PART II 



SPECIAL FARM TOPICS. 



INTENSIVE FARMING. 



EVERY farmer who grows 100 bushels of corn, 40 bushels of 

 wheat or three tons of hay to the acre is doing intensive 

 farming. Also, the man who makes every part of his land 

 produce, either directly or indirectly, is an intensive farmer, 

 if he makes it produce to its utmost in quantity and quality. There 

 are two classes of farmers the indifferent farmer who is content 

 with little, and the intensive farmer who demands much. 



Strangely enough, farming, the first of all industries, has been 

 the last to break away from dull plodding and blind drudgery, and 

 to share in the benefits of intelligent understanding. Until the pres- 

 ent generation, the farmer has never known what he was doing, nor 

 why he did it. How bitter has been the tragedy of this long groping 

 in the dark by the man who has not only eaten his own bread, but 

 fed the world by the sweat of his over-burdened body. To the un- 

 thinking, life is but endless toil and drudgery, while pleasure and 

 inspiration come to the man who understands his work. (Univ. 

 111. B. 143.) 



Intensive farming includes the selection of the crop that will 

 give the best return. This largely depends upon soil, climatic con- 

 ditions and proximity to market. The following table gives an illus- 

 tration of proper crop selection. It is a table of the actual results 

 of intelligent and intensive methods applied to nearly five acres of 

 ground: 



Value $120 fed to team. 



**Deducting cost of alfalfa. 



(F. B. 63.) 



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