The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-13
~. 32-Tbs farmers Oppsstuslty

~. YIN SoSVoo1S UvvOsJUUJy
II believe that the great.
est constructive service the
bankers of any city, or any
state or of the nation, can
perform at this time is to
endeavor by every means
at their command. to i'm
press upon the minds of
the people the necessity for
each individual man, wo-
man and child striving to
practice the virtue of
thrift. "-JamesG. McNary,
Ell Paso. Texas.
This should be a golden year
for American agriculture.
The farmers of the United
States are now engaged in
harvesting enormous crops
perhaps the greatest ever pro-
duced in this country. Govern
ment forecasts indicating $12,-
600, OOO, 600 crop yield for 1915.
Big crops and good prices
will quickly make better busi-
ness for the railroads, for
manufacturers, and for whole
sale and retail business general
ly. There ought therefore, to
be increased prosperity for all
of us, aud that is why both city
and country are interested in
the crops.
Nature has been kind to US.
Should we not be equally kind
to ourselves in the matter of
Misrepresentation?
American farmers will burn
thousands of tons of straw that
in Europe, war-made thrift
would caused to be saved for
various uses,
According to one student of
the value of by-products, al
lowing corn stalks to evapor-
ate and decay causes an annual
waste of $500, 600, 900. But pro-
gressive farmers are reducing
this waste by using silos to
preserve chopped corn stalks
and other fodder crops.
The humble hen is a first aid
to the thrift of the farmer's
wife, but the department of
agriculture estimates an an
nual loss of $40, 600, 600 from
unnecessarily spoiled eggs.
The annual shipment of
potatoes from Maine is 80, OOO
cars. and it is said that the
average waste is 20 bushels per
car, or a total of 700, 600 bushels.
The yearly waste of vegeta-
bles of all kinds is duplicated
by that of fruit. The govern
ment specialists estimate that
home canning on the farm of
what otherwise would be vast
ed ought to save at least $780,
OOOsOOO u0llys
But these are large and gen.
eral statements. To get right
down to brass tacks," as they
say, how can the farmer actual
ly save money?
He must not be tight listed
or his farm will not be kept
up; he must not be a spend
thrift or he will get into diff
culties that way. In approach
ing a bank for a loan the man
without a bank account is
handicapped.
The farmer who says, I wish
to buy twenty steers to fatten
for market: will you loan me
some money! will stand a
good chance of getting the
loan. If he says, Our best
horse died and we are hard up;
the rent is coming due and the
insurance expires tomorrow;
won't you please loan me $500!
the banker feels very sorry fol-
him but dislikes to risk two
hundred perfectly good dollars
on a farmer with such an un.
promising outlook.
Close cooperation between
farmer and banker ought to en-.
able most tenants to become
owners if they really want te
own their farms, as they should,
Many farmers as well az
their wives try to save money
by doing all the work them
selves, and after a few years
spend more money than they
saved on both hired help and
doctors bills. Sometimes they
get, beyond the doctors help ir
carrying out this plan for saw
ing money. Some people save
by not insuring their property
and lose everything when thei,
house or barn burns.