The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-01-18
MANAGERS
Of FARMS
in Session
contlnued From page ono


In the three states, Minnesota, North
and South Dakota.
1t is of importance to the commun-
ity that every capable farmer have OPP
portunity to exercise his skill on as
large a scale as is profitable, and that
the large estates be as efficiently man
aged as possible. Certainly, too, each
Of the 100000 men, more or less, who
are today engaged in the management
Of these large tracts, has a vital in
terest In making this type of agricul-
ture pay.
There are many special problems in
the management Of estates. problems
that have hardly been touched by the
work OF the state or nationsl depart
ments Of agriculture.
Right at the start in the organiza-
ton Of such an enterprise comes the
question whether it is better to run
the farm in n large unit or to d.
vide the tract into a number of farms,
each with its own buildings, it's fore
man, and equipment.
Another problem is that OF equip
ment. How many buildings should be
on each farm, how much machinery
and live stock? And in buying his
equipment the manager must become
familiar with the different machines
and labor-saying devices, with the new
Developments in gas tractors and milk
ing machines.
The greatest question Of all, the ac-
tual dealing with labor is largely a
matter Of instinct. tact, and expert
ence, but unless there is a good sys-
tenn of management there will be
trouble. All cannot be left to instinct.
Our own experience, on rather a
small scale, led us to change from
hired labor to a system of share-rent-
ing.
Renting has it's peculiar problems.
The cash-rent system is the least
bothersome, and in England the forms
Of contract have been worked out so
as to be very fair and to encourage
the best farming. The leases are for
long periods, prescribe the rotation to
be followed, and on leaving the tenant
is paid for improvements he makes.
The average contract in this country
does not make it any object to the
tenant to enrich the soil and frequent
Iy he skins OFF the fertility and moves
on.
~ laI dS AlAOo( VI 10 AlCLO LIZ GOA-
cernei, cash-renting is out OF the ques-
tion, we cannot find men to rent our
land on such terms, we must do our
hest to develop a good share-renting
system. 1t is hard to draw up a
share-renting contract that will be
fair to both parties. will enable the
landlord to protect himself from shift
less or dishonest tenants and at the
same time give the tenan adequate
rewards for good farming and some
incentive to improve the land.
A few Illustrations viii explain this
latter difficulty. Under most condi-
lions it would be beneficial to disk the
land in the fall before blowing, then
plow much deeper than is customary,
and in the spring disk and drag until
the seed bed is thoroughly mellow.
This might cost SO per acre more than
slovenly preparation, but the better
farming might also produce a crop
worth IS more per acre than the poor
farming. Yet the tenant would get
but $3.50 of this increase and would
be foolish to do the more thorough
work. But II the tenant is given half
the crop up to a ten-bushel yield of
wheat, for instance, and then three
fourths OF the crop over that yield,
it will pay him to do this better farm
ing, and it will pay the landlord TO
give him the extra share of the In
crease. The point 1 make Is this, 1t is
not sufficient to demand certain things
in the contract, you must lead the
tenant to wish to do them.
Our w form OF contract has been
fairly successful with good tenants,
though we have had a very large per-
centage of failures, due to tenants who
were not good stock men, and some
of whom were absolutely inhuman to
the cattle and hogs. The contract is
not quite fair TO the tenants, especial
ly in dairying where the amount Of la
Dor required is a large proportion of
the total cost of production. We are
trying Il draw UP some provision
which win equalize this so that 1t will
be more TO the tenants advantage to
keep stock on shares.
] believe some system of proft-shar-
ing can be devised which win be SUI
perior to any of the present renting
or hiring systems and perhaps better
than the small privately-owned farm.
In connection with d group of me-
Diminished rented farms there should
be one or more demonstration farms,
run by an expert on a salary. and hired
men as needed. This demonstration
farm should try out improved methods.
serve as an object lesson to the ten
ants and on it should be produced seed
grain and breeding stock for the use
OF the rented farms.
All these questions Of organization
are only preliminary to the real plan
| ming Of the farm. The manager must
decide the kind Of farming to be done.
the crops to raise, the rotation, the
means of preserving the fertility, Of
lighting weeds. OF drainage or irriga-
| ton.
The small farmer knows his fields
by heart. In hts blowing and reaping
he 6nds each weed patch, each alkalai
spot, each gravel knoll, and IL he is .
good farmer he corrects this unprofit-
able condition. The large farmer needs
a very good system indeed if he il to
be equally well acquainted with his
holdings.
Breeding and feeding live stock have
their problems. but they are little diff
ferent on the large farm from or the
small. The amount Of stock to be kept
must be determined and tie buildings
must be carefully planned and Of suit
able size. They be must warm well
ventilated, dry, handy 10 work in. alad
durable. Planning farm BUILDINGS IL
a small profession in itself and q man
ager can be fairly judged by inspect
Ing his work In this line.