The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1911-10-27
A PREACHER FARMER


knew absolutely nothing of farming.
Yet finally he came in possession of
! farm of Is acres near Flourtown,
Pa. There was a debt of 1920 on
the farm, and the first year it lacked
s46 of paying expenses. Yet in
six years this man who knew moth
ing Of farming had paid off his debt
and had developed his Is acres until
they paid him $4,000 year.
The minister's success in farming
was due to his willingness to study
the authorities and the exactness
with which he followed them.
There has probably never been a
more highly developed farm where
every operation was more in ac-
cordance with the book.
The business of the farm was to
feed a herd of 80 dairy cattle. The
first book read was on soiling,"
which means the cutting of grass
and feeding it green instead of let
ting the cows run on the pasture.
1t saves feed. Then he read Stew
arts book on the balanced ration
for cattle. Every line of it went
into practice. Not a pound of
manure from the barns failed of the
most careful disposition where it
would do the most good.
A schedule was arranged for the
planting of all crops. Succeeding
years saw the same operations going
on at the same dates. Corn for
silage was always planted on June
%, grass seed August %, and so
on. So excellently was the condi-
ton of the soil maintained that it
Iquickly drank up the heaviest of
rains. This moisture was stored
away, and when the drought came
the crops remained green while
others on adjoining land died.
The barns and cattle were cared
for with like degree of exactness
and compliance to rule. But the
productiveness of the farm is the
important matter, for the principle
that is back of this success is big
one. If scientific principle can
make a little Pennsylvania farm
yield 5000 an acre every year in
the hands of an inexperienced far
mer, why cannot the man without
experience in equally or more fav-
orable communities do equally we'll
or better? Why cannot the man
who will merely stick to his book
make a success at farming even
though he is without experience?
+ The crops grown here are unim-
portant. Crops must differ with
the conditions and there are always
local authorities to advise as to local
crops, if the farmer is willing to
take scientific advice. DIETRICH
grew rye in Winter and corn in
Summer on half his farm. His rye
grew eight feet tall. Oats and peas
were often used as a Spring crop.
There was no necessity of system
attic rotation, because the manure
kept the soil in good condition.
The object of the cropping systems
was to keep something growing all
the time, that would yield heavy
crops.
The amount of feed grown on
this farm was without local pre-
cedent. The return from so small
an acreage broke all records. The
fact that the record was made by a
man who farmed by book opened a
new vista to those who would farm,
but knew not how. The fame of
DIETRICH, the preacher farmer. went
abroad. Eventually SO many people
were coming to his small farm and
asking his advice as to the raising
of crops, that they materially inter-
fered with the operation of the farm.
He received 200 letters day from
people who wanted advice. He
was forced to sell his farm to es-
cape these questioners, and now he
is is the professor of course in