Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-01-07

lAllON.
which Is fully equal TO the productive
capacity Of the land devoted to this
class Of enterprise.
There has never been time in two
years when choice products failed to
find appreciatve buyers at profitable
rates. The outlook is favorable from
every standpoint, but more especially
so for the gardener who uses skill and
energy In producing a long line OF
choice edibles from early spring until
late fall. Skillful methods make the
season OF production extend over as
many months as possible. and this is
the way to gain the highest results
from small tracts of land.
Owners OF small farms naturally con.
template fruit and poultry as well as
vegetables, and there has to be at
least one cow and one horse. Some
pork also can be produced on the
smallest Of places.
A little farm thus organized should
return n gross income of 5000 an acre.
and, with an energetic family, the
amount paid out for the labor should
not amount to more than $500 year.
A ten acre farm can maintain n
poultry plant that will pay $500
year, two cows that earn $3.50 year,
ten hogs returning $50. twelve sheep
paying 800, tree and bush fruits
amounting to $500 and vegetables
worth $1,000, total of $4,000. besides
mo than one-half OF the table sup
pP of the family. The deduction for
lapor, millstuffs. repairs and other
items of expense need not be more
than 500. This would leave $1,000
for family use and saving.
Land needs to be handled in n way
that will give good results. Asparagus,
beets, lettuce. cabbage and small fruits
can be grown between the rows OF
trees In an orchard without detriment
to either trees or vegetables. This is
good way TO make land profitable
while trees are coming to maturity
Strawberries are also well adapted to
orchard growth. All these things re
quire an amount of light cultivation,
mostly by hand. which is good for fruit
trees.
Where there is q market convenient
it is considered more profitable TO grow
strawberries In the young orchard than
any other crop, as they come into full
profit in about fourteen months after
planting, and the turning of them un
der every two or three years adds
much organic matter to the soil. which
is i'm every way quite beneficial to the
young orchard But whatever kind OF
crop is grown in the orchard ample
space must be left on each side of the
rows OF trees to admit Of unrestricted
cultivation, as young trees cannot
thrive in a hard. sun baked soil, and
they must not be injured by the i'm
Elements.
In countries where economy in farm
management has been studied long
time the sheep is considered to be nee
essary in utilizing vegetation ON such
waste lands MS are not wet or marshy.
The sheep can hold its place on high
priced land rs meat producer alone
Compared with the larger animals IL
has some important advantages. The
lambs mature rapidly. being marketa-
BILE at four months OF age or later. ac-
cording TO breeding and feeding. This
is an economy because larger proper
ton of the total feed goes into increase
Of weight than in shower growing ami
mails.
Sheep consume n greater variety OF
plants than do other animals Many Of
these plants are detrimental to pas
lures and would otherwise require
hand labor to hold them i'm check.
Grain wasted in harvesting can be en-.
tirely recovered by sheep.