Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-05-21
ARMERANDPLANTER
ECONOMY VS.. sTINGINESS.
The Former is Otter Considered -
synonymous with the Latter, But
is Really Not Related.

There is no business, as far as
kncwn. that is carried on with so Ut
tie regard for the principles OF c
omy as farming. though considera-
BILE progress has been made in this
feature of the business in recent
wears. But it is a fact, even at tins
day. that there are enough leaks on
an average farm in the south to con-
vert a respectable possible profit into
a d~isreputable certain loss. Many
farmers dispute this doctrine, and as
proof alleged that they can not De
more 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 S1.75 in cash. FL
of this merely shows that they 40
not know what the word economy
a They confound it with stingi-
ness. and consider that the miser is
the champion economist. True farm
means the best possible use
of every and every product
of the farm. 1t is not economy TO
burn up a large rick of wheat straw
so the ground it occupies may be
pIanted in cotton. The straw is
worth more as cattle feed and stable
bedding than the cotton hat could he
grown ON forty times as much land
as the rick occupied. 1t is not e"ono-
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 i've
stock. 1t is not economy to leave
indictments 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 corr to hogs on the
ground, and often in mud, for q large
rart of is is wasted. 1t is not economy
to a 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 Y dollar
or two, for the waste of every size,
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 cot
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 as farmers institutes, farmers
cooperative associations, agricultural
books and agricultural papers, and
short and long courses at our A.. ana
NJ. colleges, for the knowledge thus
gained would enable them to reform
their methods and inspire them with
a spirit of emulation that would en-
able them to prosper as they never
did before. by learning how others do
things well that he has been doing
badly heretofore. If planting, cult
waiting. harvesting and utilizing crops
are done judiciously, arranging to
saw all the products that can be put
TO use. ana pun tHcih W oC"o .
possible. farming would become more
attractive because more profitable. A
few wears after the civil war the writ
err began farming on raw prairie land,
and knowing that sirups 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 evaporation.
But the yield per :cre was not sat
isfactory on account of lack of power
in the mill. The skimmings and the
washings of the evaporator and the
utensils were saved, and the result
was, 2S4 gallons of prime vinegar was
made from this waste and sold in the
town of Hampstead for cash enough
to pay for a good iron cane mill, and
thus a 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.