Newark post., 1913-08-06
FARM OBSERVATIONS
LESSONS FROM OUR NEIGHBORs

er stated recently he had learn
ed more from his neighbors than
from any other source. He acknow-
lodged his Indebtedness to books
and bulletin, to experiment sta
tions, and to farmers Institutes,
but the example Of good farmers
was always before him. With
something like this in mind, Mr.. O..
A. Newton and Mr.. n. L. Grubb,
members Of the State Board Of Ag-
riculture, visited New Jersey to
learn from their neighbors across
the river whatever might appear to
be useful to Delaware farmers.
Crossing from Wilmington to
Pennsgrove and going in south
easterly direction, the land ap-
pears to be fairly fertile and pro-
ductive and many vegetables, such
as early potatoes, cabbage, onions
and tomatoes were going to market.
Tomatoes especially were being
harvested. Some Of them were
picked green showing that they
were intended for distant mar
kets. It was noted all along the
way that sometimes a fertile, well
titled, productive farm was along
side neglected, idle farm. The
same thing occurs in Delaware.
Side by side are good farms and
poor; good farmers and poor
farmers, good crops and poor.
Why? The land is the same-the
man is different. One may be
handicapped by lack Of capital,
but in most cases the handicap Is
in the man himself-his lack Of in
dustry, skill and ability to devote
himself to his business. The lesson
is not new; it is not confined to
Delaware nor to New Jersey. 1t
is in all climes, amonw all people III
all kinds of human endeavor. We
need better men. 1t is the duty
of the State to make conditions
suitable to the production Of bet
ter men. Every poor farm IS a
financial detriment to the State.
Every thrifty, honest, intelligent
farmer is a valuable asset to the
State and the Nation. The State
ought to help its poor farmers to
become good farmers. The task IS
not simple nor easy. 1t should,
however, be undertaken. The slow,
dull pupil in school is the difficult
pupiI: but the school is for the
Slow and dull as well as for the
quick and the brilliant. Here IS a
nationwide problem-to raise the
efficiency of the inefficient man-
to raise the efficiency OF every man.
The great lesson of the trip CEN
ters around soil management, bus
mess methods in farming, drain
AGE where the land is wet, g ood
tiIlage. filing the soil with vege-
table matter by the use Of legumes
which also draws fertility from
the air. and using commercial
manures literally and intelll-
gently.
Southern New Jersey has re-
Gently experienced a notable de-
velopment in growing white pota-
toes and other vegetables, IN apple
and peach orchards and other
fruits in poultry, and IN the com
fort. convenience and beauty OF the !
country homes. Chemicals and
clover. intensive methods, careful
guarding against diseases and
pests, cooperative marketing tell
the story. The farmers who have
followed these methods intelligent
ly have made money. Southern
New Jersey has barren sand, but
not so barren but that tlllage,
humus, legumes and chemicals may
easily and readily make them Ter
tile and profitable. 1t is true that
there are lands in the world that
are naturally more fertile than
these sandy lands. In southern
New Jersey there are spots OF abso-
lutely barren sand and right along
side of those spots are farms made
from the same barren sand that
are producing the most luxurlant
crops at a great profit. These
farms were not made fertile IN
minute, and they were not made
fertile except by the investment OF
capital and labor in them. VI
course it would be folly for any
one to pay as much for the barren
sand as he would pay for the fer
~. ,od,,o+;yo farm alongside 1t,
but there is really no excuse Tor
the sand remaining barren Tor II
will amply repay the sum required
for it's purchase and the larger sum
required for it's improvement.
A night and the following lore