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the potato crop for its farm income. That section has such 

 ideal conditions for potato growing that a good crop is almost 

 sure. When something happens to the crop in other sections 

 of the country, so that prices are high, the Aroostook farmer 

 makes a "killing;" when there is a big crop in the country 

 and prices are low he loses, but the general average is in his 

 favor, so it pajs better to concentrate on potatoes. Personally, 

 however, I would not care to run the risk, and prefer to have 

 three or four specialties so that if one fails the others may 

 make up the loss. 



Another way of avoiding market risks is to contract for the 

 crop at a stated price. I have done this with string beans 

 and potatoes with good success, but the average is probably 

 not much better than to take one's chances in the market. It 

 is always good policy for a farmer to study market conditions 

 and crop-planting tendencies and vary his crop acreages within 

 certain limits accordingly, although in the long run it is perhaps 

 best to plan out a steady course and keep to it. The man who 

 plunges into certain crops now and then in speculative fashion 

 usually owns supplies w^hen prices are low, and is out when 

 prices are high. Even though acreages planted to a crop are 

 unusually large, we always have the possibility of unfavorable 

 growing conditions which will cut short the crop of the un- 

 skilled grower and reduce the production. I am of the opinion 

 that the man who diversifies his crops, who contracts for a 

 portion if his financial condition is not such as to enable him 

 to stand a bad year, and who is a skilled grower so that he 

 can raise good crops in a bad year when prices are high, will 

 not suffer in the long run from market risks. 



Now if we have done our best to control all the factors we 

 have enumerated, if we have carefully prepared our land for 

 the worst season that may come, if we have sown good seed 

 and have had enough labor and machinery to handle our work 

 carefully and promptly, then in the words of Paul, "having 

 done all," it is ours "to stand" and take what comes. There 

 will perhaps still be some near failures, but from my experience 

 I believe they will be few. Nature is exacting but not fickle. 

 He who learns her laws and how to co-operate with her will 

 find her ready to yield her bounty. 



