580 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



plowing and other necessary labor in cultivating and harvesting. Besides, the well -cultivated 

 four or five acres would be left rich and mellow, and could be much more easily worked for 

 subsequent crops than the hard, poorly-tilled soil of the ten acres. 



It is the best economy for the farmer never to cultivate more land than can be done in 

 the most thorough manner. Anything beyond this, as a general rule, will result in a waste 

 of labor, and prove unsatisfactory in the end. 



Systematic Management. One of the great wants pertaining to farming generally 

 is a more perfect system of management, a system that will not only admit of the various 

 kinds of work on the farm being done in the proper time, but in the most profitable manner. 

 Time and attention should be given in ascertaining the best methods of conducting the busi 

 ness, and then, having decided upon and adopted a certain plan or system, it should be car 

 ried out thoroughly. 



Experiments in this manner may sometimes result in changes in certain respects, and 

 new and improved methods will be adopted, from time to time, if the farmer is progressive as 

 he should be in order to keep abreast of the times and the age in which he lives; still, he 

 should conduct his farming in a methodical manner, whatever that system may be, and never 

 permit the business to manage itself, as is too frequently the case. 



A well-developed system will enable the farmer to pursue an even, uniform plan of oper 

 ations, and have a tendency to obviate the frequent shifting from one department to another, 

 with no permanency in any one of them, which practice reduces farming to a continuous 

 routine of profitless experiments and ventures. Not that we would condemn experimenting 

 in a judicious way. Every progressive farmer will not only experiment for himself, but will 

 profit by the intelligent experiments of others; but experiments should be the exception and 

 not the rule for general practice in farming, and should always be made judiciously, and with 

 an intelligent understanding of the nature of the things to be experimented with. 



A lack of system is one of the fruitful causes of failure in all kinds of employments, and 

 especially so in farming. To be a successful farmer requires a wide range of knowledge, and 

 methodical practice. He must not only know when and how to cultivate the various crops, the 

 soil to which they are best adapted, but how, when, and where to dispose of them in the 

 most profitable manner, how to purchase the necessary farm supplies to the best advantage, 

 what crops and farm-stock are the most profitable for him to raise, etc. 



In order to ascertain definitely with respect to the comparative profits of different 

 branches of farm industry, and the real state of his business, every farmer should keep a 

 correct account of all the receipts and expenditures. It is only in this way that an accurate 

 knowledge of the profits or losses of the farm can be obtained. Such an account is also 

 often convenient for reference, as furnishing important data that can be obtained in no other 

 way. Keeping such an account has also a tendency towards systematic practice in every 

 department, and cannot fail of much profit to the farmer in all respects. 



More Capital in Farming. It frequently is the case that the limited success of the 

 farmer is due to a lack of sufficient capital. It may be the young farmer just starting in life, 

 who has invested nearly all of his money in purchasing a farm, and has but little left with 

 which to supply the necessary outfit. Hence, in procuring a team, farm implements, stock, 

 etc., he is from necessity obliged to run in debt or purchase those that are inferior; or, if of 

 first quality, not the number that is needed on the farm sufficient to make the business as 

 profitable as it should be. To be limited in capital, or to incur a heavy debt, are both a great 

 drawback in successful farming, and many a young man has to contend with this evil year after 

 year before being freed from it. As a general rule, it will be better to purchase less land at 

 first, and add to it from time to time as means will permit, and retain a sufficient amount 

 of capital to furnish and stock it well, rather than to expend nearly all in land and be embar 

 rassed in managing it for lack of means to render the labor bestowed profitable. 



