Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-10
, WIN. H.

ing teaches me that the cause Of SO
many farmers having a hard row to
hoe from morning till night n day
after another the year round, and hav-
ing but little or no time for recrea-
ton, is that these men are farming
more land than they are capable of
managing we'll.
I 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.
It is an established truth that ten
acres we'll titled will produce more
and better crops than 20 acres half 30
treated. This / learned when ! first
began my farming career.
Having but $3.50 to start with I pur.
chased 20 acres Of unimproved land.
feeling sure l 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 a cheap team by giving
a mortgage ON the place and man
aged to borrow sufficient tools from
my n~eighbors until the first crop was
made. But alas! At harvest time,
when I began ~disposing Of the crop,
l found that my expenses were far ex'
ceeding my receipts, and that bank
ruptcy wal not far distant.
/ worked hard with muscular force,
but found l 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
/ disposed Of ten acres Of the land
at a fair price.
then took the money received FOL
the ten acres. planted five of the re
naming ten acres in small fruits
used four acres for the growing o.
vegetables. while n acre a occu
pied by a rude house and barn.
I felt sure Of success this time ant
purchased a horse from a neighbol
on the installment plan. That is,
was to pay SO much per month fol
the horse. letting the animal "stant
good" for the debt until paid.
My good wife. who was just as en-
thusiastic and energetic In making /;
living as myself, began raising a few
chickens and also proved to be O.
great assistance to me in the culture
of our fruits and vegetables.
We lived scant until u first croI
Of vegetables were gathered in, fol
we wished to obtain a start In LII,
and realized that this was our onl!
way of SO doing.
After disposing Of our vegetables
we paid up all accounts and had
nice little sum Of money left to hell
carry US through the winter.
AS our means would allow us W,
have gradually added to this ten acre.
until now our farm comprises 81,
acres which is well improved in ever!
particular.
We do not devote the farm to tn,
raising Of any one particular thing
but produce practically everything
that is raised on the general run o
farms.
We have a number OF acres devote,
to the culture Of almost all kinds o
fruits and vegetables that will grow
in our latitude, which are grow
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 o
grain and hay. but none is ever sole
from the farm as we have found Their,
is more profit in feeding It all to tn,
stock and then selling them.
We employ the services Of tire,
hired men the year round. besid,
other help during the busy season.
A careful record is kept OF all trans
actions. which We have found to b,
OF the utmost importance In success
ful farm management.
In conclusion I wish to state from
practical experience and observation
that the man who grows crops tina
do not bring him a good interest OF
the value OF the land. and fair pay
for the labor bestowed upon II, is II
a losing game and will go to the wal
sooner or later.
Dc-A~~~ Il 49, "a A.-A 49,