Mixed Farming. 37 



to do a little of everything and learn to do less things better. 

 There is no longer any money in half-way work, and still a 

 farmer who follows old-fashioned mixed farming oftentimes can- 

 not do his best, no matter how much he may wish to. We must 

 get into shape, so we can make what we do pay. I have got in 

 that shape, and been in it for some time, and I know practically 

 about both sides of the question. 



The confession of Mr. Geo. Dow, of New Hampshire, given 

 in The Country Gentleman some years ago, admirably illustrates 

 the point under consideration. I cannot do better than give it in 

 full. He says: " I started out last spring with a big mistake in 

 laying out too much work for the season, and, as a consequence, 

 I had to neglect slightly everything about the place, or else neglect 

 some one interest entirely just drop it and let it go. But what 

 should I select to go? " Mr. Dow gives most of his attention to 

 growing small fruits, but also keeps quite a number of chickens 

 and pigs. He says: " I concluded before I began operations in 

 the spring that I would buy what few cabbages, beets, squashes, 

 turnips, etc., the family required, and thus relieved my mind of 

 one care. But we must have lots of potatoes for winter use, and, 

 as it would be too much of an expense to buy all of these, I con- 

 cluded to put in an acre. I keep only two cows enough to sup- 

 ply the house with milk and butter, but, with my horses to feed, 

 I am unable to cut enough hay on a small farm for all, 'and I was 

 particularly anxious to raise enough corn fodder to help out so 

 prepared an acre of ground, made it rich, and stole time enough 

 about June ist to sow this to corn for fodder. The last two ven- 

 tures are just \vhere I cut off more than I could chew. The field 

 of potatoes and corn was the last straw that broke the earners 

 back, and was too much for me. I had better have left them out. 

 However, everything went all right for a time, until the corn and 

 potatoes got well started, and then I ran plump up against a 

 stump. Strawberry picking, hoeing, haying, pigs and chickens 

 were all calling for attention at the same moment. The strawber- 

 ries must be picked ; the trees must be cultivated ; the hay must 

 be cut early ; the pigs and chickens must be attended to, and so 

 on. With all these there was not a moment's time for the corn 

 and potatoes. Meanwhile the weeds and grass were having a 

 lively race with the same to see which would win. Extra help 

 could not be hired. I was in a box. Something must be done to 

 straighten things out. It would not do to neglect everything. 

 Better sacrifice one crop and save the rest. This I concluded to 

 do, and reluctantly selected the corn fodder as the one crop that 

 must live or die, and withdrew all labor and attention from it. 

 But this was not enough. Something else must be dropped, and 

 the potato patch it was this time. Relieved of this much we were 

 able to pull through in good shape, and I calculate that by ceas- 

 ing my labors and efforts on those two crops I was able to concen- 



