The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-03-30

the central part Of the corn,v
is later and later as Il goes lo~tL
In Patagonia the seed is often '+'o.
during June or July, ana sora-irh
as late as August.
The crop grows rapidly. and a,a.-
about the middle Of Noyember
cember it is ready for harvest e..
four-ffths Of al the wheat ~
gentina is cut and threshed n -
cember. although in the sou4h
harvesting season may continue 800
| the end Of January.
l have made some inquiry
the cost and profit Of wheat rs1sr~
| Here Are some figures from the ~
partment of Agriculture esti1nstad NV
a farm Of 500 acres. of which ,a-
| acres were sown to wheat. the ra
| nainder being in pastures and minis.
ings. The yield was fifteen bushel.
per acre, and the amoun Of cauira1
invested in farm buildings ana ra~5
was just about $4,000. The rent -
the farm was $1,000 per year ana
the seed cost S415. 1t cost z5t0 NJ
break the land and plant the wheat
and 5000 to reap and bind il TIN
| stacking cost $340. and the thrasbing
in the neighborhood of $1,000. An
additional $500 was spent in gttrirg
liiS w1lSdl ~ hS oIIilOl4 ana dTt-
gether, including the interest On tina
capital invested, taxes and insurance.
the cost Of production was SASS.
The crop amounted to 1850 bushels
SO that the average cost OF pr0duc.
ton was about 66 cents a bushaI
That crop sold for so cents a bush4I
and V at that low price it gave a
profit Of more thar $1,000. With the
present prices. caused by the val.
y $3.50 .~x~Y
amount
And still I do not advise the ordiu-
airy American farmer to come 10 Al
S%entina. He might make some
money. but without a large capital he
could do as well or better At home
Moreover. he could not be hapnv
without he brought his friends with
him. For the small farmer the
country life of this and is deadly
dreary. In most places there are nc
trees. The little mud hut OF the
colpnist stands alone on the sombe-
landscape. and it has not q sign Of
comfort about it. Ones only neigh
bors are Italians and Russians, who
nothing but the crop they are ra'sr
ing. Most Of them have no gardens,
and there are no flowers or vines
about their homes. They run &C
counts at the nearest grocery and
make annual settlements when they
sell their wheat. The men drink Ia
excess. and their families are kept in
the cheapest and meanes Of ways.
With the small wheat farmer, il Is
the size Of the family that ganges
the profit. When planting and h@r-
vesting are going or the whole family
works The women go out into The
lot eight and girls of uine or ten dt
their share OF the labor. The Work
goes on from sunrise 90 sunset, ant
Of a moonlight night you may Set
thema out under the stars BINDING
and Teaping. You may see the same
at planting time. Between seasons
ME loaf and when nothing is done
; They live then upon credit or IN
profits OF the last CROP. Ii q droush
: comes or a crop fails they incTeds'
their debt and an invasion OF the 10
Gusts may bring ruin and famine
r What the American would mrs
most is the Jack OF social life ana
!, also the 1oss$of standing snch a ~
: has in the United States. There Is
, sharp distinction here between N.
: moor and the rich, and the ama'
farmer OIL the laboring man Is not O.
. an equality with the rich ~eSf@n""'t
When the Farmland talks 70 his el'
+ "iover he takes off his hat ana Il
looks UP to him as his master. va
+ tenant houses are poor and II q pa
= has q mud hut OF two rooms ne '"e
well. Transient labor is c"1hpar"
: lively scarce. The bulk Of the IAN
: is owned in large blocks and ~
owners desire to have their eatai,
as far from the VILLAGE as poI~''H
G so that there may De little DANCE =
their losing their employees. FOR me
reasons my advice TO lie man 8
small capital or to him whose CO
%carital is his mucis OF tlvT!'.
ability is to stay at hone Just nos
, with the hard times brought aero.
by the war in Europe. this IS nos
good place for strangers.
FRANK G. CARPEN lE1~