Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1875 — Is it Best to Make a Change? [ARTICLE]

Is it Best to Make a Change?

The farmer Is often puzzled by some such? difficulty as the following: If he has been cultivating wheat, as a main crop, and it fails for a season or two, he is generally ready to make a change and try something else. The low price of wool makes him inclined to sell his flock.for rttuftenv iF -beef goes ctowir flutter and cheese will suggest themselves as a substitute, and thus every partial or total failure to obtain a remunerative return, for labor or capital invested is likely-to breed discontent • and an inclination to make a change of some kind. There are at this moment, however, thousands of farmers as well as, men in other professions, who can look back a few years and see where they missed it in making what they supposed would -be a beneficial change in their business. It is an old axiom, that “to become successful one needs to become proficient,” and frequent changes are pretty certain to prevent one from reaching this point, no matter what the occupation may be. We conclude, from the’tone of the letters we frequently receive, that a considerable portion of our subscribers owning farms are constantly on the lookout for an excuse to make' a change in the kinds of crops cultivated. One farmer writes us that formerly he could raise wheat at a profit, but of late years this grain has failed to be remunerative, owing to a light yield. The price has not fallen, nor have the. seasons varied during the period named, but the yield per acre has diminished, and to this alone is attributed the present unprofitableness of the crop. Of course, when a man has arrived at this point, a change of some kind is imperative, but .whether it should be ah abandonment of a certain kind of crop, or a radical change in the system of culture, becomes a question worthy of serious consideration. If wheat has ever been a successful crop in any particular soil or region of country it is pretty, good evidence that it may be again. In fact, if history teaches us anything, it is the permanency of our leading agricultural products. From this we may conclude there is likely to be a steady demand for the principal products - of the earth, and there is no reason why our farmers should be so ready to make a change with every slight fluctuation of prices in the market. We think that an examination of the market prices of wheat, rye, corn and other leading kinds of grain for the past twenty-five years will show that a man stands abetter chance of making the culture of either one or more of Jhein a success by uninterrupted culture during a Iteng series of years than. by attempting to change occasionally to* hit the market. High prices one year are almost invariably followed by low the next, simply because a majority of our farmers have no constantly endeavoring to meet a demand as unreliable as a weathercock would be in showing the points- of the compass. This constant vacillation has been the ruin of many an otherwise good farmer; for to use a homely adage, their “ dish is bottom side up whenever it rains porridge.” But we find on the contrary that those who make a,specialty of certain crops or breeds of stock, and keep right along without wavering, regardless of the prices of their products in market, are quite sure to win in the end. We have known men near our large cities to make a very considerable fortune in raising cabbages for twenty years or more in succession" Moderate fortunes have also been made in raising tomatoes, onions, celery, asparagus and similar vegetables; but not by trying one thing for a year pr two, then another, thereby running the risk of hav ing a short or small crop in the seasons of the highest prices. Whenever a change in the products of a farm really appears to be advisable, it would be well for the owner to look over the prices for the principal articles for the previous ten years or more, and see if the average will not insure a continuance of the same. Of course we do not take into consideration any deterioration in the fertility of the soil or crops cultivated; fora man who permits this in one case is pretty certain to fail in whatever he may undertake ; hence it is scarcely worth while to offer him advice. A farmer who will permit the average yield per acre of wheat to fall from thirty to ten bushels in a dozen ye:#s, would probably neglect to feed or milk his cows, should he attempt to establish a daily; consequently a change from wheat to butter and cheese could scarcely be considered advisable. We are not disposed to argue against farmers making radical changes in systems of culture, or in the character of the products of their farm, for«thethoughtful, intelligent farmer often does it greatly to his advantage. But the constant vacillation from one extreme to another, varying the kind of products in a-vam-attempt to k-eepewen with markets. has ruined ten farmers where one has been benefitted.—A’. F. <Sizn.