The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-23
HOW MANY or The
FARM WASTES OCCUR
interesting Address of j. H
Brigham, Assistant Secre-
tary OF Agriculture.
DON'T KEEP SCRUB STOCK
One of the Most Universal Wastes on
the Farm Ariaes From This Prac-
tice-Farmer Should Sys-
ternatize His Business.

VI lLIIll management ll1E ldlG 11OI. Jo-
seph II. Brigham, assistant secretary OF
agriculture, made some points that are
we'll worth careful thought. Colonel
Brigham said:
one of the most universal wastes on
the farm arises from the practice of
keeping scrub stock, which is likely to
occasion loss rather than profit. Coin
cident with his is the common waste
resulting from careless feeding and lack
of proper shelter for and attention to
farm stock. The neglect of probably tho
majority of farmers to keep close ac-
count of the various details of farm eX-
pense and production results in farmers
continuing to raise this scrub stock,
whereas they would otherwise weed it
out without delay.
Should Keep Books.
no business man could expect to
succeed If he negie~> Led to keep ac-
counts, and the farmer should not eX-
pect to fare better than the business
We are getting to the point in
American farming where every part Of
the machine must do it's work. If the
farmer is to make a success of his life
business he must systematic that bust
ness in detail. For instance, no subse-
luent cultivation will cure or overcome
l. lack of thoroughness in the prepar-
ition Of soils for any crop. No sub
iequent attention will overcome the re-
,ult Of carelessness in selecting seed, or
N planting it. The farmer should have
\ definite plan worked out to keep up
Or improve his farm fertility and to
make the most of homemade fertili-
,ers. Improper exposure of manure to
the weather result in the loss of un-
told thousands of dollars in farm ferti-
lily In this country. Allowing valuable
iram machinery when not in use to re-
main in the field. exposed to the ele-
ments, is a source Of constant loss to
many farmers. A good system of farm
Ing and close attention to details may
bring better results thar a greater in
,ty."
How easy it is to look about the
country and find men who are wasting
valuable tim n feed upon scrub
stock. How much more would be their
profits INC the satisfaction they might
secure if instead of using an inferior
male year after year they would put
a well-bred getter in it's place. Every
day the markets Of the country are
demonstrating with h regularly high
err prices that it pays better to breed,
raise and feed well-bred steers. hogs
and sheep-that good blood pays.
AS Colonel Brigham points out,
there is another waste in feeding. This
has been one of the greatest sins Of the
west. Feeders have become so used to
pitching grain to their steers by the
shovelful that they Tnd themselves I'M
sble to fully appreciate the conditions
when corn is so cents a bushel. How
ever, this is the n great lesson that
farmers must learn after the improve
ment of the market-producing herds by
The introduction of better blood by use
.ul bulls.
Will Often Prove Useful.
For many years farm accounts nave
i'e' aei'ated, oC+ without anv appu-
ent success, if We NAY Judge The mat
ter from the standpoint of their intro
auo:ion upon farms. We htldly believe
that it is entirely practicable for a
farmer to attempt to keep a full set OF
books; on the other iand, it will strike
a great many as highly impracticable:
still there is no denying the usefulness
that such accounts might render a
farmer, who should know, however.
something of the cost of certain crops.
He can get at this approximately is he
is careful to keep account of certain
costs so that in the end he can secure
some fairly definite information. Data
that might be secured in this way will
frequently prove a means of knowing
whether or not q certain undertaking
has been the means of profit or loss.
We believe that work upon the farm
should be as thoroughly systematized
as possible. Just how this shall be
done depends in a considerable degree
upon the genius of the farmer. He
certainly can work out a rotation Of
crops that can be adhered to with rea-
sonable success for a season Of years.
He a formulate a plan by which all
Of the r~oughneSs and as much of the
grain as is possible is fed out at home,
that the manure may be returned again
to the fields. 1t may be necessary for
him to buy stock to this extra
roataria1 h,1t tho ovnoriorna of %Io,,
sands of farmers for a long series Of
years has demonstrated that there is
money in the matter of buying and
feeding cattle, providing a moderate
amount of judgment has been used In
planning the proportion of feeds that
are to be fed. together with the pur-
chase Of the stock from which the pro-
fits are to be derived.
Men make Il mistake every year in
preparing their land. 1t seems strange
that after a few years experience men
do not begin to comprehend that it Is
necessary to put crops in well, in order
to realize all that they should yield.
Even on rich land the soil is not capa-
BILE of overcoming the handicap that a
farmer may easily put upon it by rush.
Ing the seed into the soil before the bed
is actually prepared for ii. How fire.
e eaSa s5n & srS S. r. r. l map Y 4ash 'f hIa se Is
iEtQ. the soil two Or three borrowings
&c soon and by cultivation later over
come the impeachment that he has de-
liberately placed upon the chances of
a good crop. 1t is perhaps a coinci-
dence that the man who neglects the
seed he'd jh also the one who fails to
cultivate The crop afterward.
Wasting of farm manures Is q mat
ter that should be avoided. 1t is a
wise farmer who v his barn yard
and spreads it properly upon
the land. He a need to use fertili-
zers, but he will not rely upon these
elements until his HON have
been exhausted. Saving and not vast
ing the soils Inherent fertility is one of
the greatest problems hat faces the
American farmer. The most successful
farmers are the ones who are coming
the closest to the solution of this inn
portant problem.
Have "Worr" the Tools Out.
How often we see farmers who are
working medium sized farms VINO have
worn out" three or foul grain drills,
plows, grain binders, ETC.. and are now
planning on securing even another,
Have they worn" the tools out? Per-
haps, but we venture that the majority
Of cases have been visibly and unmis-
takably assisted through the agencies
of exposure and carelessness. More
farm implements nave been ruined By