Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-10-27
PRACTICAL FARMING.

PRACTICAL FARMING.
ssReplanning farm for profit" is
the title ola publication just issued
by the u. S. department of agr1cul-
ture. It is listed as Farmers Bull
letin No. &c." and it will we'll repay
every progressive and ambitious
farmer to send for copy of the bull
letin and read it carefully.
The object of the publication is to
help the farmer make his farm a
profitable one, having in mind soil,
climate and local conditions. 1t is
pointed out that farmers are largely
creatures Of habit in the conduct of
their operations. They follow the
same methods that have been follow
ed in their communities, they raise
the same crops and in much the same
way. Not until positive losses prove
that the style or type OF farming is
entirely unsuited to conditions is
there move toward change. And
then the question is as to what the
change shall be and how it shall be
brought about.
To lend advice and suggestions to-
this end the many inquiries that
have been made Or the department
have led to the taking of an Illinois
farm of 80 acres and replanning it's
cultivation and crop, six types of
farms being in mind. The bulletin
shows the general change that would
be necessary in buildings, division OF
land, seed, and system, and an effort
is made to show where profits may be
increased and losses cut down.
There are some valuable sugges-
lions as to the probable income from
sheep, hogs, dairying and other de-
tail of different styles of farming op-
erations The figures given are not
intended to be exact as applying to
all communities but are rather sug-
gestfve. In summarizing the matter
of farm changes the bulletin says: =
Many farmer fails to get adequate
returns from his farm because he
stays at home too closely, puts in too
many hours day following the pillow,
and does not often enough visit good
farmers in the neighborhood or other
sections of the country where good
farming is done. Furthermore, a
k<,,J
long, hard days work is, in no condi-
ton, to follow and get much out of
the literature of his business as re-
ported in farm papers, agricultural
bulletins, reports, and J.: books. and
without the advantage of all the in
formation available from every posi-
BILE source he will find awkward sit
uations when he comes to replan his
farm for profit. e.,
Success in farming calls for the best
effort in man along all lines. That
best effort is called for in replanning
a farm for profit. The farmer who is
dissatisfied with his income from the
farm needs to think seriously as to
whether or not his farm is planned
right for the largest returns, remem-
bering that good farming calls for
keeping up the productiveness of the
farm while getting maximum crops
economically from the soil. -,.,H
Summarizing the whole matter Of
farm change - = y s@.# 4
1. Habit frequently continues a
type of farming in community long
after that type has become unprofit-
able. :.
2. Changes In the farm system are
often deferred "a because of lack Of
knowledge Of how to replan the farm,
f2} because of lack of funds in car
rying out new plans, CD because lew
fences. buildings, or equipment are
called for in new plan, and "a be-
cause change frequently requires a
readjustment of many of the usual
ways Of thinking and doing. a.
3.In replanning the farm, help may
be obtained from visits to successful
farms. from farm literature, agrieul-
tural papers, the state experiment
stations, the agricultural colleges the
United States department OF agrisI
ture, and from agricultural experts,
4. The farm can be as successfully
planned as other businesses are, pro-
vided the plans are made to cover
average conditions over a period Of
years. s5s5
s.. Profitable farming results from
good farm plans comprehending
every feature Of the farm carefully
coordinated and effectually carried
out. g7
e. "A good farm plan provides for
+ III a reasonable reward for the CAPT
tai and labor invested and (2) the
maintenance or increase OF soil fer
tility. and CD # must be within the