The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-22
PLANTER.
ECONOMY VS.. STINGINESS.
The Former is often Considered as
synonymous with the Latter, But
IL Really Not iat

There is no business, as far as
| known, that is carried on with SO lit
| tie regard for the principles of econ
omy as farming, though considera-
Bile progress has been made in this
| feature IF the business in recent
wears. But it is a fact, even at this
day, thai there are enough leaks on
an average farm in the south to con-
| vert a respectable possible profit into
a disreputable certain loss. Many
farmers dispute this doctrine, and as
proof alleged that they can not be
mere economical. as they live on tie
| cheapest of food, dress plainly, and
| DENY themselves all of the ordinary
| comforts of life. They can't even 81
to a farmers institute, because they
would lose two whole days from
work. and in many cases would have
to spend as much as $1.75 in cash. Al
of this merely shows that they do
not know what the word economy
means. They confound it with stingi-
ness. and consider that the miser is
the champion economist. True farm
ecollOU1N il1cullS IL btSo DoS9lpiC uSCf
of every and every product
of the farm. 1t is not econom.; to
burn up a large rick of wheat straw
so the ground it occupies may be
planted in cotton. The straw is
worth more as cattle feed and stable
bedding than the cotton that could lie
grown on forty times as much land
- n -. II =. nA{ .~~
my to grow a crop of corn and har-
vest only the ears, for the stalks and
blades are worth more than half as
much as the grain as a feed for live
stock. IT is not economy to leave
implements in the weather to rust
and warp and rot. when by proper
housing they might be made to last
-four times as long, and do better
work. 1t is not economy to feed out
hay to cattle and corn to hogs on the
ground. and often in mud, for d large
part of is is wasted. 1t is not economy
to grow Il lot of feed and have no
stock to consume it. 1t is not econ
omy to deny ones self and family any
good thing. because it costs 4 dollar
or two. for the waste of every side,
if utilized. would pay for these things
and many more. 1t was not economy
on the part of farmers some years
ago. who saved nothing of their rot
ton crops except the lint, throwing
the seed in piles to rot. 1t is not
economy to deny ones self any means
of gaining agricultural knowledge.
such rs farmers institutes, farmers
cooperative associations, agricultural
books and agricultural papers, and
short and long courses at our a. and
NJ. colleges. for the knowledge thus
gained would enable them t. reform
their methods and inspire them with
a spirit of emulation that would en-
able them to prosper as they lever
did before. by learning how others do
things well that he has pee doing
badly heretofore. If planting, cult
waiting. harvesting and utilizing crops
are done judiciously, arranging to
ave all the products that can be put
to use. and put them to the best use
possible. farming would become more
attractive because more profitable. A
few years after the civil war the writ
er began farming on raw prairie land.
and knowing thatssirups and molasses
were scarce and dear. planted ten
acres of sorghum and made with his
own hands a wooden cane mill and an
evaporator. All the Sirup was sold
at a good price at the e%vaporator.
But the weld per "cre was not sat
isfactory on account of lack of power
in the mill. The skimmings and the
w%ashings of the evaporation and the
utensils were saved. and the result
was, 2S4 gallons of prime vinegar was
made from this waste and sold in the
own of Hampstead for cash enough
to pay for Il good iron cane mill, and
thus IA good profit was made from sir
up for several years. For ever bar
rel of sirup made there was about
fourteen gallons of vinegar. then
worth 60 cents per gallon-quite an
item to come from what was before
universally wasted.-Texas Farm and
Ranch.