Connecticut western news., 1901-02-28
! RENTERS AND STOCK. |
,ToCK RAISING A PROFITABLE
INDUSTRY FOR TEN
ANT FARMERS.

Any discussion of the question Of fer
tility of soil leads at once to the Ques,
ton of relation between landowner
and tenant, for the reason that nearly
one-half Of the land in the corn belt is
In the hands of tenant farmers, writes
E. E. Chester in The Prairie Farmer
In the discussion so far the object
seems to be to retain fertility for the
landowner regardless of the fact that
the renter is entitled to reward for his
labor. My observation leads me to be-
lieve that the more successful farmers
are the ones who have devoted at least
a portion of their energies to stock
raising. 1t is true a renter may secure
a lease on a new tract Of land or an
old farm that has been devoted TO
stock raising for number of years and
do we'll In exclusive grain growing un-
til such time as this land shows sign
OF exhaustion or becomes foul with
corn root worms and noxious weeds,
but the average rented farm is not in
this condition, and the same general
laws apply to the tenants and owners
share In the crop alike An exhausted
soil or insect depreciation reduces the
poor mans salary as much as 1t re-
duces the landowners profits. IL the
tenant could always keep his farm
lands In condition TO produce large
crops or could always sell at the top
OF the market for the year and could
utilize every product of the farm with
out live stock, then there would be no
uncertain factor In his problem of sue
cess; but as owner and renter are
equally interested in having the soil in
its best condition, as 1t too often hap
pens the renter must sell his crop at
the lowest instead of the highest point
to raise money to pay help and store
bills, and as there are many byprod-
ucts that are wasted for want of stock
to consume them, 1t is essential that
the tenant raise some stock.
There Is no reason why tenant
farmer may not raise colts enough to
replace the dead and wornout among
his farm teams, calves enough to re-
place the milk cows that have outlived
when the farm tools are to be replaced,
a few pigs not only for scavengers In
the barn lot, orchard and grainfields,
but to bring ready money that may
permit the grain crop to be held for an
expected advance, or a few sheep to
supply the much needed fresh meat
during the hot months as well as wool
for the supply Of pin money for the
good and overtasked wife and daugh-
Tor go hn 20 n ,f.l- a1t n
of grass and care to bushel of corn
and feed to well bred pig, and the re-
suit will be ten pounds Of pork. worth
on the present market 10 per cent more
than the same articles are worth I'M
consumed by his pigship. Corn, oats
and clover lay literally fed to the
horse that is to be sold off the farm
will bring double the amount the same
articles viii bring In any general mar
ket. There is no reason why renter
may not do these things in a small
way as well as the man who owns a
section or more of land. A man need
not be rich and own broad acres of
land to be able to raise a calf that
weighs 1000 pounds at the end of its
twelfth month. There is no reason
why a tenant farmer, IL he chooses,
may not rent 40 acres for grass along
side of the 40 acres he rents for corn
and stock this with cattle or sheep that
will grow while he sleeps or while he
rests on the seventh day and worships
the same God his landowning neighbor
worships or why he shall not market
the corn of the 40 he titled through
these same cattle or sheep instead of
marketing it through the grain dealer.
If renter has liking for live stock
and selects farm adapted to the bust
ness and Is diligent in business, his be-
ing renter Is no bar to his success as
live stock man.