CHAPTER PAGE I ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESS 1 II MEANS OF ACQUIRING LAND 14 III FARM ORGANIZATION 31 IV OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE 44 V WHERE TO LOCATE 57 VI SIZE OF FARM 64 VII SELECTION OF FARM 71 VIII THE FARM SCHEME 88 IX THE ROTATION OF CROPS 101 X THE EQUIPMENT 109 XI HOW TO ESTIMATE PROFITS 117 XII GRAIN AND HAY FARMING 135 XIII THE COST OF FARMING OPERATIONS 148 XIV THE PLACE OF INTENSIVE FARMING 162 XV REASONS FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 172 XVI RETURNS FROM ANIMALS 185 XVII FARM LABOR 195 XVIII SHIPPING 210 XIX MARKETING 220 XX LAWS AFFECTING LAND AND LABOR 233 XXI RURAL LEGISLATION 248 XXII RURAL FORCES 268 THE YOUNG FARMER: SOME THINGS HE SHOULD KNOW ---------- CHAPTER I ESSENTIALS OF SUCCESS Columella, the much traveled Spanish-Roman writer of the first century A. D., said that for successful farming three things are essential: knowledge, capital and love for the calling. This statement is just as true today as it was when written 1900 years ago by this early writer on European agriculture. Every man who loves the calling and has an ambition to become a successful farmer should understand that no two of these essentials are sufficient, but that all three are necessary. Although this is so simple as to be almost axiomatic, it is indeed surprising how few people believe a knowledge of farming is really essential to success. America is strewn with cases of failure, in farming, by men investing capital acquired in other business. In nine cases out of ten failure has been due to lack of knowledge of farming. There is known to the writer an expert mineralogist and metallurgist. On the subject of coal and gold mining he can give the most valuable information. His advice is constantly sought on all such matters. Instead of investing his money in mining, on which he is a recognized authority, he has invested it in a farm, about which he knows next to nothing. He has not even had the advantage of being raised on a farm, since his father was a railroad man.