The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-24
DIyERsIFIED FARMING

passed has been fruitful of intelligent
thinking on the farm, and that the
germ thoughts that have been dropped
into the farmers mind during the sea-
son OF physical activity previous have
been fructifled and rendered productive
in many ways that will find expression
in improvement. both In aims and in
methods. durin the comm crop season.
One of the subjects to which we hope
thought has been given Is the question
whether, under the particular circum-
stances of each farmer. any greater di-
versifcation of his own farming opera
tions can be introduced with advan-
tage. The general benefits of DIVERSE
fed farming have been so often repeat
ed that mere reference to some Of the
more important OF them will be sufn-
in the old proverb which tells how un-
wise 1t Is to put all ones eggs into the
same basket; another is found in the
fact that the staple products for which
a section of country Is particularly
adapted are always overdone and prices
are, as rule, low and unremunerative,
with, Of course, occasional exceptional
periods. which. however. are not OF
much advantage to the producer for
the reason that they largely depend
upon more or less complete crop fall
ample, OF a staple universally grown at
very low profit to the farmer who pro-
duces 1t. In the South the cotton crop
furnishes another example. and in the
Northwest wheat supplies still another.
Dlversification relieves the pressure
which glut always produces, and to
that extent 1t Is an advantage to the
staple crop. Diversification also fur
nishes employment all the year round
A. n
tically exclusive devotion to q single
line OF farming. There are other rea-
sons for Investigation, but our pres
ent purpose is only to hint at It's adj
We, are aware that there are those
who take the opposite view and urge
that this Is the day of specialists and
that the farmer must learn to excel in
some one thing to which he and his
sotl and surroundings are particularly
fitted. In their arguments they usu-
ally. however. overstate the side OF d.
versifcation. by representing 1t to
mean the raising Of all kindas of crops
and all kinds Of stock on one farm. We
have nothing to urge against the spe-
cialist who has found some particular
line in which, by reason of his tastes
and surroundings, he has been able to
excel, and with which he succeeds In
farming probably. Nor would we say
anything to deter the man who be-
lieves he has found such line and
who proposes to try 1t. The diversifica-
ton for which we plead IL that lead
ing away from exclusive devotion ia
the staple crop or crops particularly
adapted to the section, that are almost
invariably Overdone. The specialist
who has found profitable line of work
has rarely or never discovered 1t in sta
pie crops. He has taken advantage Of
some circumstances attending his stu
alton and has learned to excel In some
particular line not generally pursued
over any large area Of country. AM
farmer who can profit by his example
will do we'll to do SO, but for the gen
eral farmer who Ii now devoting MI
Hand; time and labor to the production
OF low priced stayles. diversity present
many advantages. and to 1t there ar
few objections. It ID not meant by till
that the farmer should take q seet
catalogue and attempt to grow every
thing he finds in 1t, but there are rev
sections Of country TO which Yer!
considerable diversity n not possible
and from. those crops that thrive wei
Tin his vicinity the general farmer WI
do well to select q considerable mum
her, In the light OF his opportunities to
/ finding : market for them and Of p!
necSaslty Tor conkin nous employment.
ne Intends to make farming Day. no
body can hope to prosper ~ WorKin
like Turk for = little bit OF the yeal
ana hayinE no paying industry for tn
Remainder of ths tWeivs months
II