The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1919-04-19
NEATNESS ON THE FARM

Neat and we'll appearing premises are an
economic asset to any farmer living in Lake
County or any other part of the country.
In almost every neighborhood we have every
gradation in general farm appearance, from
the tumble down, machinery strewn farm
stead of the careless renter or shiftless own
er, to the well kept premises of the methodi-
cal owner whose work is dictated by habit
OF whose farm operations are more or less
card indexed
| Farm neatness is largely question of
having place for everything and seeing
that nothing gets out of place. Unsightly
objects should be hidden from view as
much as possible; but all building plans
should be arranged for convenience, econ
on1y, comfort and time saving. Machinery
and vehicles scattered promiscuously over
| the farmstead give the place a Uttered ap-
pearance which can be avoided by keeping
everything in shelter when not in use or
arranged in an orderly way in inconspicu-
| Gus places.
+, On a local farm of over 800 acres which
was visited recently, the following were
few of the high priced pieces of farm ma
chinery left conspicuously about the premi-
ses: a tractor, hay loader, moving machine,
several cultivators, manure spreader, silo
| filler, two wagons and numerous smaller
farm tools. On a neighboring farm the
value of furnishing ample protection for
machinery has been recognized fully, as
machine shed "a by Is feet has been in
constant use for several years. On a rented
farm where no machinery protection is
available, the operator always keeps all
farm tools, when not in use, in neat, method
ical order This habit will be a big factor
in helping this renter to ultimately own a
high priced Lake County farm. Paint will
materially help both machinery and build
ings from time to time. Well kept fences
also are essential.
Good drainage systems will help to elimi-
nate "boarder' acres by making them more
productive Fertile undrained land reduces
the market valuation of any good farm In
some townships in Lake County there are
from 5000 to 4, 900 acres of such unproduc-
tive land that should be improved co-opera
lively. Such improvements would help not
; only the interested farmers but also the
general community. Fifteen dollars per
acre invested in a drainage district, has
often increased individual farm values in
Lake County from SIS to SIS per acre. Yet
some farmers question such policies of farm
Improvement.
In certain neighborhood, recent policy
OF road Improvement was inaugurated. The
| ma jority of the farms are neat appearing
and land values average 5000 per acre. In
another section, the majority of the local
| farmers are opposed to taxes for road i'm
provement The land is of equal fertility,
the farms are neat and the buildings sub
stantial, yet the land values of a similar
number of farms are SIS less per acre than
in the first mentioned district
AS means of farm improvement, num-
Der of farmers in the county keep small
| flocks of sheep for weed eradication in their
yards, fields and along their roadsides A
weed infested farm is an eye-sore to anv
good farmer.
| A neat farm is source of pride to the
owner and at the same time encourages pros
pective buyers for farm produce to pay
| higher prices. Untidy surroundings will
have depressing effect upon prospective
| buyers who are inclined to Judge farm
products more or less according to the con-
ditions under which they are produced Well
managed farms are important factors in
community improvement are a just cause
for pride Of ownership, are means of keep
ing boys and girls interested in rural life,
and have an indirect influence for better
general agriculture
W. F. Watkins,
Lake County Agricultural Adviser,
Libertyville, Illinois.