Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-01-12
How to Keep up Our Farms.
DAIRYING AS A coSsERvAToR OF THE
FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.

The importance of maintaining and
improving the fertility of our farms
cannot be too strongly impressed upon
the mind of the tillers of the soil. AL
though the necessity of this is being
constantly urged upon the minds of the
farmers of onr New England States, by
writer's and speakers, and has been for
4 long series of years, yet there is large
number of farmers in every state who
are, or seem TO be, unmindful of these
admonitions and continue in the good
old way of their fathers. They call il
all right if they can swap some of their
products for groceries and the necessi-
| ties of life, selling a few lambs, wool
and eggs for money TO pay their tax, and
/ if, at the end of the year they have made
both ends meet feel well satisfied
notwithstanding no improvement has
been made on the farm, and no prepara-
| ton for larger and better crop another
year has been made. So they com
mence the next year just where they did
this aud thus continue year after year,
the farm in the meantime really lessen
| ing in value and pfoductiveness each
| year.
This class of farmers, will tell you.
| if asked in relation to farming as busi-
ness, that There is no money in farm
ing and they are evidently correct as
| far as their own experience is concerned.
There is, however, another class of
farmers, and they can be found in large
numbers throughout New England, and,
to the encouragement of the promoters
of New England agriculture, they are
speedily increasing, who realize the
necessity above mentioned, and strive to
the best of their ability To so conduct
their farm operations that the farm will
produce paving crops of whatever is
cultivated, and be let in condition To
produce better crops for years to come.
In doing this they pursue nearly an
opposite course from those first mention
ed They select some crop or some
variety of stock for leading feature of
the work, and pay special attention to
that, all other crops or stock being CON
sidered incidentals. This selected
branch receives the bulk of their energy
and attention, and is counted on as fur
nishing the money for conducting their
business. Whatever is selected is push
ed .'for all it is worth, aud the product
is put upon the market, sold for cash at
the highest price, and the purchases
they are obliged 10 make for the family
are paid for in cash, thus securing quite
a margin of profit over the swapping
process noticed in the former class.
This. when added to the value of year
ly improvements made upon the farm,
represents an income surely worth striv-
inc for, and one that is within the reach
of all who have an ambition to secure
it.
Then, when we consider that the an
nual improvement of the farm, results
in a corresponding increase in amount
and value of crops produced, we can
realize To some extent the possibilities
OF farm thus conducted.
The most noticeable Improvement OF
the farm and marked success of the
farmer is as general thing, to be found
among those farmers who have selected
dairying as a leading branch of their
farm operations. And that the dairy
COW when judiciouSly handled and cared
for, is the best and most economical
renOvator of the farm admits OF little
doubt, at the present time.
Ifa candid person, entertaining doubts
in this respect could be found, it would
seem, that he would need To travel but
a short distance in almost any direction
to find abundant evidence for dispelllng
such doubts. OF course the more in
telligent the farmer, and the more he
studies his business and methods, the
more marked will be his success, IN the
way of increasing the productiveness OF
his farm and enlarging his revenue. Yet 1t
is noteworthy fact that the ordinary
farmer who is conducting, even a small
business, with any degree of intelligence
is improving his own condition financial
ly. and his farm shows corresponding
improvement. Hence, other things be-
inc equal, and the fact established that
dairy farming is the best course To pur-
sue, 10 renew the fertility of the farm
and replenish the pOcketbOok, the larger
the herd carried, Ca given number OF
acres. the sooner will the object be
accomplished. And | firmly believe in
this. aud have never hesitated tO recon-
mend. and urge, upon the attention OF
! the farmers the Importance of stocking
| their farms 20 their fullest capacity with
COWS. This | have advocated and,
prarticei as well. even To the extent OF
| buying the grain feed wholly if need be,
AMI feeding that as heavily as consistent
with the health and wellbeing of the
COWS, and limiting the quantity of hay,
or forage, TO the minimum. This will
allow OF the greatest possible amount OF
stock being kept on the farm; when a
correspondingly large amount of dress
ing can be made and returned to the
/ soil
This course, as know from experience,
can be pursued, and money profit
realized on the transaction, aside from
the improvement of the farm which
would necessarily follow.
OF course to ensure satisfactory re-
suits, it is understood that everything
pertaining to the transaction will be
conducted in an intelligent and judicions
manner. By this course the capacity
of the farm will soon be increased To the
extent of doing volume OF business
sufficient to occupy the time of the
farmer and his help, and produce a
satisfactory revenue. In recommending
this course il is expected that all the
feed be grown on the farm that can
profitably be grown, supplemeuting the
hay crop with oats cut green, Hungarian
etc, and silo will be indispensable in
securing best reSultS.-Otis Meader IL
New England Farmer.