The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-06-10
FARMERS NEED FAITH.
MUST HAVE CONFIDENCE IN
THEIR LAND AND PERsEvERE.

They Need to Have. Faith In Their
Farms and to Show Their Faith by
Their Acts-Debt Not Necessarily
an Evll-Endeavor to Increase Fer
tiity.
II l were to express an opinion as
what farmers need most | should say
they need faith in their farms. 1t is
fact that a large proportion OF our
farmers are on their farms for life.
They cannot change their business If
they would, and hope that most of
them would not IL they could. The
question to the farmer then. Is, "How
best can | make my farming profit
able. and through that business get
the most out of life?" Again, | would
repeat in the most emphatic terms:
"Let him have faith in his farm" This
advice give equally to the younger
farmers who. are carrying a heavy
indebtedness and to the much smaller
class who have their farms paid for
and have n small bank account: Cd
Let not the young man who has
judiciously invested his savings in
farm be alarmed at the mortgage,
which signifies his inability to pay at
once for the farm that is to be his
Home. And | would advise him not
to be in too great haste to cancel the
evidence of his Indebtedness. "He
that hasteth to be rich con-
sidereth not that poverty shall come
upon him." are the wise mans words,
and are true in any business of life.
Let the young farmer, then, who
has his business we'll in hand. think
first, not how to decrease his indebt-
edness, but how to increase the fertility
and productiveness OF his land, and to
commence building a home with as
much comfort and taste as his means
will permit. But, first and even fore
most he should improve his land; for
on this his future prosperity will de-
pend. There has hardly ever been
found limit TO the productiveness Of
an acre of land. Those farms that
are already regarded as fertile can
rich forage crops and grain to stock
that will pay for all the cost and at
tention. In doubling the productive
ness Of the farm, the farmer virtually
doubles his capital, and much more
than doubles his profits, as the labor
and expense in carrying on highly
productive farm are in a decreasing
proportion to a less productive one.
Two men buy equally good farms
at $4,000 each. Both men mortgage
their farms for $4,000. One man makes
1t point to pay for his farm as soon
as possible. He rakes and scrapes and
economies. and skins" his farm and
neelects his buildings. He does well
If by these methods he pays for his
farm within 10 years. The farm in
the mean time will have probably
decreased in value $1,000. The other
man used his accumulating capital in
improving his land and buildings, and
in buying better stock and better
tools. The one farm is now worth
$4,000; the other $4,000. The one has
made $1,000; the other $4,000, with
larger and better stock and better
tools than he began with. The one
owns $4,000 farm free of debt; the
other an $4,000 farm with $4,000 mort.
gage.
/ think these are fair cases. Many
have done better than double the
capacity of their farms within 10 years.
In proof of this | will cite one case
from a recent issue of The Tribune
Farmer that lies before me: George
nal. y
doing business 13 years ago on 12O-
acre farm. The beginning was 75
quart milk route. Today he sells $50
quarts OF milk, besides considerable
cream. His builu.ngs and apparatus
correspond with his enlarged business.
This great achievement has developed
from humble beginnings. and every
enlargement and Improvement has
been made out of the income Of his
business, made possible, mainly, by
the increasing fertility of the soil.
Almost every one can recall the timid
farmer carrying a mortgage OF few
hundred dollars, who, in his haste to
pay his debts, would immoderately
crop his land. only returning little
creasing profits, till the mortgage be-
came alarmed for his security and took
the farm and almost all else the man
had into his possession.
have in this article let the mort
gage hang over the prosperous farmer,
because of the prevailing. though un-
warranted. sentiment as to its danger
1t is the almost invariable and nec-
essary custom, If young man would
buy good farm, to let a part of the
purchase money remain on mort
gage. If he is steady and thrifty and
Industrious the mortgagee will in most
cases be only too glad to let 1t remain.
believe the man who is young and
strong can do better with his first
few years of accumulating capital in
making permanent improvements on
his land than in decreasing his in
debtedness A hundred dollars judi