Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-19
More Depends Upon the Latter
Than the Former in Making
Profits
BY THE RESULTS
Good Farmer Often Able to Make a
Big Success of Comparatively In
feror Farm-Workmen in Cities
Realize But Little of tho Hard Work
on the Farm.

Special to Times Republican.
Bows, Feb. 19.--The assertion once
made by a man writing about the
farming lands of the middle west that
"one-quarter section is practically as
good as another" was probably ac-
cepted as fact by very few who no.
ticed the statement. 1t seems quite
unreasonable to claim that rough
sides and gravel points, ravines and
Sloughs can be at all favorably COM
pared with the many farms to be found
in almost any Iowa county on which
the soil is deep and the slopes gentle.
where every acre OF the place is Guilt
vable and Were all portions OF it
are equally adapted TO the raising of
grain or hay, or tor grazing purposes
when desired. Judging by the results
sometimes obtained from these So
called inferior farms, however, one is
inclined to conclude that the difference
is not so great as it seemed at first
thought. Men sometimes take possess
sion of such lands and obtain a far
greater income from them than their
neighbors on farms every acre Of which
is capable of cultivation. The other
day l passed a rough, stony farm cut
up by ravines and apparently the poor
est place in the neighborhood, but the
owner has nevertheless been able after
operating it a few years to build one
of the largest and most expensive
barns to be found in that county. Per-
haps it is true that different men are
adapted to the management of differ
ent kinds of land as they are to the
pursuit of different occupations.
Whether his lot be more or less de-
sirable than theirs it is a fact that
the farmer is an object of envy these
days on the part of large number of
people who are in other kinds of work,
and if the wishes of very great pro-
portion of wage learners, railroad and
factory employees, town dwelling labor
ers and those in many other vocations
could at once be realized there is no
doubt at all that for time at least
existing industrial conditions would be
in a state of confusion. we are sup
posed to get good pay for the work we
do and people wonder what becomes
of our money" said a railroad man
the other day. "but when our hotel and
other expenses and those of the fami-
ly at home are paid there is never
much left Then followed the opin-
ion so often expressed. that man is
foolish to spend his life working by
the month instead of getting out on a
farm where he stands some chance to
accumulate something for the rainy
day," and at the same time live more
life.
The hotel man in turn complains of
his expenses and wishes he We're on
small farm where he might raise for
market those articles for which he is
paving out the cash received from the
railroad employe. travel
ing man, laborer, clerk or whoever pat
ronizes his house.
Some of the reasons given for this
oft expressed desire for farm life
sound rather strange to the farmer.
When he looks over the figures intend
ed to show the great profits to be
made in raising grain, cattle, hogs,
chickens and other farm products, he
seldom sees what he considers ade-
auate allowance made for loss by dis
ease and accident unfavorable seasons,
storms, low prices and other influences
which make for disappointment and
diminished profits. He observes that
IN many of the stormy days when he
is supposed to be comfortably toast
ing his shins by his fireside he is
really out in the storm choppng wood
FOR the fire within or caring for his
stock, and his privilege of working
when he feels so inclined or taking a
law mfr when he wishes. Everything
1t home going on just the same" he
declares is only a myth. 1t would be
interesting. however, to note the re-
suits if all those who long for rural
life might be able to crafty their wish
,or a period of twelve months.
A country town with population
,,o11 ,pdar the thousand mark would !