The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-18
Competition in Farming.

Philadelphia Record.
The farmer Of the present day meets
closer competition in his business than the
merchant. his competitors being other
farmers who are alive 10 every opportunity
10 increase their profits. The progressive
farmer closely observes the markets, but
ne gives more attention TO the lessening OF
the cost of production than TO anything
else. The farmer who does not know OF
the introduction of the latest labor-saving
appliances, or Of the advantages OF the
various breeds of live stock, is sure TO work
at a great disadvantage in competition
with one who lessons the cost of labor and
increases the products of his farm, for IL
prices fall by reason of greater supply the
unprepared farmer, who has not kept pace
with others, will be the first to fall by the
wayside.
The beginning Of the new year is the
time to plan for next season. The farmer
no longer has any choice in the matter OF
reform. He cannot decide to continue on
with old methods unless other farmers are
doing the same. Necessity will compel
changes, and il is better TO get ready for
them tina to wait until the growing sea-
son arrives to then discover that a whole
SN0A rus nc AOSN III NHN NNO'R $1,000
crops under methods that others have dis
carded. There is more labor performed on
farms from which the farmer secures no
return than is incurred in any other pur-
suit, and IL is this waste OF labor-the re-
suit of adhering to old s"ystems-that
causes farmers TO mortgage their farms
and pay Interest. No farmer can afford to
sell his produce for less than it cost, yet
the cost largely depends upon the manage
ment. His competitor. with lower cost and
larger yields, forces him to sell at unre-
munerative prices.
Where some farmers fail is in not in
ereasing the productive capacity of their
live stock. Beef cattle that weigh less than
one-half the weight that could be obtained,
sheep weighing less than 100 pounds each
on the hoOf, and milk from cows that but
little more than pay the cost of keeping
are examples found everywhere. The most
difficult matter on the part of those who
are interested in the advancement of farm
ing is to convince farmers that an essen
tial duty in the keeping of live stock is to
use the pure breeds. Strange to say, the
greatest obstacle to the introduction of
ON the large majority OF farms will be
{eund animals that demonstrate their
worthlessness in comparison with some
that are better, yet even this fact, so plain
that 1t cannot be avoided. has not induced
farmers TO discard scrubs and accept the
pure breeds. Only when some progressive
farmer steps out Of the line and adopts
new methods are many of the farmers con-
vinced that they must do the same thing
or suffer loss.
Labor-saving implements are also doing
their share in revolutioniZing farming. The
advent of the harvester for cutting and
binding wheat opened new fields for farm
Ing in this country, but within the past
few years the corn binder. which cuts down
the corn and bundles it, has found its way
to hundreds of farms. One of the most
useful machines, however, is the shredder
and husker, which not only husks the corn,
out also reduces the entire stalk to such a
condition that it may be baled like hay.
The time will soon arrive, therefore, when
the farmer will no longer leave his corn in
the field to be husked by hand, the shocks
remaining TO be destroyed by winds, frosts
and rains, for, should he persist in such
practice, his competitor with the shredder
will be able to sell produce cheaper and
better than he who refuses to progress
In every department on the farm the
farmer is we'll provided for in labor-savins
implements, for even some Of the improved
grinding mills in use on farms are capable
of grinding more corn in a day than the
old mill with its water wheel performed IL
a week.
Farming is rapidly becoming easier. AL
ready the mower cuts grass anC
saves the horse from that labor. HEAVY
hauling is done by traction engines anC
automobiles. Farm produce is being com
pressed so as to avoid as much bulk as pos
sible. Every farmer is interested in thes,
matters, willingly or unwillingly, as every
farmer will be compelled to keep up in tn,
line Of progress or drop out as a com
petitor. The only show of backwardnes
Is the fact that the average yields Of stapl
crops are not much larger than in the past
This is probably due to the large area O
land cultivated in this country, the unpro
ductive portions reducing the general aver
ages for the whole. but il cannot be denie,
that in those sections where improves
methods have, been inaugurated the WELD
are larger than before. There is also
wider field for a more extensive use o
fertilizers, but the future will witness tn
application Of fertilizers on all farms as
necessity, in order to retain the fertiIit,
of the soil, as we'll as to increase the pro
duction of crops.