Belding banner., 1915-01-20

the farm when the fall work was all
done? l never saw II. Possibly IL
one had his farm equipment perfect
IL might be true, but then / think he
would have some repairing that would
run over into the winter
Did you drive your farm work last
season or did II drive you? With us 1t
was catch as catch can" Now, since
we are getting things fixed up here on
Middlehill Farm we think we can do
the driving this coming season. At
least we are catching up all the odds
and ends we can this winter. ready to
put up the best fight we can next
spring. Not having To move is going
To be a big help.
1t costs practically the same TO pro-
duce a crop on an acre of rich land as
on an acre of thin land. The differ
ence in crop is the difference in profit
unless too much money has been spent
adding the fertility. That is where
the man gets ahead who feeds his
crops at home with some concen-
trates that he buys. The manure put
back on the land increases the yield
at little cost. 1t is the indirect profit
and the most important source ofprofit
from the live stock business.
The road past a mans house is
pretty good index OF a mans citizen
ship. rutty rough road, evidently
innocent Of a road drag for whole
season, is pretty good evidence of
lack of public spirit. Ii is true we
pay taxes TO build roads but ii adds
much to the appearance of a mans
farm and helps gain the respect OF the
people who use his stretch OF road If
4. a..
the bad places.
Bill Jones is called one Of the best
farmers of the community. His crops
are good, always clean, always in on
time, and harvested on time. The
manure is hauled and the plowing
done before husking time. Everything
about the place denotes thrift and
successful farming. But Bill Jones is
poor man. He is poor because for
him there are none of the riches
around u.s. His whole life and thought
centers in cattle and corn and hogs.
All he ever sees in his daily paper is
the market report. He never has
time to spend a social hour with his
neighbors. or course he can't go to
the dairy picnic or the farmers in
stitute. He has kept ahead of his
work but he has become a machine.
For him there is no beauty in the
brilliant winter sunset, only milking
time. No wonder in the acres of
sparkling, snow covered meadow just
a reminder that he must feed his cat
tie. The Lord made these things for
our enjoyment, free alike to rich and
poor, and we lose part OF life if we
miss them.
Two men were measuring hay. After
the last stack was measured they sat
down on the sunny side of it TO figure
up. The buyer, after getting the
number of tons hay, handed his
figures over to the eighteen-year-o
son of the owner, but the lad turned
his head away and said he was not
much good at figures. He will inherit
n good quarter section some day but
he has been robbed of his birthright
for what little work he could do
If we will follow the action of our
congressman taken in regard to the
Hobson bill which relates to the sub
mission of a constitutional amendment
for national prohibition. we will know
how they stand on the whiskey ques-
ton. The time is ripe now when we
ought TO leave no stone unturned TO
get rid of the cause of most all our
trouble.
After one has worked hard as an
officer in an institute or short course
and has given valuable time and hard
thought to it and then meets only
growls and kicks he feels sore. 1t
soothes one then to think of the verse:
I've always noticed great success
Is mixed with trouble more or less,
And he who really does his best
Gets more kicks than all the rest"
George w. Godfrey, Ia.