The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1911-09-19
at Tx IN or MI A,ARNFJT ne

great American humorist said N a speech before
the representatives OF the Associated Press that
everybody thought they could write a play run
hotel or edit newspaper" He might have en-
larSed his list by adding become a successful
farmer To put seed in the ground and see it
grow seems easy that almost every one mag
ines himself capable OF doing 1t successfully. But
we know that farming, that is successful farm
ing, is both science and q business One can
make just as complete failure of farming as he
can or practicing law, running a hotel or edit
ing newspaper. 1t would be worse than useless
to encourage the Back to the Soil" movement il
IL is not planned and executed in a way that is
likely to be successful The natural yearning to
get back TO the sol' that comes to most people
causes such movement to appeal to those who
are we'll qualified, as we'll as to those who are
poorly qualified successfully to do their part as
cultivators of the soil To go back to the soil
is 10 the man of ordinary and under ordi-
nary circumstances something like pioneering
and not every man, by any means is capable of
becoming successful pioneer. To undertake I'm.
discriminatory, unscientihcally and without proper
method and organization, to get people back to
the SOIL Will result in more of failures than sue
cesses; in more of injury than of good But this
work can be accomplished in a way that will ne
both effective and successful and which will in
crease the proportion of producers as compared
with consumers. All thar is necessary for the
accomplishment of this result is that the same fore
sight and organization should be adopted in start
ing the business of farming as IS adopted I'm tho
inauguration OF any other business enterprise n
men of means. who also have the disposition IN
help their fellow men. would realize that thew
could make good paying investment as well as
relieve distress and suffering by helping others
to return to the soil in the right way the back m
the soil movement would then give promise NJ
accomplishing all that its enthusiasts have claim
ed for IT, Such a movement must OF course no
under taken on n bushes basis; upon a plan which
VIII promise not only profitable return ON tba
investment, but result In giving good homes ana
steady employment to many people who need both
1t is easy enough to say to the poor of the large
cities that they should go back to the
SOIL but for the successful accomplishment OF
such result money and considerable money Is
required One cannot expect to make a living on
Few hundred dollars invested in a farm and the
machinery necessary for its cultivation any more
than one can expect TO make living on the same
amount invested in any other bdsiness So. I'm
the hrst place, IL requires money or credit to
BUY farm. and money credit TO secure neceg-
sary implements machinery horses COWS etc TO
successfully conduct IT, II will take from five 10
one hundred and sixty acres according to the char.
acter of the soil and the methods of its cultivation
to support a family. You cannot expect large 70.
turns from a poor farm, OF from a good farm poor.
iy cultivated. You cannot expect to receive q re-
turn from farming investment out of ALI nro
portion to the value OF the Investment and the
labor expended thereon. The difficulty i'm thiq
proposition begins at once Many of those whom