St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-10-15
FARMERAND PLANTER.
DOES FARMING PAY7

Under Modern Conditions, II Taken
Advantage OF, The Answer
May BE Affirmative.
Probably mere than a third Of the
persoLs living in the United States re-
ceive their support from the farm. The
question is answered. Country Life
in America.
To tho farmer more than any other
is due the groundwork of the great
tide of prosperity which has carried
the country to the first position among
the nations of the world. Neither the
farmer, nor his wife. nor his son, nor
his employee, know the meaning OF an
eight-hour day. The farmers time to
work is just as long as there is work
to be done. The work may be drudg-
cry, the man may be awkward, but his
sturdy back, his healthy oody, his sim
pie life, have given the strength OF
mind and body to the sons he has sent
out into the world to make their way
in other paths of life. 1t is the siren
uous metropolitan life which saps the
strength and undermines the nerves.
The everlasting push, push Of active
trade, ceaseless competition, struggle
for business, greed for dollars, would
soon blight and destroy, were 1t not for
the constant infusion Of the rich. pure
blood and sound mind and nerve OF the
country boy who seeks the business or
professional life OF our business CEN
tiers.
There is a phase Of rural life, kow-
ever, which is seldom considered In
business. In a measure, the farmers
life is more rural than ever before: his
home is changed for the better. There
Is more OF comfort, more OF education
and refinement than ever, due to the
ease of intercourse with the outside
world, thanks for 1t belonging to the
railroads, the vast trolley systems.
good roads, quick mails and better
schools But the rural districts are
devoted to farming. The old country
store has disappeared, CT is fast dis
appearing. Many a reader who in boy
hood clerked in his village store might
find, did he return, the old store still
there. unchanged In years; many an
article of stock in the same old place.
waiting. waiting for the purchaser who
never comes Couatry stores are
doomed; their day is past. The farmer
passes them by on his way to the cen
ter. Of trade farther way. or buys at
a distance, using the mail for his mes
senger and the railroad for his hose.
He has learned that he, too. may have
almost equal shopping facilities with
the city dweller. He can buy without
fear, for, whether he sees or not, all
sound business to-day requires the I'M
questioned permission TO return any
article which the buyer finds unsatis-
factory.
The old methods Of barter are gone
The farmer sells his products for cash,
ard buys where it suits him best. He
has learned to farm better, to buy bet
ter and to sell better. He has learned
that his hay and corr go to market
cheaper and more profitably as fat
beef and pork than as hay and corn,
and sent thus. they leave the valuable
rnanures behind. He has learned to
grow so bushels OF wheat on ground
that formerly grew but Is. He has
learned that berries grown in Flor da
may be sold at a profit in New York,
that California fruit may be sent at a
profit to Europe. He is learning that
God never intended the water Of his
springs to run to the ocean unchecked.
or to send the rain only when it was
needed He is also learning that the
wind is tempered TO the sho-n lamb
only through his Intervention.
In other words the farmer is beeom-
ing educated; he is learning TO farm.
He is learning to utilize the water Civ
en- to him and to feed it to his crops as
they need it. and not alone as nature
wills. He is learning to care for and
improve his stock; he is learning to
concentrate his power, His education
and his energy 70 make fertile farm
more fertile. to make a profitable crop
more profitable, and he is doing it. He
has better markets and better profits
than ever before. He lives better, he
dresses better, he has more comforts
and more naey, which he spends
where he viii. AS a customer he is
better satisfied and more easily pleased
than the city shopper. Far
meF.