The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1904-06-16
The Resources of the Farm.

Ahe farm is almost without limit in IT'S
resources for the maintenance Of the fam
hy, says the Nebraska Farmer. In this
particular feature the farm has d,,o
s1a'eo the independence of the farmer.
II Is from the farm, the soil, in some of
us various and varied lines OF production
mat me people of the world are fed. The
arm furnishes the basis of the food and
ieed products that fill our markets.
~ mas becn said that the farmer Is the
ihost independent of men. If he is not it
IS MS W fault, for certainly no other
class of persons have SO completelv AT
'helf command the means of independ-
eHce' FRUITS, vegetables, grains and
Ai't@I5 constitute the nocessarics OF life.
lney are the basis OF the living expense Of
all classes of persons, and these ara tho
direct products OF the farm. The we'll
regulated farm can be made to produce in
great variety of all these standard prod
ucts.
The neglect of the producing capacity of
the farm, the abuse Of the ~advantarns =
offers, whereby poor management and
lack OF system in the cultivation and
growth OF the standard crops for profit
and economy in the living Of the home. is
a condition too frequently met with on the
average farm. Why should the farmers
lamlly want for fruits, vegetables or
meats when all these can be so cheaply
pfouuceo on me farm and at SO little out
lay of money?
Why should the farmers family buv at
great expense canned fruits, vegetables
ana cured meats when all these articles
can be Produced on the farm at q greatly
reduced expense?
AS an illustration of what a large per
cent OF western farmers are doing n this
!lhe OF extravaganza we will take cured
meats as an example. The farmer raises
lNe hoSs, finishes them ready for the
slaughter, and they are sold on foot to
the local shipper, who ships them to one
or the large central markets where thew
pass into he hands of the stock wards
company and to the commission firm, to
WAom they were consigned. They are
then sold to the packers, slaughtered, the
mans, shoulders and sides cured for the
commercial trade, shipped out over the
country to the country merchants, groccrs
ana meat markets to sell back to the
farmer who raised the hogs. But at a
greatly increased price-a price that will
cover a profit for the local stock shipper
VINO frst bought the hogs from the farm
or; the railroad for It's high freight tariff
the stock yards for yardage. feed, weigh
ing, etc; the commission man for his
charge for selling; the packers for thcir
t"@t9 ana profits III Killing, curing AND
handling of the meats: the railroad agar
lor freight charges in shipping back the
cured meats TO tho merchant, and tho
merchant his profit in selling these cured
meats TO the farTner who raised the hogs
Does any farmer think that these varied
ana numerous expenses that this meat
mas incurred from the time the hogs left
the farmer until the cured meats returned
some months later would exceed the cos,
OF butchering the family meat supply and
curing It at home? If ne does not, let hin,
make an experiment and estimate the cost
OF the cured hams and bacon at home
and ompar it with the prices he pay
for cured hams and bacon at the grocery
or meat market.
These are some Of the things that tbs
farmer can regulate; these are some OF
HE e~XtraVagances praCticed on the farm
thar cost money to keep up and does not
secure better service than the home meth
cd offers. Cured meats and canned fruits
and vegetables are among the everyday
features of home diet that any family or
tho farm may enjoy as the fruits of Its
own laDors.
The Intelligent farmer with his well reg
ulated farm, forms a combination that
would stand q protracted siege before the
necessity Of q surrender from a lack OF
food resources would demand it.