1840. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



107 



ECONOMY OF FARMING. 

 KY &GRIC01 v. 



In every department of industry, except that of the 

 farmer, special effort is made to cheapen the i upense 

 of producing articles of manufacture. This lias re- 

 sulted in diminishing also the price at which articles 

 arc sold, though the profits to the manufacturer, from 

 the extensive sale of his articles, are larger than for- 

 merly. Why then, may it BOt with propriety he ask- 

 ed, does the farmer in must instances continue in the 

 beaten track of olden time, instead of availing him- 

 self of the facilities which have been furnished him 

 for cheapening the cultivation of his farm? How 

 many farmers content, themselves with a preparation 

 for a single crop, instead of adopting a system of 

 manuring that will, by a proper rotation, be availa- 

 ble for a succession of crops. How little attention 

 is given, after all, to systems which have been adopt- 

 ed, by which the products of many farms have been 

 largely increased, and the expenses of cultivation, 

 by the use of improved implements and the right 

 use of manures, have been very materially lessened. 



Now it must be evident, that any farmer who 

 does not avail himself of the means within his reach, 

 and thus economise the expenses of his farm, is pur- 

 suing a course that must result in great loss, and in 

 permanent injury. It may be said, and doubtless tru- 

 ly, that this deficiency arises from want of informa- 

 tion. But are not our agricultural journals publish- 

 ed at such rates as to bring not only one, but several 

 within the means of every farmer ? and can it be ex- 

 cusable in a farmer, to make his ignorance his apolo- 

 gy, when the necessary means of information are 

 placed within his reach ? Our farmers read far too 

 little of what is going on in the world around them. 

 In the pages of cur agricultural journals, in the pro- 

 ceedings of our agricultural societies, information is 

 afforded that would enable one of these farmers great- 

 ly to increase his income, while at the same time his 

 farm would he rising in value and increasing in fer- 

 tility. Let me then urge upon the farmers of our 

 country to patronise liberally the agricultural press. 

 Give to their columns the results of experience on 

 their every farm — add to the usefulness of these works 

 by contributing the results of their observations — 

 and thus make these papers what the editors desire 

 them to be, the repository of the experience of prac- 

 tical farmers. Were this done, I doubt not, econo- 

 my in the management of the farm would prevail 

 every where, as it now does in comparatively few lo- 

 calities. 



In addition to this let the farmers unite in town, 

 county and State associations for the improvement 

 of agriculture. Here a farmer meets his brother far- 

 mer, canvasses the methods of farming pursued, 

 hears what others may advance in favor of new 

 methods of cropping and culture ; his own mind is 

 quickened, his desire for improvement is aroused, and 

 I hesitate not to affirm, that an advance will result 

 from this intercourse. The mind of the farmer must 

 be aroused — he must become a thinking as well as a 

 working farmer — and whoever knew the thinking, re- 

 flecting farmer who was not, in the main, a success- 

 ful one? Encourage also the introduction of agri- 

 cultural education into schools — and the establish- 

 ment of institutions for the especial benefit of the 

 agricultural class. Why should not this be done ? 

 Do they not deserve this at the hands of their legis- 

 lators ? Shall it be said, that the farmer who feeds 

 all, who mainly contributes to the support of govern- 



ment, is net entitled to any special effort to enable 

 him to rightly improve his mind lor the noble pur- 

 suit which he has chosen ? I will not for a moment 

 believe, that this subject will he permitted to sleep, 



alter the farmer shall have examined it at his fire- 

 side, with that attentive consideration which he gives 

 to the matters that ordinarily are the BubjectS of ex- 

 amination. The result of this, if carried out, will 

 be a better race of farmers — more perfect manage- 

 ment of the farm — better husbandry and better crops; 

 in short, economy in farming will be produced — di- 

 minished expenditures and increased returns. 



Much might be accomplished towards attaining 

 the object suggested, economy, if the farmer should 

 become as systematic in his accounts with his farm 

 as he is with individuals. I am pleased to learn that 

 many of our farmers arc adopting this system in their 

 operations. Not long since I was permitted to look 

 at a farmer's account for the year — and I found a 

 statement, with all the necessary' facts to substanti- 

 ate it, of the expense of all his crops — that is, what 

 each had cost him per bushel. Thus, wheat 38 cents, 

 oats 13, barley 29, beans 37, &tc, &c. Now who 

 cannot see, that this farmer can at once determine 

 whether the course he is pursuing is the one best for 

 his interest, or whether a change is necessary? — and 

 if so, he knows where to make it. I would press 

 this matter home to every farmer. Be systematic in 

 all your operations, and thus you will be enabled to 

 decide at once which course is best for you to pursue. 



I wxmld urge upon every farmer who makes the 

 production of grain his leading object, to pay partic- 

 ular attention to the cleaning of his lands. Let this 

 be attended to with the most scrupulous care ; give 

 to your grain all the nutrition the land can yield, and 

 let not the weeds interfere with its full development, 

 and you will be satisfied with the result. This is a 

 matter far too little attended to in this country — and 

 yet upon it depends the complete success of the far- 

 mer in raising grain. He may manure thoroughly, 

 his seed may be good, his land thoroughly pulverised, 

 yet if he neglects his crops, and suffers the weeds 

 and grass to usurp a portion of the nutriment from 

 the soil, a diminished crop will convince the farmer, 

 that a wise economy has not attended his operations. 



While improvements (so called) are often made at 

 an expense that far outweighs the return of the 

 crops, the farmer hearing of them is led to say, it is 

 useless totnake the attempt, for it will be ruinous ; 

 but if he will for a moment reflect, that this is not 

 improvement which leads to such ruinous results, but 

 improvement means increased products at diminished 

 expenditure in cultivating the soil, by the aids of im- 

 proved implements and machinery, and a careful hus- 

 banding of the manure of the farm. And is not this 

 desirable, is it not attainable ? I greatly mistake, if the 

 farmer will carefully follow out the suggestions here- 

 in made, with such other aids as experience has 

 shown to be useful, he cannot fail of success, and in 

 the end will learn the true secret of success, in the 

 economy of the farm. 



Cure for Founder. — "The seeds of sun-flowers," 

 says a correspondent of the Zanesville Gazette, "aro 

 one of the best remedies known for the cure of foun- 

 der in horses. Immediately on discovering that your 

 horso is foundered, mix about a pint of the whole 

 seffd in his feed, and it will effect a perfect cure." — 

 The seed should be given as soon as it is discovered 

 that the horse is foundered. 



