Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1917-03-08
CUMPTlON, #>
Which is plain Common Sense in United States
language, without Educational Furbelows.
BT l.. II. TIOVlGESNTAIE1.
WILL WE PROFIT BY THE LESSON?

The unusually high prices of all food stufs whether
caused by the European or by the demand incident
the full employment of the labor of the nation brings
lesson home to the farmers of Morgan county,
High prices for food stus will prevail for years tC
come Indeed it is doubtful if the prices will ever be
eraly lower The population of the world is increasing
rapidly than the production of food and the demand
will prevent prices from dropping to the levels of past
years. The population of the United Statesthe newest
of the natonss fast approaching the state Of congestion
that has long prevailed in the Old World and there
continents to discover to relieve the congestion
Obviously hen the problem of feeding the ever ncreas
ing population must find it's solution in increasing the pro-
ducton Of each acre. Landdestroyng methods must be
abandoned and bulding-up methods adopted. Sol-de
struction is waste that is criminal.
The farmer of the immediate future to be successful
must be of all business the most learned in his
ton and of acute business ability He must study
his soil and know how improve it, he must bring to his
work the study and effort that has standardized the
various other lines of endeavor he must profit by the
perence and research Of Others and finally he must for
get there is such thing as precedent"
The trouble with the farmer that he has not looked
upon farming as a scientific business proposition He fol-
lows the methods of his ancestors without nqurng if bet
ter not possible If science and invention had fol
lowed precedent we would today be beating our corn If
mortars and wearing skins of animals for clothing.
AF But to our immediate needs Morgan county sends
annually hundreds thousands of dollars for things
she could proftably produce And many products that
would be money-makers are not even attempted. The
average Morgan farmer gives little attention to the
poultry on the farm when with little we-dTected care
they would buy his groceries the whole year through.
he puts out orchard he neither pnes nor sprays anC
signs to the destructive forces that have captured it.
Corn never profitable crop when grown for salel is
local farmers standby, and with it he seeks to main
tain his family, and countless farms have been mpoger
ished and ruined by continuous corn culture Markets
follow production and if our farmers would diversity the
crops ready market would result
To produce from the farm requires the same inelli
gent effort that required to produce in factory yet the
farm business is conducted any old way" while system
the slogan in the factory In the factory every pece
machinery must be of the most productive type and fire
quenty machines that perfect in work and compare
lively thrown aside to make room for new on
that will do more work.
But our local need is modern methods of farming
We need intelligent sobuding that will increase the prc
ductveness OF each acre; methods that will insure great
variety of crops methods that will insure the produC
tion of meats grain and hay in such quantities that
can export instead of import Let's keep the hundreds
thousands of dollars spend for these things at home
The prices that prevail for the products of the farm shou
induce farmers to put their undertakings upon bus
ness basis to abandon discredted methods and ador
the and better Selected and tested Seeds bett(
strains Of stock, improved machinery cost system tn;
gives the cost Of production of each product of the farm
One OR more good farm journas well studied, are NJ
cessity to every farmer By them he learns Of the met
ods followed by the business farmers who are putting
competency from the farm and making the farm bett
at the same time
Will we learn the lesson that is so plainly taught
this era of high prices? Will farm" in the old fas
iened way and continue to import bread and meat or
we wake up and go to farming in business-ke way?
suggestion Most of the blue grass sand fe
mountain counties employ county agent, man skil
in agriculture, to advise and help the farmers to adopt
mo lern ways Of farming, and it is bringing prosperit
Sach man can anayze your SOIL test your Seeds tell Il
:. vfue of the fertilizer and how it, how to care
Gyour orc0ardn short how to make the farm pay becau
he has been taught farming like doctor is taught meC
cine. He has learned by actual pcactice.
Why not a county agent for Morgan county?
And don't forget that good roads are essential to t
prosperity Of every farming community.