The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-04-12
Getting a Farm Out Of Debt.

One of our readers lives near large
town in Pennsylvania. He has thirty
acres Of land, ten upland and five OF
the rest too low to drain. The build
ings are very good. The farm is well
stocked with cows, horses. etc, and
produces grass, hay, corn and potatoes.
There Is good market for butter and
our friend has separator and says he
would as soon milk few cows as to
eat his breakfast. He is married and
children all going to school. He is
pretty well fixed for making living,
but there is a $1,000 debt hanging over
him. r. b. Terry replies in the Prac-
tical Farmer:
If there was more land it would seem
wise beyond question to advise the
raising of more COW fesd and keeping
of more cows, as there is a good de-
mand for butter and this man has a
separator II would be quite possible,
however, to pay the $1,000 byimproving
along this line with the few acres he
has. II three or four more good butter
COWS could be kept than he has at pres
ent, there ought to be an increased in
come Of about $500 year. In five
years this would pay off the debt. The
best way to do this would be to raise
less hay and more corn for a silo, thus
getting more feed per acre than he now
has. This will call for little more
capital to pay for a silo and extra
cows and purchased feed. Perhaps he
might manage to keep five extra cows,
and then surely he ought to be able to
get out of debt in five or six years.
OF course, the expense of living must
not allowed to increase any until the
debt is paid.
Corn may be grown continuously on
the same land for few years. Fertile
land, well manured, may be made to
produce more COW feed in corn than in
grass for pasture and hay. Corn fod-
der may be cut up and fed to the cows
once day, if there is not hay enough.
This fodder should be stored in the
barn, standing up, just as soon as it is
dry enough. The children can help
about the milking and butter making,
mornings and nights.
Having but little land, our friend
must make the most out Of what is
suitable for cropping. The way most
people would do would be to buy more
land. Sometimes this might be wise
plan. should not have any fears my
self, however but what could success
fully carry out the above program and
pay this debt in five or six years. l
would live more plainly. If necessary,
but do it anyway.
There is another way of paying this
debt that has advantage. An acre or SO
of celery might be put out on the low
land, perhaps, which the children could
help take care OF, or about the same
amount of the upland could be devoted
to growing strawberries. One can get
considerable money from even half an
acre OF, berries, so cared for that they
grow large and fine, with as good a
market near by as this friend has. The
writer although selling in much
smaller town, has got about as mucn
from half an acre of strawberries as
the butter from four or five cows would
bring. This plan will take but little
capital and will not interfere much
bring. This plan will take but
little capital, and will not in
terfere much with the pres
ent way of running the farm. Get the
children interested in this plan and
with little engineering it might be
carried through successfully The
work should be so we'll done that the
berries are better than the ordinary
and will bring an extra price. This
thorough work will be an excellent
drill for the children.-7American Cul-
tivator.