The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-02-04

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| 1--WE do not hesitate here to take the broaC
ground TINT the men who have not abundance
the small farmer who is not free g. independent
and the person who abors at days works for
his daily bread, have a better chance for obtain
ing livelihood and means of enjoyment, TO re
main where they are, than they do to remove to
the West, even to the cheap and fertile nuvion
bottoms of the Wabash
I'm idle horse giucs no milk and makes no butter
COW S VS.. RISES.
Having read communication in the last
number OF the Cabinet, signed H., or the cost OF
keeping an idle horse, / found the sum OF
sixty dollars, as there set down, quite within the
mark, and should not know how to acconp.
llsh. for that sum by long slice, and If III. was
to take shoeing and liability to contingencies in
to the account, it would considerably swell The
aggregate account. On examining the subject
and looking little further into it, find that the
cost ofkeepIng 'one idle horse will keep two
niilch cows comtortablyI& that each cow during
the year will produce, Including a calf n cenr
gain 80 dollars, without any straining of the
point whatever This makes sixty dollars per
annum profit from the two cows which added
to the sixty dollars loss sustained by keeping IAN
idle horse, instead of the cows at the same cost
makes n difference Of two hundred and twenty
dollars year, or the interest Of two thousand
dollars for one year, and so on from year to year
as long as the error is persisted in. knew n
very worthy industrious, careful farmer, about
fifty yenrs ago, who had snug farm, and every
thing apparently in good order about him, but
he didn't thrive; when he died it was found he
was not out Of debt; and his estate was altogetl-
er much less than expected. j tried in vain
to account for it, but unable TO do, till AFTER
this long lapse Of Iim4&u now see through i,
add understand it thoroughly. / remember he
kept about dozen horses, on farm of about
| one hundred acres, and he kept them well too;
sleek, clean, nice, and we'll fed; for he was fond
of horses, and fine ones too, though he was no
sportsman. His horse stable was twice as large
in number if my memory serves right, ut this
long distance of time. Now four or five horses
would have been all sufficient for his necessary
purposes, and all over surpusage, MS the lawyers
say; say seven above the right number which
would represent, in The expense OF keeping four
teen cows. AS butter in those days only sold for
about half much as it does in these latter
times, ] put the profit Of each cow, Including
calf at one hall, say fifteen dollars year and
fifteen times fourteen is hundred and ten dol
lars n year, loss sustained by keeping seven
horses instead of IA cows.
Now, our schoolmAster, who is good at calcu-
latioiI, says that an unnua sum of 1910 put 10 in
rerest at six per cent, and like sum added to il
each year, and the interest accruing annually I've.
ing put out TO interest, that in ten years it would
amount to $2,769 96-and that in twenty years
it would he $7,724 97-in twenty-five years
$l2. O7O lin thirty years, $l6,602 2l-in for
ty years, $32, 5OO.1O.
Now this shows very plainly why the old man
died in debt, instead of having good farm for
each of his children. 1t is just as plain TO me
now as that grass grows; though for long Sc.
ries of years it was quite inexplicabe, notwh.
standing had often thought Of it, and tried to
solve'ihe mystery; but now see always went
in the wrong scent, and when you do that yc,
| never catch the game. now confirmed in
the conclusion tina. whatever understand is
| easy, and that whatever we don't understand is
difficult and mysterious. The old gentleman
was all his life travelling on the wrong track TO
arrive at Independence and wealth, and now
see many going the same road on horseback, o.
there can't he Il doubt but they will com out at
the same place with the old farmer alluded to;
for like causes always produce the same effect
under similar circumstances. Some of the old
| folks who are your readers, will very likely DE
DESTROYS of knowing who the old farmer was that
kept so many horses and SO few cows. If that
question should be asked just inform them he
has been dead great many years, but that ne
was my fnther, and. "a good father he was TOO
but he didn't seem TO think that idle horses nude
| no butter-F Farmers Cabinet