FARM MANAGEMENT. Farm manage ment may be defined as the science of the organization and management of a farm for the purpose of securing the greatest continuous profit. Many farmers have learned the art of farm management without clearly understand ing the principles involved; just as a farmer may get a good crop of corn if he by the moon, if this happens to be the right time. If the corn is planted at the right time it grows just the same, regardless of the explanation that the farmer makes. But the farmer who under stands the principles of farm management will be able to adapt his farming to new conditions more readily than will a farmer who acts by rule.
A good farmer must be a skilled husband man in the care of his crops and animals. He must invest his available capital and credit with discretion. Between many things that are needed he must choose the most essential, con sidering his capital. He must follow the most profitable type of farming for his conditions, and must have the right number of each class of animals and the right area of each kind of crops. He must know the right amount and
kind of labor for his conditions. Must so ar range his buildings and fields that they can be most profitably operated. The above are but a few of the management problems that confront the farmer.
a One of the most im portant decisions that a farmer ever makes is in his choice of a farm. So many details must be considered that unless one has had experience in buying farms he is likely to forget some of the details even though he may be an experienced farmer. Below will be found some of the ques tions which should be carefully considered by the purchaser in selecting a farm. If one ex pects to make a living on the farm, the crop producing power of the soil is the basic factor. There are some exceptions, but ordinarily what grows out of the ground determines whether or not one has a chance to make a profit.
Le Adapted to kind of farming.