Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-10-19
From the Farmer. Monrhlr yl..,o.

CAPTAIN TOPLIFF-THE SAILOR FARMER
Oi all men not bred farming who when tho s,rI;.s
Pa'Oi NE over fancy retirement green fields and sing
ing oirds perhaps seaiarng succeed the hes, Won,
merchant ouys farm spends ms money freely sets opt
ms trees m avenues; has plenty of heads besides his o
10 uee MN IN the operations; and with almost all 9th
eT calngs but exception has been noticed in the CO.
captain ne knows nothing OF farming but ne comes 10 il
naturally and kindly. In the first place habits have bss
formed for anticipation he is ever looking .bo,J IS ~
time to be in readiness when the wind shifts and gsne-i
anticipates the change He is accustomed 10 Commend
ana !" iee that the responsibility upon him. thar he
ms own counsel only, and follows advice but his own
and then the ireacherous elements of wind and ~
onsh him TO have place for every thing and every hing
IN plsce-a practice that is both time and money 10 the
farmer. ~ -'
have known a number OF instances where men. who
"n some foTtyvo or fifty years age poughed the deem
took their savings and bought small farms and thew ao
always make the ends meet They generally locse irbin
sigGt or smell Of the ocean, and are AMONG those bo
W seen IN neat h'ie boat in summer gliding over the
waves o. our inner hsrbors, taking fish and then -
turning 10 their little homes; for one OF their rncri,s :;
never TO purchase much land.
ihese farmers too now why, apt to be distar
IN their manners; they do generally associate fiJ
y wan the neighbors but maintain towards them sor
s!p-ooard oisance but when they approached on -
slness are courteous aud polite
One OF these captains who in the merchant s.,,s ~
accumulated comfortable property bought an estate some
Two hundred miles from the sea shore in the &c ire q,
"n,eh was nj! That commanded fine prospect o. land
and water The hill tie only uncleared land unon ,b
place, and although there very suitable house mon
me road which bordered upon side our capiain
erected small one on the the hill
rooms and Kitchen having little balcony or look oit
place tOs hs summer afternoons and his long mas, be,d
telescope The building OF this house began the wonder
no workmen OF the neghLorhood were emnlovsJ. :, o.,
framed at the town, and actually put mn batro
any one knew he intended 20 build one
In the next place he excluded number OF idle person.
SIos 20 SNOW what ne was about by ordering them of
MS premises His farm hands were Germans who had
not yet learned enough Of the language to conver bes
Were put into the house by the road side and formed ~
OF advanced guard TO the captain AID owner farther inland
tailed horse 10 and fro, the Parson attempted TO ak NJ
SIT but was told mot at home" The farm began To wear
hne appearance, rs he early aud late with bs
Workmen ana II some OF the neghbors ventured 10 ask
nun by way OF Introduction Whist he intended to plant in the
Ied nc might be ploughng, he would answer in manner
that discouraged farther inquiry and turn the other y,y
AL thought him rch some called him o,bor "a
mat he had been crossed in love- which was found
ea upon the circumstance that he was bachelor His
work was all done in good time-hs crops well adap,ed
10 MS and ana many said that he have been farmer
IN cary life. Curiosity grew from dsy +, 6oy "XVb,t
sort OF man i " would inquire some vonn
ladies' who had expected that the Pason wold ceI,iny
be able to tell all about him, "Wha can he he don ill.,
with that glass they gsten az he aimed il daily
upon the ocean. "Heis the proude creature in the world
10 one" ppm
But how this wonder increased when one afternoon
SIX FOUNDER iron cannon with ship's gun carriage was
brought from the port and anted near HE bo
upon the hill. The whole neighborhood was in con-
notion the news spread from house to house Nobody
mas threatened him that know Of" said very pretty wi
What was their astonishmcn the following cain, NOR,
ing "hen NJ dawn the six FOUNDER heard for SIX miles
around Every listened; those in doors came ou-but
one hc all. Again the setting of the sun b,ry !,
went and the smoke in little cloud above the honse
at the top Of the hill Day day and week after ,yeek
th was repeated and the hands were seen 10 turn out t
labor when the gun was heard and evening they left the
held and went home upon the same signal
some boys who went 10 what they could discover
u VINO CieP through the bushes 10 quite the house.
reported that at the Captain rung the bell mon
wi harn
and touched of the gun. He then reloaded IL, threw
painted cover and retired Curiosity ike plont has
us growth maturity and decline and this csse after eb
fee months OF iuiuess endeayors, began In wear away
and no other notice taken than passing remark or
heTe goes the Captain who lives The hill and fires the
big grn."
A. wonder diminished also did the 6esir. Il, ,,,t. :,
and when nobody appeared notice or cae for what he
was about he began 70 show disposition to give the in
formation.
BY degrees, Captain Toplf was found ont ,o bs ,r;,.
IKE other people Tie babe the neghbors good morning
and submitted all his plans OF farming operations and n
ay one asked his advcc he without hesitation and
what appeared rather surprising his views upon farming
was 80 iraugh with wisdom, that who had cultivated
the soil all their lives proed by his advice and wondered
whore lac could have got his knowledge
10 the third year Of his residence his farm was admitted
be the productive and best IN the whole town q,
equal dimensions and or the meeting Of the Agricultural
Society, which he joined, he upon being compmcntcd
with premum) asked how 10 could possibly Happen that
man who had until 50 recently all his life, followed the sea
could be 50 excellent practical farmer His answer was
that before going his last voyage having made IN his
nnd 70 quit the ocean for the land he purchased what he
considered the cheapest article OF the book kind the whole
series from the commencement, OF agricultural pubca
hon This Ee read upon The voyage snd bringing his udg
nent 70 the selection of what valuable he found Inc
Was ~ home the moment hc took possession Of the farm
Bot for this circumstance, doubt that this effort
would have been failure, nearly sol And perhaps no
money that u expended produces such enormous nc-
ct ne that for the periodicals upon farming
Capt Toph was acquainted with al the neiyh
bor' and among them with Deacon Morey whose three
Youngest daughters had sl married IN the neighbshood
Nahby, TIE eldest aud like other oldest daugters
Lhn cau-hl. nL Lha l..... ~. 9. -