The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-05-14

lett on bases, 6; Malta II,
Umpires Runge and Jesse James.
APPLY EFFICIENCY RULES ON OUT
own FARMS
Montana is peculiarly fortunate in
the quality of its farmers. This
results, perhaps, because onlv the
most robust and aggressive of a com-
munity ever seek their fortunes in
new countries. The rapid advance.
ment OF many OF our citizens owes it's
secretto the fact that, under the e
conditions with which they surround
themselves, the prejudices and ira
dltions oil the older states are ignored.
thus leaving a free road to oppor.
tunity. In Montana, about two chou.
sana homeSteads, comprising nearly a
unoccupied domain into the cron.nrn.
ducing assets of the State each month.
This Is almost unparalleled in the
history OF migration, and because of
Its magnitude, it is straight with more
or less danger.
Our land Is tremendously fertile,
our agricultural resources easv Of
access and bountiful in yield. Were
this lot SO, u annual farm products
OF $6l, 100000, for a State which four
years ago was accredited with having
less than 100000 population, would be
impossible. With nature thus Law
1shly aiding us, 1t is important that
we maintain to an equal standard
the efficiency of the human equation.
It would not be in keeping with our
State supremacy were we to abuse
this bounty by the soil-robbing and
over-cropping tactics which have
marked the pioneer history Of certain
other states. Neither would we be
a6le to maintain the prominence
which we are fast attaining If we fall
back in our farm methods to the old.
time farm inefticiency. Our farm life
should be made pleasant, so that the
boys and girls who follow the present
sturdy hOmesteaders will not seek the
lure OF the cities. The farmhouse.
where the means warrant it, should
be equipped with modern home-mak-
ing cOnvenienceS, and the farm itself
will take on a new status, not only
from the point of view of administra-
tion, but of profits, If it is machine
equipped like a factory.
This Is the more significant when
we read the cost figures of raising
crops recently issued by the Depart
ment OF Agriculture. After a test on
5000 typical farms, it was shown that
the average cost OF raising an acr of
wheat 10 Oils. OF this amount, the
labor item was 1888. The ten-year
average farm value of an acre Of wheat
to the Montana farmer was $40. SO.
The cost of raising an acre of oats,
on n average, is $l1 81, of which the
cost item for labor is SAT- per acre.
Inc ten-year average farm value per
acre Tor the Montana farmer is $3.50.
The average cost Of producing an
Dor item is $3.50. The average farm
tAla has pot been published.
Using these three cereals as q basis,
we have a fair index to the general
cost OF farm operations In raising Of
crops. 1t will be noticed that the L.
Dor cost, even at prevailing farm
wages, is the largest item which must
be considered. The figures quoted
represent Eastern. conditions, where
farm labor Is unQuestionably cheaper
than 1t Is In our own State. The prob
lem we must face is to lessen this cost.
II we are to successfully meet the
competition of other states and come
out OF 1t with a profit, we must adopt
the most aggressive forms of power
farming.
Our land, before We can sell our pro-
duce, must be plowed, narrowed,
sowed, oftentimes cultivated, and
harvested, II crops must be threShed
and hauled to market, and before we
can do that we must have good roads.
Each operation requires power, and
each operation is an expense. Under
the old form OF horse blowing, the best
that can be done with two horses is
approximately two acres a day. This
requires a walk, carrying a load, of six
teen miles, and, according to Govern
ment figures, the upkeep Of a horse is
5000 per year, or sixteen cents per
horse for every hour of work. After
blowing, If a maximum crop is to be
raised or there is great need for mois-
ture conservation, the same land must
be disked thoroughly and then drilled.
Mechanical power would save on this
labor cost which plays such q havoc
with farm profits.
In q recent copy of that well-known
farm paper, The Kansas Farmer, COM
parative figures were published show
ing the cost of horse and tractor work.
Allowing even $3.5O for the wages and
board of the engine driver, as opposed
to the wages and board of SOS a day
for = horse driver, the accompanying
table shows that the cost Of tractor
power as compared to horse power
would tend to eliminate from twenty
five to ~seventy-tive per cent of the cost
OF the half dozen or SO power opera
tions required to produce an acre Of
wheat, oats, corn, barley or fax.
COMPARATIVE COST
Saved by
Tractor
over
Tractor Horse Horses
Cost Of belt work per ~
horse power hour .O3o 1888 49,
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