AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS DEFINED AND DESCRIBED 3 



But while the farmer may be more directly dependent upon 

 Nature than are those engaged in the industries of the city, 

 he is by no means independent of his fellow men. The pioneer 

 farmer, who looked primarily to the satisfaction of the wants 

 of his own household, may have selected the crops which he 

 cultivated, without giving any thought to the needs of other 

 men ; but the modern farmer, who produces primarily for the 

 market, and procures upon the market a large share of the 

 necessaries, conveniences, and luxuries of life, is bound to take 

 into account the demands of his fellow men. The modern 

 farmer must consider the price for which the produce can be 

 sold as well as the costs of production, if he would manage his 

 farm successfully. 



This close dependence of the farmer upon physical and social 

 conditions which are subject to variation from year to year 

 makes it unprofitable for him to manage his work by rule of 

 thumb. He must follow general principles rather than specific 

 rules. He is always being required to adjust himself to new 

 commercial conditions. Demands are being made upon his 

 judgment many times in the course of each day's work, as he 

 tries to adjust his farm operations to the varying conditions of 

 soil and climate, ever holding in mind the demands of his market 

 and the cost of each of the agencies of production, namely, 

 land, labor, and equipment. It is necessary that the farmer be 

 ever alert. " It is a maxim universally agreed upon in agri- 

 culture," says Pliny, " that nothing must be done too late ; 

 and again, that everything must be done at its proper season ; 

 while there is a third precept, which reminds us that oppor- 

 tunities lost can never be regained." It is, therefore, of ex- 

 ceedingly great importance that the farmer have in mind some 

 guiding principles which, like the compass, will enable him to 

 direct his actions in accordance with a definite purpose. 



There remains until this day that class who fail to recognize 

 the presence of natural laws, and who attribute the unusual 

 success of the men of extraordinary ability to dishonesty or to 

 foul play of some sort, while to " bad luck " they ascribe the 

 results of their own lack of foresight, lack of judgment, or lack 



