The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1912-02-03
EXPERT TALKS ON THE
MANAGEMENT OF FARMS

type. AS students of agrOnomy, ami
among the farmers they discovered nc
) only that on many farms importan
problems have already been solved an
: await only Interpretation from farm
| men, but that the farmer is almos
! daily confronted with the necessity o
making decisions on questions that tn
agricultural scientist had never stu
died. For instance, he must decid,
what farm dwelling should cost
what farm buildings he needs, of wha
size they shall be, and what he can af
ford to expend in their construction
Shall he grow timothy and clover FOL
hay? If so, how many acres Shall
he grow corn, wheat, oats, potatoes
alfalfa? If so, what proportion of his
farm shall he devote to each? Shall
he keep dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep
hogs, poultry? If SO, to what extent
Shall he buy twine-binder? If so
shall he buy two small ones or one
large one? What sizes of plows, har-
rows and grain-drills shall he pro-
vide? What crops compete with each
other for labor at the same time OF
year, and which crops fit we'll together
so that when one requires labor the
other does not? What does each and
every farm operation cost? And what
profit may fairly be expected, under
local conditions, from the various
crops and types of live stock? These
are questions of management, and out
of them the science of farm manage
ment is rapidly developing.
This science presents four aspects:
First, we have the vast fund of in
formation to be derived by gathering
up and interpreting farm experience;
second, study of the costs of farm
therefrom, as we'll as a study of the
whole question of farm records and
bookkeeping; third, the character and
cost of farm equipment, standards of
ldII IdUOI anu IHS ulSIllUullOu VI
capital between the various phases of
equipment; fourth, and not least i'm
portant, the reorganization and redi-
rection of the farm in the light of sci
entific discovery and of the properly
interpreted experience of other farm
ers. This, in brief, is the farm man
agement idea as it has been developed
in this department"
With a full understanding of each
Of the four lines of work outlined
above by Mr.. Spillman, it will be seen
that the ultimate purposes of the office
of farm management is the organiza-
ton or the redirection of agriculture
along profitable, systematical, and |
permanent lines. 1t will also be seen
hat the results secured from the first
hree phases of the work are largely
he means by which this is accomplish
3D.
Farming is very different from most
,ther lines of business in that it deals
With such host of variable and fire.
Luently unknown factors. Among
hese we may mention the following
climatic conditions such as elevation,
ir drainage, and precipitation large
y determine what crops may be
rown successfully. Climatic condi-
4 determining what types of live stock
nay be kept on the farm. There are
ocalities in the wheat belt of the In
and Empire whose rainfall is entire ,
Y too scant to permit the growing of
UGH cultivated crops as corn, pota-
pes, beans, peas, etc., instead of
ummerfallowing the land. There are
Their localities where all of these
rops as we'll as many others may,
nder proper management, be profita-
ly and successfully grown.
The character of the soil also places
mutations upon the kinds of crops
hich may be grown and the type of
We stock kept. The soil may be wet
Id only fit for meadow, or it may be
re. Some farms have land that is
lapted to orcharding while others n
I've not.
The topography of the farm often
termines the kind and size of ma
inery and implements used. This, it II
III be seen may seriously affect the
st of operation.
The location of the farm with refer
ce to transportation and market ia
titles sets limits both as to crops
d live stock that may be profitable.
The size of the farm has much to
with determining the type of farm
which will be satisfactory under
rtain conditions. Equipped with six u