442 THE BUSINESS OF FARMING 



ment regarding the control of weeds, (h) Failure to plant, drill 

 and harvest at the proper time, (i) Bad methods in marketing. 



Overcoming Losses. The young farmer who can best over- 

 come all of these difficulties is the one who will be most successful 

 in farming. Losses along one or more of these lines will greatly 

 reduce the profits which a man would otherwise have a right to 

 expect from his farming operations. Special lines of farming are 

 usually more profitable than general farming, and yet much more 

 profit is- often made by the general farmer. More knowledge is 

 required to operate a farm running a number of lines than a farm 

 run along one special line. The corollary of this is that a man can 

 usually succeed best in a special line, but he is likely to have a 

 number of losses overtake him. He has less opportunity for 

 rotation of crops, and the consequent control of insects, diseases 

 and weeds In most special lines he has lost opportunity for dis- 

 tribution of labor throughout the year. If the market is bad for 

 his specialty his losses are more severe than if he has a number of 

 different crops to sell 



A word of encouragement should be given to the young man 

 who contemplates farming as his vocation. Read again the first 

 few paragraphs of this chapter. The farm is calling for men who 

 are willing to call themselves men, and who are willing to stand 

 up and do as well in this occupation as they would in mercantile 

 lines or professional lines. There is always room at the top, and 

 there is plenty of room for successful farmers. This business is 

 never overcrowded. The calling is dignified and elevating. If 

 the young man surrenders and says he cannot make a success of 

 farming, it will be because he decides he cannot put his best life 

 into it, and that he cannot master the intricacies of the business. 

 He is either too ignorant or too indolent. We find few complete 

 failures in farming. On the other hand, we find numerous suc- 

 cesses. In entering the agricultural field, one should aim high and 

 have the strongest ambitions, and a firm determination to succeed 

 against all adversities. 



FIELD AND LABORATORY EXERCISES 



1. Obtain prices of land in the vicinity, either from agents or owners. 

 Then calculate the average price per acre of all such places. Get also the range 

 in price per acre, and explain, if possible, the cause for the wide difference 

 found. 



2. Make a rough inventory of the farm equipment on several of the farms 

 which are included in the preceding exercise. In each case what is the per 

 cent of value of equipment and value of land, counting the total investment 

 100 per cent ? 



