The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-11-15
FArrEN1NG FARMS FOR MARKET.

During the past ten years we have
personally known of number of in
stances in which poor, rundown,
farms have been bought, and, by hard
work and good management have
not only made their owners living,
but the sale of which would now rea-
lie them handsome profit for their
work. The conclusion is irresistible,
therefore, that money can be made
just in this way, and possibly more
rapidly than by the continuous farm
ing of one place.
A good many people seem to think
that time and money spent in improv-
ing land and buildings, is money
wasted; but, in the light of actual
occurrences, this is not correct. A
man may improve farm to the ex-
tent that when a purchaser comes
along, he is satisfied to pay a good
round price for it, and some will call
this 'Hluck." There is no luck about
it. There is a constant demand for
good farms, just the same as for good
horses and cattle, and why more at
tention is not paid to this fact is a
wonder to the outsider.
Apparently, some think that after
they own a farm they are fixed for
life. That, thereafter they must pay
full attention to raising and selling
produce, the farm being simply a
means to an end, while the "sprucing
up" of the farm itself-fattening it,
as it were, for the market-never en-
tiers their heads.
Certainly, many do not find them
selves in position to exercise this
land speculation idea, but very many
do. That is, they may be in the po-
sition, but do not think of it. If
they do, they consider that it costs
too much. Let us see. Granted,
that there is always more or less of a
demand for farms of the improved
class. Would an intending purchas-
er likely be attracted to one with
weather-st stained and dilapidated build
ings? With fences out of shape apd
hidden by briars and underground ?
With stony fields and undrained and
waste land? With gates off the
hinges, unkept front yards and gar
dens, and general air of habitual
carelessness prevailing? We think
not.
And yet, there are hundreds of
farms in Carroll county which need
but little more than years hard
work, at odd times, and reasonable
cash expenditure, to put an entirely
different face on them and make them
worth $50 more for every 81 spent
judiciously on them. There are hun
dreds of weather-beaten barns which
would look $4,000 better for a coat
of red paint, such as no particular
skill is required in applying and for
which the actual cost would be but
few dollars. Outbuildings without
number stare at passers-by, in all
their woebegoneness which a few
cents worth of lime and little we'll
directed elbow grease would change
to things of beauty.
The unadulterated truth is that
even some members of Farmers
Clubs show by their surroundings
that they are simply cropping after
knowledge, with great show Of
knowingness, much like the school
boy who is "getting along" in the
grades, but who has but superficial
knowledge of the real bases of educa-
ton, long since passed over in the
primary grades. There is something
highly ridiculous in man talking
about the chemical analysis of soils
and fertilizers, balanced rations and
all the scientific knowlege afoat rel
ative to agriculture, horticulture and
dairying, while his own premises look
poverty-stricken and deserted.
We may not be able to speak au-
thoritatively on this subject but, it
seems to us that great many farmers
lack a certain pride-a tidiness and
care for details-which, after all, is
the application of real good business
sense, and in their pursuit of the more
attractive higher education along the
lines of their work, let slip golden op-
portunities which, few, at least, of
their more observant and speculative
neighbors are pro6ting by. Nearly
every community has few men who
have owned half dozen farms during
their time, each of which was sold,
after a few years fattening," at a
fair profit. Their motto is, buy cheap,
improve, then sell.-Car7OH County
(Md.) Record.