Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-06-18
Some of the Problems Of Farm Man.
agement.

Some of the Problems Of Farm Man
agement.
Farming has its problems no less iu
importance than those that environ the
many industries of the world that have
in their very essence the sustenance OF
life and the welfare of peoples and ma
tions.
The insistent demand now is for quick
acting solutions of the multiplied ques-
tions involving supply and demand and
the economy of agriculture, that shall
msnifestly improve the money making
opportunities of the American farmer
as we'll as satisfy the hunger of a pop
ulation that is increasing by leaps and
bounds.
The Country Life Commission ap-
pointed by President Roosevelt reported
in effect that what is wanted to-day is a
way to make more money"-to enhance
the returns to tillers of the soil. that is
one problem.
Another is one of inducing the farmer
more freely to open his mind to what
has been done in the past as well as the
present day practice in agriculture the
world over. American agriculture can
profit advantsgeously by sitting at the
feet of the worlds masters in the study
and application of principles that have
undergone the acid test of time and ex-
perience.
Baron Won Liebig, one of the worlds
greatest agricultural chemists, said the
weightiest problem of the farmer is accu-
rately to know his field and learn what
plant foodstuffs bis soil contains In larg-
est quantity. The far sighted farmer
will heed this wholesome advice, and do
ing so will have the experiment plot to
prove plant food r,quirements and the
varieties of crops adaptable to his indi-
vidual success, while not attempting a
plan of action until the proof has been
obtained.
Then there is the problem of intensive
and extensive farming. A scientific def
milton of INTENSITY" in farming sys-
TENS is that the intensity is greater the
less the percentage of immovable capital,
(land and buildings) to total capital, and
vice versa.
The characteristics of intensive farm
ing are: Production of large gross and
net profits, large capital an acre, all the
acreage cropped, reduction in percent
age of cereals grown, growing factory
crops, like potatoes for starch and sugar
beets for sugar; growing crops without
regard to rotation but in sympathy
with market conditions and demands;
purchase of natural and artificial man.
ures; cattle stall fed, with liberal use OF
mill feeds, and stock renewed from out
side breeders.
The features of extensive farming are
the tendency to cut down capital to the
acre, hoed crops are in smallest use, hay
land and cereals preponderate, cattle
grazing and stock renewed by home
breeding.
Not the least of the problems is how to
increase the number of small farms, for
the small farm is within the reach of the
largest number Of people. 1t may De
made to carry the bulk of the cattle and
pigs of the country; it covers the land
with satisfied people and it saves the in
tegrity of the nation. The prosperity OF
a people, in the larger sense, depends
less on the amount of money than on
the opportunity given all classes to Sc
cure reasonable compensation.
Soil and climate are not to be changed
by anything the farmer can do, but he
may make better uses Of what he has.
Plant breeding, with its new varieties,
is one way; and there can be no great
and sudden change in farming at that.
The end will be reached only by little
improvements here and there. There
must be a rational use of fertilizers,
sensible rotation, soil improvement by
drainage and an awakening Of the people.
The farmer without knowledge OF the
technical details of farming is lost, never
to find himself. II is fortunate, however,
that every item in the farming business
has been weighed and the right and
wrong ways of farm management indi-
Gated clearly.-H. <. Horton, Waukegan,
III in Tribune Farmer.