The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-02-20
~ ARMERS with a high.school
education make nearly double

| ~ ARAERS with hlgh'School
education make nearly double
the average income of those
with merely a common school educa.
| ton, and those who start earliest
make the most profits, according to
the Department of Agriculture's in
vestigator The Departments Office
OF Farm Management has been con-
Quoting a series of Investigations in
the corn-belt, which have brought out
many details that should be of prac-
tical value to all agriculturalists.
These results have just been pub
lished in a new bulletin.
Under average conditions the farm,
according to this bulletin, is no place
for the weak or for those unable to
direct work. The man who intends
to spend his working life in the coun-
try should start early, for success is
not gained in a moment but by many
years of persistent effort. 1t is true
that some farmers have made small
fortunes in a short time but this is
usually through a phenomenal rise
in land values. Few men have become
rich from the real profits of the land.
Those who have done so usually
needed a lifetime in which to work.
Through skill in management and by
hard labor a comfortable living and
moderate profits may be expected.
Those persons who are turning to
the farm with the idea Of reaping
large incomes are doomed to severe
disappointment.
Those making the poorest incomes
were 2S years of age when they
started farming and were past 80
when they became owners. On the
average the oldest men are making
the least profits.
Many farmers with very little
! schooling succeed, but these same
men would do better ii they had the
opportunity of further training. No
one ever hears farmer regret that
he spent a part of his early life in
school.
There we're only eight men, four
owners and four tenants, who never
had a school training. OF the own
ers and tenants, n per cent attended
a common or district school. About
IS per cent attended a high school.
one out of every 30 went to college
or to some institution OF similar
grade.
On the whole the tenants had re.
ceived more education than the own.
ers, % per cent of them having more
than district.school education, while
only 90 per cent of the owners had
such training. Those men having the
best training made the largest in
comes, although they were materially
helped in doing this by much larger
farms and greater capital.
Farming is business the same as
any other industry, and until our
schools teach some Of the fundamen-
tai principles governing profitable
farming, the farm boy is likely to
seek work elsewhere. Considering
that the farm boys of today will be
the farmers tomorrow, too little atten.
ton is given to their training.
Many boys leave the farm because
they see no future in it. Another i'm
portant reason is the lack Of profit
able work at home. A moderate
sized farm is necessary to give en-
ployment to the farmer and his sons
The small farm does not provide
work; hence, the boys must find EN-
ployment elsewhere. Let them fully
understand how farm profits and
losses are made and there will be an
incentive to remain. First make ouI
farms profitable, and the question Of
keeping the boys there will solve it
self.
Successful farming isean individual
economic problem. The farm is
combination of enterprise, and theil
individual organization will determine
In a large measure, it's profitable
mess. Sufficient area and a proper
organization of well-selected farm en-
terprises to permit the maximum use
of men, horses and machinery, are
the essential characteristics of thu
most successful farms.
No one expects a small grocery
store which has only few custom
ers a day to be a great financial sue
cess. The total amount of business
is insufficient to earn the operate
q substantial income. Exactly tn
same is true with the small farm
The volume of business is limited b.
the area in crops and the capital in
vested. The small farm furnishes
home as we'll as much Of the preduc
consumed by the family. If it wer
not for these factors the men on tn
small area would hardly be able t
live
Wages are a reward for labor, an
/, il a farm does not provide work tn
a pay must be CORRESPONDENCE small
d The family-size farm, which in tn
corn belt should be above 100 acre
d is unquestionably a more efficien
e unit than an area of 40 acres or les