Delaware State reporter., 1854-11-21
agricultural Department.
Things Necessary to the Successful Pur-
suit of Agriculture. ! y e.5 4

It would be impossible, within the precincts
Of short article, TO cover the ground occupied
by this topic. All that can be done here is to
throw out few suggestions upon the subject.
Tt is often said Of farming, :" Oh! yes, it is q
very fine thing to write about, and talk about,
but when it comes to the labor Of it, it is a
great deal of hard work for a very little money"
No doubt, as farming is generally conducted,
this is truth :-but are there no disadvantages
connected with the pursuit Of agriculture, as it
has been followed in times past and at the pre-
sent day, which would operate as strongly
against the profits Of any other occupation, as
it has done against agriculture
Among the many, let us look at few facts
Suppose a man, anxious to enter into business,
snpuia h,,y him fine store, and fit it up with
many conveniences Tor I'M sseapiinn Of Goods,
and then should find out that in so doing he
had expended all bis capital, and had nothing
left to buy goods with, would not this, even
with all the facilities Of the credit system, ham
per his prospects for business so much, as to
render his success very doubtful? And docs
not this bear o strong analogy to many cases
among farmers? We will suppose a man to
come in possession Of farm Of fifty acres Of
land, with the necessary buildings for farming
purposes, and one thousand dollars in cash.
| Now, do not state fact, when say, that in
stead of keeping the $1,000 as a capital to con-
duct the business of the farm with profit and
success, seven men out of nine would seek at
once to buy more land, investing the $1,000 in
this way, and perhaps even buying SO much
more land as to run them in debt $1,000, there
by laying them under an interest Of $50 or SO
year, besides dcpriving them of any capital
wherewith to improve their newly acquired
property In this situation, then, no matter
what man sees which might be an improve
ment, and one of very great advantage, too, to
his farm, he is obliged to let it go, g to more
convenient season." for want of means to carry
it through.
Men require capital for the successful pursuit
Of trade, commerce and manufactures. Is it at
all wonderful, then, that capital should be re-
quired for the successful pursuit of agriculture?
Nay, Is 1t not more wonderful that men can
start as they often do, with little or nothing,
make small payment upon farm, and bring
ing bone and muscle in direct opposition to
capital, after long struggle, by the aid of per-
severance and economy, finally gain the victory?
| 1t is always and ever long and desperate
struggle, this struggle Of bone and sinew against
6 or Z per cent interest. Even sage experience
often stands aghast, and sighs to think that
what it knows would pay so well, must yet be
left undone for want of means. But give a
man who can win this battle, a farm, and capi-
tai adapted to its size and situation, and my
word for 1t, he can make agriculture source Of
profit.
! will next name experience as an essential
to the successful pursuit of agriculture. Expe-
rience-ah, what volume does that one word
express Experience in trade, in commerce, in
f manufactlres-w thinks of entering into,
and hopes for success in agriculture without it
Docs the tyro in mechanics seek to build a
house before he learns to plane board Docs
he not learn his art, step by step: and is not
agriculture an art, and must it not be learned
by practice, by study, by experience With
out experience, what is it? 1t is to the wise in
, other pursuits, stumbling block. How many
men have there been, who, tired of life of toll
J amid papers and account books,--tired for
time of brick walls, of vain and empty pageant
ry,-have determined to spend the rest of their
days amid green fields and shady groves /!
r They become farmers but, alas, few qaalifica-
tions have they for this vocation. They bring
, with them habits of body and mind almost un-
t known to the agriculturist, and after spending
few years in what is to them a hermitage,
! with impaired fortunes, and disgusted with all
that appertains to agriculture they again seek
the busy marts Of trade. Had agriculture been
e to them profitable Investment, they might have
! liked it but it was losing business. Alas,
i experience was wanting to teach them how to
invest their capital
If a man has taste for agricultural puf-
: suits, and capital enough to see him safely
n through all the rudanel,ts Of the science and to
: bear him through all the hard knocks that his
0 purse will get from want of experience-if,
! in short, he has capital enough to pay for his
4 experience, and taste enough for agriculture to
!. consider it we'll spent, it may do but let nc
man Of very limited means undertake to con
} duct the business of a farm without experience
: unless he wishes to make shipwreck of his pro
Il perty. And what say here, / say again, il
not peculiar to agriculture No man can be
t. good lawyer, a good doctor, good merchant
~ good mechanic, without practice. study, expe
rience; why, then, should he be good farme
n without thema 1f tjtrr.r
OF Order, system, and econony- without these
y no man can be successful in conducting tn
is business Of a farm and if a man neglect
,rt these, capital will be expended without pro
ST. ftable return, and experience be of little avail
u He cannot expect to prosper who leaves every
er. thing at odds and ends. NJ ~, n, ~,
nd Men wonder that agriculture is not more pro
ne ftable but are too indifferent to seek for RENE
lot dies. Let us awake from this indifferenee-le
! us seek and examine-let us bring hidde'
& things to the broad daylight=+suminons chemis
re - o.oo1rn,r ,,hilosnnhv mathematics. to on