Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1913-04-04

Management, United States Depart
ment of Agriculturel
For the purpose of this article we
may divide the farm into two areas:
one devoted to producing food for the
family, the other devoted TO market
crops or live stock products We will
consider first that portion of the farm
devoted to the production OF food for
the family
On well managed farm the neces,
sary cash outlay for the living is rela
lively small. There is no rent TO
ray. the water Is free. the light is
cheap there are no vegetables to buy.
and the meat is supplied largely by
poultry and pigs. A COW or two will
supply milk, cream. butter, and cot
tage cheese,
A small patch Of berries and a few
orchard trees viii supply fruit in
season and permit the careful and
economical housewife to can an
abundance OF fruit for the winter
During the growing season well
planned garden would furnish fresh
vegetables at all times With proper
care such vegetables as cabbage. 20
tatoes and turnips may be available
throughout the winter The United
States department of agriculture has
issued valuable bulletins on the kitch.
en- garden, and these bulletins may be
had for the asking.
In addition TO this. the beginner may
obtain advice from state and national
experts on varieties and areas OF the
various vegetables and fruits neces,
sary to supply the needs of the family
| The cash expenditures include a few
groceries. occasional cuts Of beef OF
mutton, clothing. medicine. labor and
the necessary expenditures in main
tanning the equipment OF the farm.
A gross farm income one.third of a
city income permits of standard oil
living in the country equal to that In
the city. Even IL at the end of the
year the family on the farm has saved
nothing, but has lived well It is fully
on par with the average city family
The city salary looks large. but Il
all goes in rent, food, clothing. etc
But when nearly all the expenses o.
the family are produced on the farm
by It's own labor, II the farm pro
duces 5000 cash over and above thu
expense OF maintaining the farm, tn,
farm family can live quite comfortably
The area necessary to supply thu
needs of the family and to produc,
salable products sufficient to bul
what is necessary depends upon thu
type of farming chosen. on the rich
ness OF the soil, and on market condi
tons
In good seasons a small area o
fruits or vegetables will sufiee, Blu
the prices Of these perishable prod
ucts huctuates more or less violently
Sometimes the markets are gluttet
and prices fall below the cost OF pro
duction. At other times frost ruin
the crop. 1t Is therefore unsafe TO I'm
dertake even the most intensive farm
ing on areas that will barely sufice
in favorable seasons, to provide a liy
Ing for the family. A minimum equiT
ment would be something like tn
following:
Fifty hens. which, II well cared for
will produce all the poultry product
the family can consume and enougl
for sale to pay large part OF tn
grocery bill. In this connection farm
ers' bulletin No. 355 10 of interest |
gives the detailed management o
poultry on one of the most successful
commercial poultry farms Of ID
country,
On a very small farm II Is hardl
advisable to raise calves. It 70 az
visable, however. to keep at least on
COW. and not more than one, unIes
the family is large one. II Is bette
policy. on very small farms. to d.
pend on buying the COW. and whe
her days OF usefulness are over t
sell her and buy another. not attemp
ing to raise the calves.
A couple of pigs may be bougt
from a neighbor. They will consum
, the refuse on the place and furnish
large part of the meat required io
, the family during the year.
The number of horses required d.
pends upon the type of farming an
the area of the farm For an area {
ten acres or less one horse ought I
suffice, even when the marketab l
products are delivered to private Gu
toners in a nearby town.
Under some conditions the marke
ing would consume nearly all the tim
of one horse, SO that it might be ne
essary TO keep two. but two horse
ought to suffice for farm of 20 or Z
acres.
In ordinary farming. where the tim
Of the horse is completely occupied /
field work. one horse 10 rs acres
] the usual rule: but In gardening. e
: pecially where a good deal Of time
consumed in marketing, 1t is som
times necessary to keep one hors
for each ten acres
On the yers small farm al least a
acre OF berries In advisable This ma
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