Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-27

By Frederic J. HaSkin

ribbons. A the state championship
prize for the best specimen of grain at the Iowa
agricultural show last year. and other Iowa wom-
en- captured prizes their poultry and cattle.
The problems of the women farmer are no
different from those of the farmer. In going
into agriculture the first question to be decided Is
whether not you have a natural prediction
for farming Do you prefer to live in the cut
doors rather than indoors? And-you have often
heard the expression-have you the patience" to
make things grow? There is talent In this as in
everything else.
The most important problem the would-be
farmer ever has to face is buying his farm. Nu-
merous real estate sharks must be met and dealt
with-the type is legion-and in many instances 1t
will be difficult tell whether real farm Is really
good not. You must know what land is worth
in particular locality; you must be able to est-
mate the present rate Of production and you must
know the value of various farming appurtenances,
such as the barn, poultry house. pasture, water
supply and farm implements. One woman bought
a farm once and afterwards found that 1t contain
ed no water. She had to have all the water car
ried from a neighboring farm until she could have
a we'll dug. Another woman who bought farm
on a very small margin OF capital found that the
roof of the house leaked; the poultry house was
falling to pieces and that what supposed to
be the pasture contained many undesirable trees
but not blade Of grass
Professor Spillman always gives the same adj
vice to everyone, both men and women, in buying
a farm. He suggests that they work farm
for a couple of months In order to gain the neces-
sary experience After that, they will know a
poultry house when they see 1t, and know what TO
expect of farm.
After learning the business of production there
is still another business to be learned by the
cessful agriculturist. That is marketing. How,
where and when will you market your goods? The
successful farmer has usually mastered secret
of this business which is attractive nessSonot In
the business but the goods. 1t is the man or
woman who sends attractive goods to the market
who reaps the greatest profit. couple OF years
ago there was tremendous over-production OF
peaches In the markets of the eastern coast and
middle west crates of firm ripe peaches sold at
ten cents a crate. Hundreds of dollars were lost.
One farmers association, however, determined not
to sell its peach crop at that ridiculous price The
farmers got together, packed their peaches In It's
sue paper put them in attractive boxes such are
used in packing oranges the Pacific coast, and
marked them S1.65 a box. They sold every box.
The same peaches, carelessly packed were thrown
away because people would not buy them at ten
cents a crate.
This secret of making things attractive for the
consumer Is usually we'll understood by the aver
age woman. II women large buyers Of live
stock instead of dressed meat, the woman live
stock farmer would doubtless take her cows to
market looking $40 head better than the same
animal offered by man.
The statement is often heard that women can
not succeed at farming, because they cannot get
men hired hands to work for them. This sounds
reasonable in theory, but has not proved true In
practice. Women ranch-owners and farmers all
over the country, according to the department OF
agriculture have no more trouble obtaining male
labor than do men farmers.
There is a who owns large wheat
farm. comprising ten thousand acres, on the Pa
cifc coast She is known as the wheat queen. Her
production of wheat averages profit OF between
thirty and forty thousand dollars year. There is
never any delay trouble concerning labor. The
majority of the work her farm is done by
steam but there are also several men who do not
feel the least Inundated at working on one Of the
biggest wheat farms in the country, even though
1t is owned and managed by woman.