The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-03
IMPROVING RUN DOWN FARMS.
Battle Hill, @

correspondence Of the Progressive Farmer.
The number OF run down farms are
increasing in this country at rapid
rate, and the West will soon have ite
share of these farms along with the
East The cause Of this is that there
are 90 many engaged in farming who
do not understand the primary prin-
ciples Of good farming that the land de
teriorates without attracting their at
tention. This deter ioration goes on
slowly and gradually, and year by
year the soil produces a smaller crop.
After matters become considerably de
moralized somebody wakes up to the
fact that the land is exhausted and
rundown, and the farm gets name
that practically makes it unstable.
Good money that was originally put in
the land as an investment is thus lost.
Hundreds Of thousands OF dollars are
lost in this country through this de-
terioration of soil because of ignorance
or neglect on the part Of so called farm
ers. In the same way, suppose, q
similar depreciation Of other business
property goes on in towns and villages
through lack Of good management.
The farmers are not alone in having
amorg their number poor members
VII o fail to hold their own and keep
their property from degeneratiDg. It
is the price that incapacity or shift
lessness must pay.
A good farm needs as much system
attic attention as any business or city
property. In order to keep up its
renting or paying value the soil must
not be allowed to degenerate or its
buildings and other appurtenances to
go to pieces. A good farmer will not
allow this. The fertility of his soil is
never sacrificed for some immediate
gain unless it is restored right away
again by some return. Continual crop
ping without adding any thing in return
is never practiced. But the most diff
cult thing in farming is to take hold Of
run down farm and restore it to its
former standard Of fertility. This is
discouraging work and often drives the
best Of farmers to despair. It is like
taking hold of run down business in
city and trying to build it up. Bust
ness men cay that it is easier to start
an entirely new business than to at
tempt to inject new life into one that
has been run into the ground. So it is
much roore satisfactory to take farm
that is in fair condition and run it than
to purchase a run down one at half the
price and strive to improve it. But
the latter can be done, and there are
cases where it is necess ary for farmer
70 do this. To do this he mus make
up his mind to make haste slowly, and
to make every step that he takes pro
gres 3ive one. Grass must be made the
foundation crop Of the land and green
and bsrnyard manure must be CON
tinually added every year in excess Of
the amount taken from the soil. By
a proper crop rotation, plenty Of ami
mails which can add fertility to the
soil, the farm can in the course of
years be returned to it's first fertile
condition. A man who can do this,
however, is farmer who ia capable of
making any thing on the farm succeed.
The long course Of discipline he must
go through will also prove Of help to
him because he will learn more about
iokonsivo farming than the man who
starts with a rich soil.
q. w. JONES