The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1912-02-16


ny erage farmer. The man who sta,
It, within single fern and deyotes h
~ entire time to a single type of farm
To ing has narrow experience. y
s. knows the facts concerning the cror
II ne Is growing and may know the,
wei. He does not know, howeye,
o the details of production and util
It cation OF the many crops which Nigh
/ contribute to profitable croppin
y system on his farm. In order +
v solve the problem the farmer mus
+ first try this crop and then that un
e til system is worked out which
s properly distributes the labor through
: out the working season and weld,
satisfactory financial returns. Thi,
requires years Of patient work and II
frequently an expensive process. II
is the method followed, however on
practically every farm that has solved
such a problem.
The office of farm management is
making specially of the collection
OF information of this kind. One of
the most fruitful sources of such in
formation Is the study Of farm meth
Cd and farm experience. In nearly
every instance our field men were
raised on the farm and given an az
ricultural education. They are
therefore, in a pos tion to look at az
rlcultpre in the light of scientific
discovery. Being country bred thew
are also In position to look at the
farm from the farmers viewpoint
study his methods, and interpret his
experience. The field men visit a
farm and stay long enough to master
Whatever that farm mas to teach
They study other farms of various
types in like manner. In this wav
they finally acquire, IN at least a
very large measure, the experience
and results of many men. This gives
the field man viewpoint and a con-
ception of the possibilities of the ar
rlculture of his district that can ba
acquired in no other way.
"A most serious obstacle in the way
OF directing agriculture along more
profitable lines is the lack of infor-
nation regarding the cost of farm
operations and the profits derived
from farm enterprises. This is due
&c the fact that SO few farmers keen )
any records. Just as a number Of {
COWS in dairy herd may not pro- t
luce enough to pay ior their care j
ina reed so one or more crops grown I
IN farm may be produced at o
oss. Farmers can help themselves c
alghtliy by keeping accurate records
ne office of farm management has u
IL economic section that is making IL
arm surveys and determining the l
osts of farm operations Just as fast u
the available funds will permit 81
lie OFFICE Is also gathering informa- ~
on on the cost of farm equipment III
lie size OF farm implements desira- o'
e Tor doing each class of work OIL
of farm labor, the character ~
the crew that can work together I'll
best advantage, etc. Ut
Eo,,,, eX
FARMING is often done SO unsyste- +;e
that the farmer and his 90
rise power are not furnished profit ~
re employment during sufficiently N.
rye portion of the year. This is on
ooaoly one of the most serious de- me
us IN American agriculture. It has cir,
en- estimated that farm horses. TAX +be
tne country as whole, do not W.
Tx an average of over to 3h Nc
urs per day during the summer r.
nths. Under such conditions the SIR
u OF horse power is enormous. YES
'paoly twice or three times as tho
-. eSe ~ ohoulu Ne. III Is uSna11V nv
slble to plan the work of a farm gag
such manner as to furnish profit tba
employment for both man and Ind
Sc during the greater portion Of ton
spring, summer and autumn nav
this. The general principle to he of {
erved in determining what crops of :
grow in order to furnish profita- ocea
employment during the year has tive
stated thus: "Grow as large an coal
or the most profitable crops as aver
available man and horse labor furtl
permit. These crops will de- coal
q a maximum of LABOR at certain -oy
g. 10 give profitable employ seem
at other times chose the best II
ng crops or types of livestock large
e4uae their maximum amount its p
'o' a. otner seasons" milli
the better portion of tho whoo+ MILL
OF the Inland Empire where the milli'
all is sufficient to grow cul- by
ed crop instead OF summer fol IL m