84 THREE ACRES AND LIBERTY 



Before concentrating upon any crop as the chief source of 

 income, a careful study must be made of all the conditions 

 surrounding its production; a crop is not produced in the 

 broad meaning of that term until it is actually in the hands 

 of the consumer. 



Potatoes, for instance, are grown by the hundred acres in 

 sections adapted to their growth, and special machinery 

 costing hundreds of dollars is used in planting, cultivating, 

 and harvesting the crop. The good shipping and keeping 

 qualities of the potato enable it to be raised far from mar- 

 kets and so brings into competition cheap land worked ^in 

 large areas, with large capital. In spite of this, however, 

 the small cultivator can usually make money if he can sell 

 his potatoes directly to the consumer. 



If your land is so situated that you can put your indi- 

 viduality into the crop and can control all the circumstances, 

 preparation of land, planting, cultivation, harvesting, and 

 marketing, your chances of success are immeasurably in- 

 creased. As soon as any important part must be trusted 

 to some one beyond your control, danger arises. Assiduous 

 care in planting, cultivating, and packing will avail nothing 

 if the product falls into the hands of transportation com- 

 panies or commission merchants indifferent as to what be- 

 comes of it. It is therefore better to be quite independent, 

 sell your own crop, and have the whole operation in your own 

 hands from the very beginning. 



Generally speaking, seed growing for the market is a 

 highly developed special business which is usually carried 

 on by companies operating with large capital, able to em- 

 ploy the best experts, and to avail themselves of all the ad- 

 vantages of scientific methods in culture, regardless of ex- 

 pense. So uncertain is the business, that even with all 



