The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-04-09
POINTERS ON
BUYING A FARM
Of Value To Prospective
Purchasers.
IS A CAREFUL UNDERTAKING
Minor Details Which Have
Much To DO With the
Bargaining.
GOOD EQUIPMENT NECESSARY


ing in the country cannot afford to
make serious mistakes that cannot
be repaired in a lifetime. Writers
are advising town and city residents
to buy farms, and it is this class
especially which needs to know the
truth about farms and farming. I'm
less this class is prepared for the
change by right information it may
mean a worse condition for them.
In the East there are opportuni-
ties for buying good improved
farms, with very good buildings, for
lower prices than elsewhere in the
country. but if these farms were be-
ing made profitable they would not
be offered for sale. What can be
done by the right man in the right
place is shown by the fact that part
of our Eastern farmers have paid
for farms and are now making their
business profitable. Investigations
have shown that the farmers who
read good agricultural journals and
keep in touch with State agricultur-
al institutions and progressive agri-
culture are often making their
farms pay more than 2j per cent.
on their investment.
To buy a farm one needs .knowi-
edge of about all the agricultural
sciences. This knowledge, with
present opportunities, is easily and
cheaply obtained. Experiment sta
tions, schools and colleges, and
good agricultural papers are all
ready to help.
A real estate agent, whose bust
ness it is to sell farm, may know
but little about it, and he only tells
about the good points that he does
know. Before the purchaser invests
his money he needs TO learn about
the soil and natural conditions that
would make the farm desirable. IL
is a waste of time to try to farm
soils that, because of natural con-
ditions, never could be made to pay
good profits in dairy or diversified
farming, when there are yet plenty
of soils which nature has prepared
for man-loam of good depth, laid
down on gravel or porous 'subsoil,
that affords perfect drainage and
has a capacity for growing all ce-
reals and fruits and vegetables, that
is measured only by the intelligence
of the farmer.
Farms having the following nat |
ural advantages should be bought, |
if possible: Alluvial or washed-in !
soil along the rivers and smaller |
streams-that is, a clay loan on
gravel-is preferable. Sandy loan |
does not hold fertilizers we'll. 1t is |
known as a ''leachy soil. Hard
PAN land-loam on impervious
subsoil-will need TO be artificially |
drained. Tile drainage will cost |
about $50 per acre, so this amount |
should be deducted from the price |
asked for good loamy soil which |
is naturally drained in the same To-
cality.
The summer is always the best
time to buy farm, for then one
can observe the growth of all kinds
of vegetation. One of the best
standards of Judging of the fertility
of soils is to note the red clover
growing in them. One is safe TO
plant any crop adapted to the local
ity IL red clover is making good
growth. II the soil is acid it will
cost something in the way of lin
ing and aeration to get it right for
crops.
The character of the soil is indi-
Gated by the kind of timber grow
ing on a farm. Some of the soft
woods, like hemlock, pine and
chestnut, are desirable. but first
see if the sugar maple thrives. Soil
is rich In the elements needed for
clover, corn &C., where the sugar
maple. beech, birch and other hard
woods grow large.
The timber lot that furnishes
fuel, lumber and fencing material.
and the spring that furnishes pure
cold water for the residence and
outbuildings. and for dairy pur-
poses, have value almost beyond