Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-18

| Reports of reduced costs in the man.
| agement OF certain farms in Illinois and
Iowa through the adoption of the sys-
| tenn of single management for an en-
| tire group have attracted attention of
every one interested in the problems of
modern agriculture. Fears are express
, ed that such methods might tend to de-
| Stroy family life and independence in
| the country districts. but the financial
| phase Of the plan receives serious at
| tention.
Comparatively few Illinois farmers"
| according to the Toledo Blade, have
been operating recently on profit
paying basis. The little landowner is
forced out and the capitalist, forced in,
employs the best brains and the. most
modern machinery to make his I'M
wanted holdings pay. Thirty-two farms,
covering $500 acres, are operated on
the chain system under general super
vision of a Salaried superintendent, but
each farm also has resident tenant
manager, whose incentive for doing his
level best is share of the profit, If any.
Apparently authentic report Is that the
chain farms have cut cost of corn pro-
duction from IS cents to Ala cents
bushel. The saving of one-third has
In some instances changed deficits to
profits of to IS per cent. Experiment
and research have not been pursued far
enough to warrant dogmatic statement
OF unqualified success but the prospect
for continued profitable operation of
chain farms appears bright"
The Youngstown Vindicator is i'm
pressed by the fact that these farms
ARE being put upon a paying basis"
and that there has been a Saving of as
high as third in some instances" and
concludes: This system of farm opera
ton on lines followed by large business
enterprises has not been tried long
enough to demonstrate all its possi-
bll1tleS, but enough Is known to show
that farming is not beyond hope of re-
lief through competent management"
\ **
AS one objection, the San Bernardino
Sun declares that "for the farm to pass
from individual operation is. in one
sense, unthinkable, for the farm is also
the home" The Sun describes expert
ments In California: There is in San
Bernardino County what might amount |
to chain operation of orange groves.
There are several groups of experienced |
growers and shippers who own many |
scattered groves. For their purposes |
It is not necessary that an orange grove
be one property. They simply main |
tain organizations that move from one |
grove to another for the purposes of |
both cultivation and picking.
But chain operation of farms generally, |
If 1t Is to be on the tenant system, will |
not be welcomed in farming commune
ties. 1t would mean In the end that
the owners would reside in the big cities
and that their interest would be chiefly
In putting on the farm tenant who Is
able to work the sufficient
number of hours 70 make it possible for
him to live on his share of the crop"
The Importance of self.reliance In
farms along present lines is
upheld by the Chattanooga Times with
the statement: THE seeming necessity
for the development of the farming
along profitable and successful
lines appears to have come about as
most Of our other misfortunes-we sim
ply will not do for ourselves what we
IAN get somebody else to do for Us. II