The Tupelo journal., 1907-06-21
FARMING IN
III SOUTH
THE SOUTHERN FARMER.
Value Of Applying Business Principles
to Farming.

Value Of Applying Business Principles
to Farming.
June Is a very busy month on the
farm. Vegetation is much farther ad-
yanced at this time of the year, and
hence more grass and weeds for the
farmer to fight. The first essential
to good crops is thorough preparation,
the fundamental basis of which is fall
and winter blowing every day that
the soil is in proper condition.
Every acre planted in cotton or
corn should be well plowed during
the preceding fall or winter, and re-
plowed before the crops are put in
the ground. The advantages Of this
are too patent to waste in discussing.
The condition thus far has been so
favorable that no farmer should offer
an excuse for not being up with his
work, and, once, ahead, 1t only re-
quires the prompt exercise of energy
and the application Of improvement
OF methods to keep ahead, unless
caught by an unfavorable season that
puts a stop to the pillow, in which case
1t is often better to throw out a part
of the crop and confine work to only
waited. Ten acres well cultivated will
give more profit than 20 or even 80
acres run over in a slip-shod way.
Whatever is worth doing on the farm
is worth doing well, and the more
thoroughly it is done, the larger the
profit. In states where they have had
special seed corn trains and have been
carrying on a system of improving the
corn crop, it is estimated that an in
creased yield with a superior quality
has been added. 1t requires a given
amount of money to meet the neces-
sary expenses of any farm, and for a
profit the farmer must depend on the
excess of the crop over the cost of
production. If the profit is small he
must scrimp and shift to make the
ends meet, while with a larger yield
and larger profits the Injuries and
comforts of farm life may be enjoyed
1t should. therefore, be the object Of
every farmer to apply such methods
as will secure for himself and family
these last results.
Every farmer should consider his
farm as a business institution. and
should run it on strictly business
principles; and that by calling to his
assistance thorough preparation, the
best seeds and best varieties of all
crops planted, he can improve every
year the fertility of his soil, increase
the yield of his crops and enlarge the
profits on the capital invested. Many
farmers make the mistake of clinging
to one variety of cotton, corr or wheat
until it deterlorates by long use on
the same soil, when by rotation of
crops and a change of seed the fer
tility of his land could be maintained
and the yield increased instead of be-
ing lessened. The good farmer will
push his crops and allow his
crops to push him. The life Of the
farmer can be made most Independent
of any vocation. Producing the neces-
saries to supply the wants of the in
ner man, and breathing the pure air
of independence he can lie back and
look with complacency at the predic-
ton of panics, the decline in stocks,
the failures on Wall street and the
calamity howlings" at the election
polls. Only the farmer can enjoy
these high privileges. A farmer should
stop and consider the benefits he
would derive from an increase of even
i per cent in the average yield of his
cotton, wheat Or other crops, and yet
he must know that this and even a
greater increase can be secured by
the application of improved methods
which will cost him no more money
or labor than trudging along in the
old ru1ts that lead only to poverty
and want. p
Field peas are selling readily at 50
to $3.50 per bushel. An acre of land
that will grow half a bale of cotton
worth $25 to $50 will grow Is to 20
bushels of peas worth $25 to $50.
Comment unnecessary.
Corn has been increased in quality
until it now contains a greater con-
tent of fat and nitrogen than ever be-
fore known and the yield enlarged to
nearly double. 1t is with the farmer
to make farm life all that he wants it
to be. He a make it ideal-a life of
health, happiness and prosperity, or
he can make it the reverse. He should
be Independent and rejoice in his in
dependence, and every member of his
family should share in that spirit of
independence, which includes the
proud satisfaction that he helps feed
and clothe the human family of all the
civilized world.-W. H. Hopgood, Me-
don, Tenn.
We read all sorts of devices to cure