Meade County news., 1914-12-10
(By VIM. H. UNDERWOOD

My experience of over forty years
in practical farming and fruit grow
ing teaches me that the cause of so
many farmers having a hard row to
hoe from morning till night one day
after another the year round, and hav-
ing but little or no time for recrea-
tion, is that these men are farming
more land than they are capable of
managing WELL
l mean by this that they are farm
ing without sufficient capital to prop
erly till the land they are working
and keep up its fertility, or farming
without any well-defined plan or
method.
1t is an established truth that ten
acres well titled will produce more
and better crops than 20 acres half so
treated. This learned when l first
began my farming career.
Having but $3.50 to start with pur
chased 20 acres of unimproved land,
feeling sure | would be able to add
all necessary fixtures such as fenc-
ing, buildings, farming implements,
ETC., from the receipts of the produce
raised on the land.
| purchased cheap team by giving
mortgage ON the place and man
aged to borrow sufficient tools from
my neighbors until the first crop was
made. But alas! At harvest time,
when l began disposing of the crop,
l found that my expenses we're far ex-
ceeding my receipts, and that bank
ruptcy was not far distant.
l worked hard with muscular force,
but found / had made a bad mistake
by not putting my brains to better
use. However, succeeded in selling
the team for sufficient money to pay
the mortgage on the place, after which
l disposed of ten acres of the land
at fair price.
l then took the money received for
the ten acres, planted five of the re-
naming ten acres in small fruits,
used four acres for the growing of
vegetables, while one acre was occu-
pied by a rude house and barn.
I felt sure of success this time and
purchased horse from a neighbor
on the installment plan. That is,
was to pay so much per month for
the horse, letting the animal stand
good" for the debt until paid.
My good wife, who was just as en-.
thusiastic and energetic in making a
living as myself, began raising a few
chickens and also proved to be of
great assistance to me in the culture
of our fruits and vegetables.
We lived scant until our first crop
Of vegetables were gathered in, for
we wished to obtain a start in life
and realized that this was our only
way of so doing.
After disposing of our vegetables
We paid up all accounts and had
nice little sum Of money left to help
carry us through the winter.
40 OuA AhCouo WOulu dllOW US We
have gradually added to this ten acres
until now our farm comprises 210
acres which is well improved in every
particular.
We do not devote the farm to the
raising Of any one particular thing,
but produce practically everything
that is raised on the general run of
farms.
We have number of acres devoted
to the culture of almost all kinds of
fruits and vegetables that will grow
In our latitude, which are grown
mainly for the market.
We raise several head each of cat
tie, sheep and hogs, and also from
three to six colts each year.
We produce a plentiful supply of
grain and hay, but none is ever sold
from the farm as we have found there
is more profit in feeding 1t all to the
stock and then selling them.
We employ the services Of three
hired men the year round, beside
other help during the busy season.
A careful record is kept of all trans
actions. which we have found to be
of the utmost Importance in success
full farm management.
In conclusion l wish to state from
practical experience and observation
that the man who grows crops that
do not bring him good interest on
the value of the land, and fair pay
for the labor bestowed upon 1t, is in
a losing game and will go to the wall
sooner or later.
Bankruptcy is close at hand when
ones expenses exceed his receipts,
When man finds himself on the road
to bankruptcy in any vocation, or is
not getting along in the world as be
would like he should organize himself