Rensselaer Union, Volume 11, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 February 1879 — Adaptation in Agriculture. [ARTICLE]

Adaptation in Agriculture.

One of the most prolific sources of disappointment and loss in agricultural pursuits is the failure of those engaged in them to comprehend what may be termed the principles of adaptation. ( These apply not only to the adaptation of certain plants and animals to certain soils and climates, but to the various conditions under which the farmer finds himself obliged to labor. Overlooking these considerations, farmers are constantly going astray, and wasting time and labor in trying to do what had better be let alone. They will perhaps try to raise wheat and oats on land only .adapted to rye and buckwheat, and then wonder why some of their neighbors succeed while they constantly fail to make such crops profitable. Experience has shown that there are extensive regions or belts of country adapted to wheat—others to corn, cotton, rice and similar staple crops; and, while these crops may grow in localities outside of the more favorable regions, they seldom or never reach such a degree of perfection as to enable the farmer to derive any considerable profit from their cultivation. The same is true of fruits, there being extensive apple, pear, plum and peachgrowing regions, where, perhaps, several kinds succeed equally well, and seem to grow almost spontaneously, while even in as rich a soil and apparently better climate, not many miles distant, they fail to produce remunerative crops, or the trees refuse to grow at all.

What is true of different kinds of grains and fruits is of animals, and the farmers of one State may be able to produce beef, pork, mutton or dairy products for much less than those of an adjoining one, the difference not being due to skill, but to the better adaptation of the soil and climate to the animals or the plants required for their sustenance. Looking at the subject in this light, it might be supposed that when a farmer discovers what kinds of plants or animals are Best adapted to his locality, he would make these a specialty to the exclusion of all others. As a rule, this would be the best thing for him to do, but there are exceptions which deserve careful attention. For instance, he may have a soil and climate especially adapted to raising hay, and at the same time be so situated that there is no market for this crop, or he 'tnay be able to raise 000 bushels of potatoes per acre, and then not be able to get as much for his crop as the man nearer to market can got for one-fifth of that number of bushels. Corn is now selling at ten cents a bushel In some of the Western States, and, although it may cost less to raise than in the Eastern States, it is not worth as much; consequently, the advantages in the way of producing the crop are more than offset in the price when sold. The farmer must not be satisfied in determining the most productive crop, but must look further and ascertain which will bring him the most money. If near market he can take advantage of his location and raise perishable articles, or those which will not withstand being transported long distances, and thereby avoid, in a measure, competition with those who may possess cheaper and better lands. It would be idle for the orchardists of Central New York to undertake to compete with those of Florida in raising oranges audjeinon** and equally so for those pf the latter State to attempt the cultivation of pears and apples. Numbers of our subscribers in the Southern States have written that there was nothing to prevent the making of butter and cheese and the raising of dairy stock to an unlimited extent in the region of country from which they address us; but we fear they overlooked this little, matter of adaptation, and the fact that no warm climate has ever been noted for its dairy products any more than cold ones have for their yield of tropical fruits. Every State in the Vnion has its peculiarities in both soil ana Climate, as well as its advantages andtjisadvantages in the way of means of' transportation and convenience to markets, and the farmers in each have only to study theso carefully to ascertain, just what cropsdt is best for them to raise in order to obtain "the best return for their labor. -There Is not only an adaptation trpiKßtrwa aonnais-to soils- andolimates, but an adaptation of men to certain kinds or branches of business. Some men seem tV, delight in raising animals, Or, to use a common phrase,

, * , be especially cut out” for that branch of farming, and, in such oases, thev are far more likely to succeed as stock or dairymen than those whose taste or inclinatlpn. is for raising grain. We do not believe-therfe is any material difference in regard to the profitableness of either branch; all more or less deKinds upon the men conducting them. either have we ever been able to discover that anv one State or any particular region of the country possessed a majority of the natural advantages common to the whole in the way of climate and soil, but the success of the residents was due more to their study and Agplioation of the principles of adaptatiotrofmeans to produce certain results than to anything else.— N. Y. Sun. WaKMTti and cleanliness will keep the. young calves in a good conditioi with light feeding, while, without these he*vy feeding will do more harm thar good- It is useless to over-feed young animals in the effort to make up fo> the want of care.— Stale Register.