3
THE BUSINESS OF FARMING
mri of Tn
LA REA
the soil to the last bit of plant food. Neither is it a profitable plan
for the tenant, as extra effort made by him is to be shared with
the landlord. This induces idleness; self contentment; shiftless-
ness ; impoverishment of soil; itineracy; lack of interest in roads,
schools, churches and other community affairs. If you rent a farm
on the shares plan, have a clause in the contract, by which you
are to have the surplus for extra undertakings. For example, if
you stock the farm with cattle or hogs you should have the increase
from these if the farm gets the fertility from the manure. Long-
term leases should be preferred to short-term leases both by your-
self and by the owner.
The Stepping-stone Plan.—A clerkship, teaching school, a
mechanical job in a shop, a farm job, or some other wage position
is often taken by a young man who fully intends after a while to
start into farming. The difficulty is that his mind may be trained
away from scientific farming. He is unable to keep up his interest
in modern agriculture and so many opportunities are offered in
cities for the spending of money, that his ideal is seldom reached.
While he 1s pursuing such work, he should start a systematic saving
plan and follow it rigidly. He should also regularly read agricul-
tural bulletins and periodicals, and perhaps pursue agricultural
courses in Saturday classes or night classes if such are available.
Going into Debt.—The national farm loan provisions have
reduced rates of interest on money invested in farm lands and farm
enterprises so that any well-trained person can readily meet the
payments under the amortization plans offered to farmers under
the national law. If a young man wishes to buy a farm he may
borrow money on the proposed farm and give the seller of the farm
a second mortgage for the balance. If the second mortgage comes
due first the seller is protected and very little original capital may
be necessary on the part of the purchaser. If such a farm is already
equipped, the buyer can, by careful management and industry,
apply modern methods and regularly meet his payments.
Choosing a Farm.—When selecting a farm several considera-
tions should be made: (1) Roads and distances to market; (2)
kinds of markets; (3) schools; (4) churches; (5) community
organizations or codperative associations; (6) taxes; (7) labor
supply; (8) prosperity of community.
Besides these general points about farms of the region one
should also consider the following about the farm in particular:
(1) Suitability of soil for the crops desired; (2) topography of
surfaces; (3) plan of the fields; (4) location of buildings with
reference to fields; (5) nearness and character of neighbors. As
