Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-11-09
PITFALLS FOR THE CITY MAN
WHO WANTS TO BE A FARMER

Whhninbtoh, NoNs os-ino Dephrt
ment OF Agriculture receives many
letters from city people who have
read glowing accounts of the wealth
that may be made on the farm. A
large percentage OF these people have
already bought farm land. Some OF
them appear to believe that the rea-
son all farmers are not rich Is be-
cause of extravaganza. wastefulness.
ignorance and lack OF business
ability. TO these letters to the de-
partment's specialists reply much as
follows:
AS a mater OF fact, farmers as
class are intelligent, industrious and
economical, and many OF them are
men of good business judgment,
Further, those who have made thor
ough study OF the business side OF
farming know that II Is not an easy
matter to make money on the farm.
Only the most practical and expert.
enced farmers are making any con.
siderable profit out Of their business
Most OF the money that has been
made on the farm In recent years has
been made, not by farming. but by
the rise OF price on farm lands. In
the nature OF things this rise cannot
continue indefinitely, and some one
will own this land when the price be-
comes practically stationary or per-
haps starts to decline.
while II Is true that occasionally
n city bred family makes good on the
farm. this is the exception and not
the rule. II is always risk to In.
vest in business without first
making a thorough study Of that bust
ness. Many city people who have
saved up few hundred dollars and
who have had little or no farm ex.
perience. but who are lmbued with
a rosy vision Of the joys and profits
in farming, buy poor land at high
prices and thereby lose the savings
they have been years In accommodating.
One city family paid $4,000 cash and
assumed a $4,000 mortgage on q
farm worth only about $1,000. An.
other paid $4,000 cash and signed a
mortgage for $4,000 on farm that
was later appraised at $4,000, A city
family that had saved $4,000 used
this money TO make frs; payment
on cheap farm land, and when their
eyes were opened found they still
owed considerably more than the
farm was worth. For seven years
they have worked almost night and
day to meet the interest. without be.
ing able to reduce the prlntipal.
These instances could be multiplied
almost indefinitely.
I'm purchasing a farm great care
should be taken to get good farm
at fair price. To pay or agree 20
pay more than the farm is worth Is
TO invite failure From a business
standpoint no farm that does not pay
interest on the total investment. de-
probation on equipment. and wages
for all labor performed on that farm
IS successful
Even when great care is taken IN
making the investment only in excep-
tional cases should the city bred fami-
ly attempt farming. Generally the
best advice that can be given TO the
city bred man who desires TO become
a farmer is that before purchasing a
farm he work as farm hand for
two or three years. This will give
him an opportunity to learn at first
hand many things about the business
as well as the practical side OF farm.
ing. In no other way. as a rule. can
he get good farm training and expe,
rience at less trouble and expense OF
without danger from financial disas
ter"