
receipts. When too many animals are
| retained in preference to few choice
| ones the expenses become greater. be-
cause the farmer then keeps on his
| hands too many non producing indi-
Viduals. If he can purchase TWO COWS
| that give only as much milk as one SUI
| perior animal he may enjoy the posses
| sion of n greater number of animals.
! but he has. at the same time added to
| the expenses of the farm by being COM
| PEELED 10 bestow more labor, shelter
| food and care than is necessary In
| order TO derive n certain product. No
farmer should be content to receive
| from n herd or flock only one-half OF
| that which could be derived With the
| aid of better stock, for such loss Is {;
very large one, and can never he re-
| covered. Judgment is necessary also
| in determining how 10 derive the most
| from certain soils or locations on the
| farm. Farmers can he found who make
! larger profits with poultry. and on
! small areas. than others with COWS.
| This is due to the poultryman having
| the best breeds to be obtained. while
The farmers herd of cows are lncapa-
| BILE of giving more than enough to pay
expenses The fault with the large ma
| iorty of farmers is not that they are
unwilling to reduce expenses. but that
| they unwisely increase them by mis-
mana cement.
FARM NEWS AND VIEWS.
Some farmers carefully select their
| seed corn. and their, crops are conse-
| quently hettar each succeeding year.
! The first duty is to go into the stand
ins corn and mark the best and most
promising stalks by fastening to each
| stalk strip of rag. Then the stalks
that have been selected are again care
fully examined 10 select the hest ears
and grains. The object is to secure
vigor OF stalk as well rs quality of
ears. Prollficacy the grains and free
| upli lloiii ullpcEiettlpliS are ueSlIeu
| If this IS done every year the variety
will be improved. At this season. If
| the selection has not been previously
made In the field before cutting down
| the stalks the best ears from the
/ shocks or the cribs should be retained
| for seed. Seed corn should also be
kept in dry location. as severe cold
may injure its terminating quality. II
/ only one remarkably superior ear is
| found it may he the foundation upon
! which Improvement can be started
| Corn may be made 10 double its yield