TYPES OF FARMING 101 



but it took a generation to complete the change, and even 

 yet some farmers are trying to farm as if Illinois had not 

 been settled, and occasionally an experiment station still 

 attempts to foster the exterminated types of farming. 



The introduction of the hard winter wheats called for a 

 complete readjustment of agriculture in parts of Kansas 

 and Nebraska, but it took about twenty years to complete 

 the change. 



DIFFICULTY OF DETERMINING THE BEST TYPE 



74. Experience the only sure way to tell the best 

 type. From all of the preceding discussions, it will be 

 seen that there are so many factors involved that no one 

 can hope to give proper consideration to all the more or 

 less conflicting forces and tell the best type for the region, 

 without trying it. Sometimes a type pays so well or so 

 poorly as to leave no question for debate. But usually 

 it is the varying interrelations of all these and other factors 

 that determine the most profitable type, and, in most 

 regions, there are several or many types that compete 

 with each other and that one must decide between. Since 

 most of the factors are subject to frequent change, the 

 type of farming that was formerly best may at any time 

 cease to be best. 



The successful farmer must, therefore, ever be on the 

 alert to see whether he is following the best type of farm- 

 ing. But there are so many factors involved that it is 

 very difficult to tell what is best without trying it. New 

 things are always being tried. Occasionally, something 

 is found that succeeds for a series of years, and the neigh- 

 bors will then take it up. It is so difficult to balance all 

 these factors that farmers are justly very slow to change 



