The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-11-30
SUCCESSFUL FARMING.
1t all depends on the man himself. Hard
work is essential.

\ New Yorker, signing himself IS, -
wrote to the Tribune Farmer regarding
the chances of success on small farm
with limited capital, and Mr.. E. c..
Dow contributed to the columns of that
excellent weekly the following interest
IIg reply:
am pleased again to have an oppor-
tunity of saying word in favor of the
country as place of residence and of
iarming as business. Mr.. S. is only
one of many who, for various causes,
re looking longingly toward the farm
as welcome change from the hard
and often poorly paid work of the shop
~ factory.
Some of these men have the mistaken
lea that life on the farm is easy and
money is plenty, and that all they will
eed to do is to work few days in
planting and at harvest time to get a
good living. l regret that some writer's
ave been guilty of painting glowing
PICTURES of country life without their
proper setting, and have thus led many
lily residents to get wrong ideas of the
arm as residence and also as place
# business.
l believe in the country and in the
arm, and feel like encouraging men
30 live in the country and on the farm
I they are fitted for it, or are willing
% learn the business of farming. Farm
.ag is more than an occupation; it is
uSiness. AS a successful business it
5 a science. The farmer of limited
leans must be laborer; he must also
2 business man: he must also be a
student. There is no question about the
innate success of any man on the
M l. Ia wi nd ,,-i1l
- to do it. and who looks after the
uSiness of the farm while working it,
nd at the same time studies ways and
cans to increase and improve and
les 10 keep up with the front ranks,
Ut only as a farmer, but as man. 1t
lmeS very near being a truism that, if
ou would make a man a better farmer,
rSt make him a better man.
1t will be seen that look upon farm
Q as big business and a successful
inner as a big man: but Mr.. 5. asks
7 the truth. tearlessly and freely told,
nd ! shall try to tell from the stand
int of farmer who has been, and
DIV Is, at work solving Just such prob
ms as he and Others are confronted
tn, and who believes farming is the
IeateSt science and the best business
ID the world.
Mr. :. seems to realize fully that the
AN with limited capital Will have to
York for a living whether he lives in
lie city or country. 1t is evident, then,
lat he does not seek farming and poul-
" keeping as a means OF turning his
Dor to good account. His avoWed in
crest III horticulture and his study of
I'm topics places him IN good posi-
iOu to take up small fruit growing ii
IS market is profitable one. There
Ight not to be any trouble about that
art of it, for he is located in popu-
nus section, where fruit growing has
OF been overdone, except, perhaps, in
few isolated instances.
AS he has been able to make a few
ms pay a profit and has kept posted
n the business through reading, he
ught to find no trouble in keeping a
arge flock under suitable conditions.
There is always good market for poul-
~ products, at prices which usually
ave fair profit to the grower.
nder favorable conditions. one
might do dairying in connection with
poultry farming even on small place.
But have no hesitation i'll saying that
here are other things that can be made
pay better than few COWS in con-
ection with the hens. However two
gWs will be needed to supply the home
etds, and two more may be kept If
re man likes to care for them. But
oUttry farming means a great deal of
doing chores and dairying also re-
mres much attention to details.
ience. | would advise the growing of
lults or market crops in connection
With poultry, instead of dairying, as the
ct results would be better under most
uditIons and the work of caring for
Ie COWS would not be necessary. Most
4eu find more satisfaction working in
he field part of the time than they do
yheu confined to the hen houses and
tables all day.
Can man make a good living from
acres, devoted to hens and fruit
18th two or three cows: Ny answer
20 this is an emphatic 'Y es' with the
ualityirg statement that it depends
Ii the kind of man. With the right
ind of man the living will be far and
way ahead of what the wage Garner of
he city can get, for $500 to $500 day
Mr.. S can hardly hope to sell $500
rOrth of Strawberries from an acre, as
nat is an exceptional yield, yet it has
cen done. If half that can be made
nder normal conditions the wolf will
lot come very near the door. Eggs are
sold for 40 cents dozen, and even
more at times, but the average price in
The central part of the country will
probably be about one-half of that. If
Mr.. 5. can make his hens lay during
eold weather he will probably have no
'rouble in getting yearly profit of 90
per hen from his flock. Even slightly
.ess than this will leave a fair living
profit, but when the net returns fall be-
low the dollar mark there is some fault
either with the hens or their owner.
AS to how many hens can be profit
bly, kept on 20 acres, opinions would
greatly differ. If the entire place were
levoted to poultry, and the food all
Ought, there would be no trouble in
keeping as many as 1000 layers, and
growing as many chicks each year. But
IS | am telling plain truths for the
benefit of plain men of moderate means
/ shall say limit the flock to what can
ne taken care of by using about one
third of your working time and devote
mother third to growing fruits or
vegetables for market and the rest of
It to producing food for the hens Tn
,er this system, the work will always
Ne well in hand and the business will
not become one-sided and unWieldy.
GU will probably get the greater part
# your net income from the hens at
lrst, but, as you develop the rest of