New-York tribune., 1903-07-26

must first consider what the Investment II IN
an ordinary farm A general farm OF eighty
acres, with usual improvements. would not In
ventory more than $1,000 to $1,000. With ths
larger figure the net income at 10 per cent
should be $500; yet farm that is considered
to be at all profitable produces so little iEcome
as this. The daily living. which must bs
charged TO income. would amount 10 more than
this If the general farmer comes out even
at the end Of the year. he has, nevertheless,
made good rate on his investment. and he
has increased the value of his home at the same
time The d f1culty with farming. considered
from the financial point of view. is not that the
rate of income is low. but that the amount OF
profitable. Investment is small Considered in
its bearing on the national welfare this fact is
propitious. for il means that the farm provides
an independent business for persons Of small
resources Considered as means OF producing
great individual fortunes. however the farm is
inadequate. and it is 10 be hoped that II al
ways viii be so for at least one great profes-
sion or business should be measured in other
terms than money producing power for the in
dividuaL
There is untold wealth in the soil. -e are
practically no exhausted soils; they are most
Iy humus robbed and poorly handled soils No
one has ever yet reached the limit. on any con-
siderable scale of what the soil is capable OF
producing Many men make comfortable liv-
ing on ten to fifty acres OF land. and yet they
always expect TO produce more next year Only
here ana there are we beginning 10 develop
really scientific and buslnesslike agriculture
The opportunities in farming are great II Is
almost impossible for a man 10 fall II he knows
the business and has abilities that would lead
him to success in other undertakings II Is a
general belief that almost any man can leave
the city and make living farm This Is
grievous error. Farming must be learned. as
must engineering OF teaching. It cannot Be
learned from a book OF a bulletin. but by farm
ing. The older the man when he makes radi-
cal change Of business the less are his chances
Of success. II he has been IN a subordinate pc-
sItion in mis- former business. his chances OF sue
cess in farming are less. for he VIII probably be
deficient in executive handling and initiative
Often druggist or a preacher VIII think that
he go 10 farming with every assurances Of
success; yet he would not think that a farmer
could go into the drug business 20 preaching
Yet many business man and many preacher
makes a most successful farmer.
The modern teaching Is having profound In
fuence on the ideals and the practices OF tia
farmer Because the farmers buildings remain
the same. the passerby fails to see any change.
but the trained observer sees the chanzs In
the more cattle per acre. the great number OF
the soIing crops, the well handled fruit plEuta-
tions, the efficient poultry houses the tools and
machines the shaven lawn the water supplies
and sanitary arrangements. the better turn
outs. One significant mark Of the changing
point Of view is shown IN the passing OF the old
penuriO Ousness- This is particularly marked IN
the great agricultural regions Of the West In
many States. for instance the farmers now
demanding better buildings and equipment for
their agricultural colleges saying that the agrf-
cultural subjects must be as well housed and
maintained as any other subjects. This marks
the rise Of pride in the calling
A person make money on the land Thou
sands OF farms in all parts OF the country attest
this. The old Eastern and Southern States Of
fer as good openings as are 70 be found In the
country. Good land can be had cheaper In the
East than in the agricultural West. Marksts
are close at hand There Is now a slow but
steady revival Of most Of the agricultural IN
dustries in the East. Even the sheep and beef
cattle industries viii come back There are two
types OF farming developing side by side IN ths
East-the small area farming on the richer
lands and near the markets. and the large
farming the rougher. poorer and reuceer
lands The former runs largely 70 poultry IN
tensive dairying and horticultural enterprises
The latter runs largely TO hay and grazing. In
the great agricultural West farming is SO er-
tensive and so profitable that agricultural ssntf-
msnt wellnigh dominates the country. Farmers
are rapidly rising into leadership.
Every piece OF arabic land has great pro
ductive possibilities. This is the opening ~
farming The business OF land culture Is II.
most important single occupation IN the worid
considered both IN respect 20 the number OF
parsons emnloysd and the amount of wealth an