The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-07-09

Auditorium tower, is closer TO the
source of the weather supply than
the man out on the farm. The lat
ter knows only whether it is locally
foul or fair for the moment; but
here there is a chance to chat with
Old Probabilities and thus to secure
u better guess as to future conditions
of drought or rain, wind or calm.
The difference IF a day in putting in
a crop some times determines the
success or failure of the yield. So
as to the time for harvesting.
Then this Capitalization of control
in an office in a big market city gives
a distinct advantage in securing
quick shipping facilities. When it
becomes necessary TO get a large
amount of produce into the market
on short notice, in order to secure
the benefit of temporary high prices,
things can be accOmslished by the
large shipper shat could not be done
by the small farmer. He can 60,
without the loss of moments time,
to the general freight agent or other
railroad official, and negotiate direct
ly and personally for special facili-
ties out of reach of the man on the
farm. All these things count when
the balance is struck.
Again, the system l have outlined
makes possible large economies in
buying. 1t stands to reason that the
man who buys binding Irvine for the
harvesting machines on fifty farms
can secure a lower figure than one
purchasing for a single farm. This
applies to every kind of supply used
in operations.
One of the biggest problems of
farm management is, of course, the
distribution of crops. Whenever
this question comes up among farm
ers there is always a great deal of
wise talk about "crOp rotation. "
Sift this down to the bottom and it
will be found, in most cases, that
farmers understand this term to
mean sowing a field of oats for one
year and wheat the next-alternat-
ing these crops Indefinitely year after
year. Here is where the chief mis-
take is made. They do not make
provision for giving their ground a
chance for rest and enrichment.
They do not plan to returning to the
soil. Every field used for wheat,
corn and oats should have a seasons
rest once every three or four years.
Give each field a chance TO serve as
pasture land as frequently as this,
and it will pay big returns in rich
and heavy yields. Managed on this
plan, by a man who has any knack
as a corn raiser, any average Illinois
or Nebraska field should yield from
seventy-five to 100 bushels of corn
to the acre.
About thirty ago I began farming
on a tract of 100 acres on the banks
of Seneca Lake, in New York. In
three years 1 saved So, geo from the
farm and had a good living besides.
1t was there that / demonstrated
the principle of the rotation plan
which 1 have since followed on a
larger scale. From that time until
the present l have been constantly
buying farms and operating them,
and have yet to make the first I'm
profitable investment. This is why
l have little patience with the man
who, under average conditions, de
clares there is nothing in farming"
Men who talk in this strain are thoy,
who are satisfied to get a yield of
thirty five bushels OF corn or oats to
the acre, when they should know
that their management is at fault if
they fail to produce an average IF
less than seventy bushels of either
to the acre.
Here is my allotment for a farm of
16O acres: Ten acres for buildings,
garden patch and a field OF mangel
wurzel beets sixty acres for pasture
sixty acres for corn thirty acres for
oats. In the second year these crops
should be shifted, pasture and grass
lands being turned over for cereals.
The beets should be fed to sheep and
hogs, and as much will be realized
from the sale of wool, lambs and
hogs, under this system, as would