The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1914-02-05

the same time improve his land.
Things went along nicely for awhile
and then he got elected to county
Office for couple Of terms, bought
a sawmill high priced thoroughbred
stallion, and of course in few years
went broke and now someone else has
the farm, which recently sold for $780,
100000. Do you know of any better ex-
cuse for leaving the farm? Have you
hear of any North Dakota farmers
who have gone broke because they
have invested in some machinery not
necessary to actual better farming?
-.. Care Of Machinery.
Another thing that has struck me
forcibly since coming to the northwest
$50 the little care given all classeos Of
farm machinery. On our farm we had
self binders, mowers, seeders and a
lot of modern machinery, or at least
as modern as 1t could be 20 years ago.
Never for single night would we
leave any of our machinery stand in
the field. When quitting time came
we dorove it into the big shed at the
barn, and drove ut again in the
morning. If it rained during the night
the machinery was in the dry. have
seen hundreds of binders, and other
kinds of machinery standing in the
fields from one season to another in
North Dakota and Southern Minneso-
ia. This sight would make number
of farmers l know sick, and candi.
dates for a hospital. 1t is loosing
proposition, even though farm machin-
cry is cheap. We used self-binder
for years and when it was sold It
worked just as good as a new one.
Why? A little care, which cost moth
ing, and which saved buying a new
one every two or three years.
Bonanza Farms
AS l have said this farm consist
ed of about $50 acres, with little
more than 100 acres available for
farming. I believe the same methods
applied to so acres Of North Dakota
land would bring more returns than
we got from the 100 acres. Why
should any farmer travel over vast
area of farm land to make livli-
hood, when he can do better on a
small piece of land with better meth
DDS? This is just one of the things
your better farming men are telling
you. They are telling yoy the truth.
Their methods are practical for any
part of the state, and have been prac-
ticed for long time in many sections
of other states. When the farmer
realizes the necessity of farming
fewer acres, and working these few
acres we'll, then the real profits are
realized and the prosperity Of the
state is assured. I believe that a
farm of 100 acres can be made more
profitable than section by devoting
the time to the one quarter than it
would to work the section. And as
he goes onward with better farming
he will find that 100 will be a mighty
big farm to handle. With live stock
at such a high price it seems strange
that every farmer does not 60 into
the stock business. and the man with
the small farm can devote more time
to the industry. 1t Is here granted
that many farmers cannot 60 into the
stock business, because they have
not the funds. But they can grow
into the business with little manage
ment and cooperation. The day of
the bonanza farm is passing though,
and a recent news dispatch tells us
that one of the largest farms in the
state is soon to be cut up to make
homes for many families. This will
continue with the passing years un-
til the bonanza farm will be rarity.
An old gentleman in southern Min
nesota, who has been there for fifty
years told me that they once had big
farms there, but now man who
farms 100 or an 80, has big farm
and all he can handle. We are on
the right track. In some sections Of
Northern Minnesota and some parts
of our own state the farmers have
found that the big farm is too much
to handle, do it we'll and comfort
ably. They are proving by actual
demonstration that the smaller farm
devoted to diversified farming, dairy
ing and hog raising will produce
much more certain livelihood and at
the same time give the farmer oppor'
tunity for more time in which to en-
Joy the delightful outdoor life of the
northwest. 4
Labor Problems
IN tho ooo%ion whore the small