Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1902-08-13
Larger Yields OF Crops.

The farmer who besides to make MS
farm pay should not use too much
land, but rather endea1or to secure
larger corps odar htrahtrahes rase
larger crops 1t has been feared By
some that the worlds supply of wheat
would be at some time less than the
demand, and the fact ia that but 1or
the introduction of the harvesting ma
chimes the urea in wheat would be
much less, bnt it Is known that the
yield of wheat In this country is very
low, considering the area cultivated,
being less than IA b ushels per acre as
the average. AS the yields in Europe
are four times as much per acre, and
even more in some countries, it is evil
dent that our farmers are devoting
their time and labor to four or five
acres that should be given only on one
acre, and that in cultivating larger
area of land in order to secure the
yield that could be obtained from
smaller field they are increasing the
cost of production and corresponding
ly reducing the profits there on, as too
much land Is sometimes expensive IN
labor and manure.
There is much yet for farmers to
learn in the management OF their
farms. In Europe the intensive sys-
tenn is the rule, but in this country 1t
is difficult to even attract the attention
of farmers in that direction, though,
as the population increases and the
public land is taken up, farmers will
be compelled to increase their average
yield of crops, not only in order to re-
auce the cost of production, but also
that they may compete with those who
are more enterprising. The strongest
competitor of farmer is not the grain
grower of some other country, but his
neighbor. If the neighbor can make
his land average 10 bushels more per
acre than he, then the neighbor can,
if he preferred, sell at lowe price,
and thus reduce the value of the arti-
Gle in his community. The evidence is
conclusive that where the intensive
system is practiced the profits are
larger, as gardeners near the large cit
les make small farms pay profits that
are really surprising to those who are
content to adhere to the systems that
have been in vogue for years. There
are yet splendid opportunities on
farms for those who are willing to de-
vote time and labor to increasing the
yields of crops rather than in cultivat-
ing large areas and securing but little
more than the cost of production.
The American farmers are better
supplied with all the improved imple-
ments for reducing the cost OF produc-
tion than those Of any other country,
and American implements are largely
exported. Fertilizers, especially the
phosphates, are also cheaper here than
elsewhere. but the European farmer,
who depends mostly upon hand labor,
uses more manure and fertilizer, and
secures the larger yields, because he is
compelled to derive the most that is
possible from a limited area. While
the American farmer will not compel
women and children to work in the
fields, as in Europe, yet he has better
implements, and canperform the re-
quired service at as low cost as in
Europe. Where the mistake is made
is in spreading the manure over too
large surface, and in bestowing labor
over too much land. Instances are
known wher farmers have secured as
much as 16O bushels of corn per acre
in this country, but such was obtained
only by good cultivation, good soil and
plentiful supply of manure.
The fact that large yield can be
secured, or is possible, should encour-
age every farmer to grow larger crops
on each acre. If as much can be Sc
cured from so acres as was formerly
derived from 100, there is SO acres less
to come under the work of the farmer,
and the smaller area will also become
more valuable every year, for the rea-
son that it receives more fertilizer and
is made more capable of producing
larger crops each succeeding season.
The fact that some grower of straw
berries produced 10000 quarts per acre
in one acre, as is often recorded,
should make the grower of only 600
quarts per acre dissatisfied, because
the larger crop can be sold at only one
cent per quart over expenses and give
a profit of 100 per acre. Every bushel
of grain or pound Of hay produced
over the average Is so much gain, for
the reason that the "first cost" must be
met by the farmer, whether the yield
is large or small. 1t takes just as
much time to plow, harrow, plant and
cultivate an acre that produces but 1lE
bushels of corn as it does for an acreI
that yields 100 bushels. There is aS
certain cost that must always be borne,f T
and if the yield does not compensated
for this expense, the farmer will soon-S&
or or later become bankrupt. Everyf
farmer, therefore, should aim for larg-S
er yields by using more manure and
fertilizers. He should not attempt toE
save labor where 1t should be beAE
slowed, but rather endeavor to apply
etaoin sh drlfmcupyw shrdlcmf vbxxfflf
his labor with the object of havingH
It return to him much larger profits
than before.-Philadelphia Record.