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Farm Management
Chapter I
Development of Modern Agriculture
1. Primitive Agriculture. Historical writers agree that in early days, the inhabitants of the earth gained a livelihood by hunting and fishing. When the population of a region became so dense as to deplete the supplies of food to be gained in this way, the more enterprising ones tamed and domesticated some of the wild animals for their own use. These animals were given protection and provided with food so that they multiplied rapidly. In this way a supply of meat was insured for those who cared for and protected them. From hunting and fishing the people turned to such pursuits as grazing and herding, and gave much of their time to caring for animals. This was known as the pastoral stage of subsistence. It was more reliable than hunting and fishing for several reasons. By protecting the domesticated animals from the beasts of prey and driving away the less useful animals, larger numbers of useful animals were enabled to live in a given region. Food supplies of meat were therefore more plentiful and certain.
This custom of providing food supplies for animals led to the discovery that certain plants were better adapted for food than others. To raise these desirable plants in abundance it became necessary to destroy other plants that were not so useful, but which contended with the useful plants for possession of the soil. This may be said to be the beginning of agriculture. At least it was the first indication of the organization of nature's forces
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to meet the needs of man. The demand for land for grazing and tilling purposes led to mutual agreements for territory which should be used for such purposes by certain persons or tribes, and is the first suggestion of land allotment or ownership.
2. British Agriculture. The agriculture of England has passed through many different stages. Because of scarcity of agricultural laborers between 1350 and 1375, many of the owners of large estates were forced to change their system of farming. Previous to that time most of the tillable land had been devoted to grain raising, bread being the chief article of food. Then the land was changed into pasture, and sheep and cattle raising took a prominent place in British agriculture.
[Fig. 1.--An American farm home]
The greatest development came about the middle of the seventeenth century with the introduction o fclover and turnips as field crops. The chief advantage in these crops was the increased amount of feed, which enabled the farmer to keep more cattle on his land. Keeping of cattle gave manure that was applied to the land and resulted in better handling of the farms. The turnips took the place of bare fallowing which had previously been practiced, thus enabling the farmer to use all of his land each year.
Improved methods of tillage followed rapidly. About the first of the eighteenth century Jethro Tull started the practice of drilling the grain in rows, later advocating tillage between the rows, and inventing implements for the work. Lord Townshend,
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about the same time began the rotation of crops, greatly improving the producing power of his land thereby. Another notable man in British agriculture is Coke of Holkham, who like his predecessors grew turnips and clover, but who also studied economical management of his farm. He reduced the number of horses used in plow teams and increased greatly the efficiency of his live stock. Following the work of these three men, farming became a gentleman's profession in England and progress since has been rapid. The development and improvement of
[Fig. 2.--One of the old style reapers. Grain was cut and left on the ground unbound. This method of harvesting required a large amount of man labor.]
live stock has received so much attention at the hands of British breeders that the whole world practically has been drawn to their markets for foundation stock.
3. American Agriculture. The agriculture of America has been developed largely from the methods followed on the British Isles. The American colonists brought with them the customs of the British farmers and have since gone frequently to the mother country for improved seeds, for live stock, and even for men to do certain parts of the farm labor, as for instance, caring for the more valuable imported stock.
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The development of agriculture during colonial days was slow and full of hardship. The British and European methods of agriculture required re-adapting to the new conditions. The people were forced to live a new kind of life, to clear land of trees and stones, and to learn by experience what crops were adapted and what methods of tillage would succeed. From the Indians they learned how to grow corn and tobacco, which have ever since been two of our important crops. From them also
[Fig. 3.--A modern self-binding harvester. One man cuts and binds all of the grain and carries the bundles into windrows. One man can shock the grain after the harvester. Two men in this way do the work of the six that were required to operate the old style reaper.]
they learned many of the secrets of soil and climate. The agricultural development proceeded along two lines. In the South large plantations with negro slaves as laborers were established. Such establishments were practically self-sustaining because they supplied nearly all articles of food and clothing. In the North the family farm was developed largely and the labor of the farm was performed mainly by the farmer and his family. The conditions existing in the North encouraged the cooperative spirit and developed sociability among the
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people. Land in either section was abundant and the greatest problem in the management of farms waws that of economizing labor.
The colonial development was along the eastern sea coast. Following the Revolutionary war, settlement moved westward beyond the Alleghany Mountains and into the Great Central Basin. The invention of the cotton gin about 1793, and the development of the cotton industry, changed rapidly the systems of farming in the South. Slavery became greatly extended to provide cheap labor for the cotton fields, and probably had much to do with the rapid settlement of the southern states.
[Fig. 4.--One of the early types of plows.]
Cotton and tobacco growing were the leading industries in these states and agricultural improvement was slow because labor was cheap as compared with that in the northern states and the use of improved machinery was not so imperative.
Migration westward was encouraged by the opening of the Northwest Territory in 1785. A liberal land policy on the part of the National Government and the discovery of gold in California served to stimulate the movement westward and aided the rapid settlement and development of the great prairie regions of the Mississippi Valley. The invention and perfection of farm machinery, begun about 1825 to 1830 and continued to the present time, has also been a great factor in the development of agriculture in America. The reaper, invented in 1831-1834,
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the thresher, perfected about 1850, and steel plows for turning the soil, manufactured since 1840, have had a great influence on the agriculture of the northern states which were especially interested in grain and corn raising.
Live stock raising was followed to some extent in the northern states also, but received great impetus about 1839 by the importation of the English thoroughbred stallion "Denmark" into Kentucky. Percheron draft horses from France were also introduced soon after. Corn raising on the western prairies stimulated greatly the growing of hogs. Cattle raising on
[Fig. 5.--Gasoline tractor drawing 12 plow bottoms. Tractors are used quite extensively on the large prairie farms. A tractor may be used for drawing many farm implements other than the plow.]
the vast prairies also was greatly extended during this period. Dairying began to develop about 1850. The improvement of machinery and the increase in stock and grain raising went on steadily in the northern states, not being interrupted seriously even by the Civil War. In the South where cotton and tobacco grown on large plantations by slave labor were the main crops, agriculture was seriously demoralized by the war which set free the slaves, thus destroying the source of cheap labor. Several years were required to build up a new system of agricultural production and to adjust labor problems, but the agriculture of the South is now on a much better basis.
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During the past twenty-five years agricultural development has been particularly rapid. The establishment of experiment stations in 1888 in every state in the Union, through the passage by Congress of the Hatch Act in 1887, and the development of Agricultural schools and colleges has led to a systematic application of science to agriculture. Crop growing has become much more certain and live stock growing has been largely developed. The occupation and settlement of the prairie lands, the perfection of machinery, and extended opportunities for agricultural education, have been large factors in improving conditions for farming. In the days of abundant land, large holdings were secured by many farmers. The tendency in later years is to reduce somwhat the size of farms and to take up more intensive forms of agriculture. Greater efficiency is demanded in the management of farms in order that greater profits may be realized by the tiller of the soil.
4. Farming Must Be Organized. During the period of cheap land and comparatively cheap labor, many crops were raised which do not under existing conditions, yield a profit. Methods of tilling the land and handling the crops that were followed during that period would not now give large enough yields to support the farmers and their families. Crops and methods of tillage must be readjusted to meet the changed economic conditions and satisfy the demands of the rapidly growing population for food stuffs. The practice of grain raising so prevalent in many portions of the United States must give way to live stock raising, fruit and vegetable growing and other more intensive systems of agriculture. A great variety of crops and a larger supply of all food stuffs and clothing material is required by the present population. The value of the agricultural products in the United States in 1910 was $8,694,000,000. The total value of all live stock on farms in the United States in 1910 was $4,925,000,000. The demand is constantly increasing. The future supply of these commodities is a matter demanding the most serious consideration.
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It is important that the old soil robbing types of farming be superseded by more conservative methods; that the land be so tilled that it will bring the largest crops at the least expense of soil fertility; and that these crops be used or fed as near as possible to the land upon which they were grown, the manures and crop residues being returned to the soil. It is important also that the farmer receive a fair compensation for his labor. Crops must be selected that pay the best profits. These will differ in different years and localities. The farmer, therefore,
[Fig. 6.--A steel beamed walking plow such as is commonly used by many farmers.]
must learn to select wisely and manage well so as to make a reasonable profit on his labor and investments.
The business of farming is constantly becoming more complex. The keen demand for land, the scarcity of labor, the desire for financial gain and the call of the city residents for supplies are acting as a spur for still greater effort. To meet these demands a new science is being developed which aims to correlate the various factors entering into the farmers' business so that it will be certain and remunerative. An effort is being made to organize the business of farming so that it may provide for the needs of the present generation without exhausting the source of supplies for generations yet to come. This new science is called Farm Management.
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