Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-06-25
Increase not Necessarily Profitable.

The Tribune Farmer says editorially
"For generations we have been taught
and urged to grow bigger crops, unmind-
full of the relation of increased cost to
increased production. Attention should
be called to the fact that large crops are
not always profitable crops"
The price of labor is the element which
enters most largely into the cost of pro-
ducing all valuable commOdities-farm
products, coal, iron, lumber and all man.
ufactured goods. The answer to the
question, "Does better farming pay?"
depends altogether on the quality or
goodness of each individuals present
farming. Some farmers may now be put
ting on as much tillage and fertilizers as
will produce profitable crops at the pres
ent prices of farm products and the cost
of labor aud others are not. No doubt
better farming would pay the latter class.
Thirty bushels of wheat an acre Is the
average production in Europe, but it
should be remem bered that labor 10
cheaper there and potash fertilizers much
cheaper. Besides this, the farmers there
obtain higher price for their farm prod
ucts, which enables them to be more
liberal in their expenditures for labor
and manures and still leave them profit.
The average number of bushels OF
wheat produced an acre in the United
States during the last three years was
1879. As many farmers raise twenty and
twenty five bushels an acre, it is plainly
evident that many others do not raise
more than eight or ten bushels. Some
Nhah hIu ;otr
land with unsuitable soil, which heaves
it out iu the winter. On these farms bet
ter farming dictates that rye or buck
wheat should be substituted for wheat.
The question to be decided is how much
labor and fertilizers can farmer put on
his fields, in order to increase the num-
Der of bushels per acre, and the number
of dollars they will bring. 1t is almost
certain that the farmers who raise twenty
bushels of wheat per acre prepare the
seed bed a. thoroughly as possible, and II
only remains TO ascertain how much the
fertilizers will cost to increase the yield
to thirty bushels an acre, and increase
the profit in the same proportion.
In an address at an agricultural ran
(wh hich the writer heard) Horace Greeley
said: al suppose you have got past the
folly of hoeing corn in this country
Some of US said "NOm "Well," said he,
.corn is so cheap, and labor is so dear
YOU cannot afford to hoe 1t. Give u
good cultivation with horse, and let II
90" Since Mr.. Greely gave that advice
the price Of corn has increased, but the
cost of labor has advanced more than th'
price of corn. Owing to the high cost o
labor, and the low price OF farm proc
ucts, comparatively, the farmers In TN
times past have been compelled to rais'
their crops with as little labor as possible
Better tillage was Jethro TulPs noooy
He cultivated his root crops oftener tnal
ANYBODY else, and he drilled bis wheat IL
spaces so far apart that he could cuitivat
btwsen the wheat rows, and thereby 10
creased the yield. -
"Bstter farming" says rroiesso
Brewer, 'pays up to certain point, aite
which the increased cost OF productio'
overbalances the increased value OF to
product. ."-J. W. Ingham, Sugar nun
Penn, In Tribune Farmer.