The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-07-20
FARMING IN
THE SOUTH
THE SOUTHERN FARMER.
Value Of Applying Business Principles
to Farming.

June is a very busy month on the
farm. Vegetation is much farther ad
| vanced at this time of the year, and
hence more grass and weeds Tor 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
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 part
of the crop and confine work to only
SO much as can be thoroughly cult
waited. Ten acres well cultivated will
give more pgofit 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. It requires a given
amount, OF money to meet the neces-
sary expenses Of any farm, and for
profit the farmer must depend on the
excess of the crop over the cost of
production. II the profit is small he
must scrimp and shift to make the
ends meet, while with 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. corn or wheat
until 1t deIeriorates by long use on
the same soil, when by rotation of
crops and 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 never 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
=, 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
Of culture and the use of better seeds, |
which will cost him no more money
or labor than trudging along in the
old rults that lead only to poverty |
and want.
Field peas are selling readily at 81 |
to $3.50 per bushel. An acre of land |
that will grow half 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 q greater con-
tent of fat and nitrogen than ever be-
fore known and the yield enlarged to
nearly double. 1t is with the fa.mer
70 make farm life all that he wants it |
10 be. He can make it ideal-a life OF
health, happiness and prosperity, or
ne 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
which includes the
proud satisfaction that he helps feed
md clothe the human family of all the
,ivilized vorld.-W H. Hopgood, Me-
ion, Tenn.
We read all sorts of devices to cure
licking COWS. Like balky horses,