The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-01-24
Farms Are often TOO Large.

| Farms Are Often TOO Large.
The system OF farming is the key
| TO success, but no system will apply
TO all farms. Each farm may Justly
be considered as a separate location
from all others, as there are variations
of soils even on small plots. There
are millions of dollars invested in
farms. The method of management,
ana not the farm itself, gives the
profit. 1t is as reasonable to expect
merchant To eXpend his entire capital
in store and find that he has not
enough to purchase goods as to sup
pose that one can so on farm and do
business without proper equipments.
Fields are rot capable OF producing
crops without labor, and labor cannot
be bestowed in the cheapest manner
unless the farmer uses the latest i'm
proved implements and machinery If
the land is left to take care OF itself
II viii deteriorate in fertility, as all
increase in value is derived from the
labor bestowed. The capital invested
in the farm will he completely tied up.
ana the Increase must come from ad-
ditlonal capital invested IN labor live
stock, implements, seeds, vehicles. etc
NO farmer, therefore. should put his
capital into TOO much land. He should
go only as far in the number of. acres
as VIII permit him to give the most
thorough cultivation. There is no ne
cessity for going West to secure farms,
as the majority Of farms in this sec
lion are too large, and are capable of
producing heavier yields per acre.
Farmers who could not make a profit
ON large farms have been closed out
by the sheriff and found that when the
farms were divided others have made
profits. -Four farmers on some nm,
profitable large farm have made profits
because each Of their farms was only
one-fourth as large as the original.
A large farm will not pay II the own
er does not receive at least interest on
his capital, so it is claimed, but 1t is
not always correct TO suppose the farm
does not pay because the owner has re-
ceiYed but little cash from sales. 1t is
n very difficult matter to draw the line
between profit and loss on farms be-
cause there is much going back on the
land which represents capital that Is
again invested, but the farmer who
Uses a hundred acres to produce rs
much as he could get from fifty acres
suffers loss because he has cultivated
TOO much land. He not only pays
taxes that he could avoid. but his
cost for labor, seed and implements
has been twice as much rs would have
Been necessary on n fifty-acre farm.
II is much less difficult TO increase the
fertility Of n small farm than a larger
one, Which fact is known to all farm
crs, yet many of them are seeking
more land instead OF concentrating
their efforts on smaller areas. In
some countries the increase OF popu.
latlOn has reduced the area of land 10
each inhabitant until whole families
are now supplied from few acres yer
the farmers pay enormous rents. As
the area of the farms was reduced the
crops were increased in yield and the
land made more fertile, The intensive
system of cultivation became u neces-
slty, and demonstrated that it Is pos
slble to exist on farms in Europe that
could not be cultivated to advantage
in this country unless our farmers
are willing to put more capital in farm.
Ing and less in farms.
Although only thirteen bushels Of
wheat is the average yield per acre
IN this country, yet our farmers haze
not yet comprehended the importance
of doubling the yield. Having plenty
OF land, they, look more to the area
than to the substance from which
crops are grown. The waste materials
that are of no value, such as weeds
and rubbish, are allowed to do damage |
in various ways, and the manure loses |
much of its value because of not be- |
ing properly kept This condition Is !
found mostly on farms that have too |
much land. The effort to raise thirteen |
bushels of wheat on an acre Is twice !
as costly as to double the yield, as a |
profit may be possible in the one
case and impossible with the other. |
Everything not sold off the farm has a |
value, and Is worth as much to the
farmer as to the buyer OF his produce. |
1t is as important that he save and /
utilize his product, whether In tho
form Of stock, crops or manure as II |
is TO send such to market to be sold !
FOR cash. Philadelphia Record.