INDIANA   FARMER,
VOL. II.]
Devoted to Agriculture, Hortiooltare, Mechanics and the Useful Arte,
rNO. 17
?v.^.":"sr.rT,i **»*"■ \     wchmohd. ind., ma? l 1853.
1 llolleirar Sk Co.,
i FUBr.lSQERfl.
Communications for tlje .farmer.
For the Indiana Farmer.
At Home, Near Economy, Wayne Co. la.)
4th Month, 16th, 1853. j
System,
There is no one thing, that will render farming profitable and agreeable, as a due regard to
system in conducting the 'affairs of husbandry.
If this is not attended to.ina suitable and proper mariner, in vain may the farmer expect any
good result from his labor; and small will be
the profits, if we farm without system.
The great secret of successful farming, is a
thorough preparation; no Judicious farmer will
Undertake to plant, or sow ah acre of ground,
Without a previous and well conducted preparation of such soils, knowing he cannot realize
sufficient remuneration, without a systematic
ahd careful preparation. Our farming operations are conducted too much in mid-night
darkness. How many acres of land are sown in
wheat in Indiana---how many bushels produced
the past season; how many bushels of corn, ahd
how many acres planted in '52 to produce this
corn? How many acres in rye, and the number of bushels; barley, oats, flax, &c? " ■".,
The answer must be: no one knows! Here is a
most extraordinary omission, and one which
has largely contributed to the unwise, exhausting of hundreds of acres, of the best wheat
and corn lands in the state.
Nothing is so much needed, as the'annual
record of reliable and trustworthy facts, extending over the state;  setting  forth  the
Truthful statistics form the ground-work of
all reforms, of all progress. The state Legislature must aid in this great work. If "knowledge is power," ignorance is weakness; and the
removal of this weakness is one of the highest
duties of the state government. Our excellent
President of the state board says, "The large
surplus of pork grown in Indiana, demonstrates the fact that our farmers raise too much
Indian corn, in proportion to the number of acres
of improved land. This system of farming, if
not modified by the introduction of diversified
agricultural pursuits, must result in injury to
the soil and loss to the farmer. The system
ought to be changed," The Governor no
doubt come to this conclusion, from an examination ofthe census of 1850, which shows that
there were 2,263,776,. head of swine, in the
state at that time, how many of those swine,
were bought and driven out of the state to be
fatted? or how many of them were fatted in the
state? I presume no one can answer; is this as
it should be? Give us the facts, give us the statistics; No farmer will pursue a course long at
a time, that he knows to be injurious, both to
the,soil and the purse.
The same may be said of corn, how many
bushels of this valuable grain has been worse
than Wasted; (distilled) and forever lost to the
world: when so mahy are in need of bread!—
Perhaps we may not reach, 52 millions bushels
of' corn in any one season for the next ten
.years. There is a great amount lost by popular
ignorance, one per cent.onthe loss would suffice
to. remove that ignorance. Guess Work often
fails to remunerate the hard working farmer.-—
The wheat crop of the state of Michigan for
1848 was guessed to be ten'million bushels.-—
" state  for  1849 gives the
setting tortn the  productive power and value of both land ahd  la-j The census of that
bor; when employed to the best advantage.— amount at four million seven hundren and thir-
As soon as this shall be done by the state ty-nine thousand two hUhdred and ninety-nine
legislature, I think it will be seen that the labor bushels, showing an over-estimate of more than
and soil of one farmer will give twice as good' one hundred per cent. Which was a very
returns for the benefit of himself and the  com- heavy loss to the farmers of that state.    If it is
munity at large as do the labor and soil of another, although the land of both may be alike
productive.
Good ahd bad farming are now so blehded,
that delinquents escape nearly all exposure;
while such as do well, are denied that distinction which is the just reward of merit. AH
the desired imformation might be obtained
through the township assessors, ahd When demonstrated, those who fail to use their means
to the best advantage, will discover their errors
and immediately change for the better. Bring
the practical results of the art, the science, and
the energy devoted to agriculture often before
the people, and the influence of thousands of
good examples will tell powerfully in favor of
universal advancement.
right to observe system in producing an article,
why is it not right to observe system in disposing of that article? Who deserves to be richly
rewarded for the well directed efforts of producing a good article, ofthe staple of life"! The answer must be from all honest men: the one
that produced it.
I want to say that I have one of Beard &
Sinex's Empire Steel Plows, (First premium)
that can't be heat. I am now preparing my
fields for corn, (there has no kind of stock been
suffered to be on them for the last six months;)
throwing up the mellow soil fully eleven inches;
just like onion beds. Try it biother farmers,
not to tramp the ground for one season and see
if it will not pay.
JAMES H. ARNETT.