Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-12-29
AGRICULTuRAL.
From the New England Farmer.l
EASIER WAY THAN FARMING

BY lCHABOD NOE.
"What is the use in digging on the farm
where one is exposed to all sorts of weather,
wet, and cold, hot aud dry, just barely squeez.
ing along and making the ends of the year meet,
when one can work in shop where it is warm
and dry, and in the shade at least in hot wealth
erl Dig as hard as we will, we can I make as
much as those who work at boot-making and
don't work much more than halfthe time either.
Pm going to quit farming and turn one Of the
rooms of my house into shop, aud and my
boys will go to making boots, and advise you
to do the same"
81 know there arc hardships in farming, and
rather slow pay, but it's pretty sure pay, and
l believe will keep digging. 1t is said to be
hard to learn old dogs new tricks Farmers
have TO be exposed to all sorts of weather, but
if they are careful, ii is no worse than being
shut up in shop all the time and confined to a
bench"
20, man noedn'' unrk all the time on the
bench, he can make his dollar anu nan day
in the shop and not work much more than half
the time, and the rest of the time he can work
out of doors, if he has a mind to"
"Yes, but that mind to- is apt to be lacking;
have noticed in those who get accustomed to
the shop, they don't like TO go out doors to
work"
"Ah that's because it is so much easier to
work in the shop, and I'm not disposed to ex-
pose myself TO all weathers and work like dog
when ! can get along great deal easier, and a
good deal faster another way. The thing is
done with me, and advise you to follow suit
and do as all the rest Of the world-ihat are
smart enough-are doing, &c, living some
other way than digging on the farrl for ii.
Up 10 this time, these two neighboing far
mers had maintained sort of friendly rivalry
in the management of their farms Mr. Russell
the one who was going to quit farming, had the
largest, and naturally the bes, farm, but Mr.
Burton, his neiehbor, "took The papers," and
brought little more judgement and skill to bear
upon his acres, and seldom failed to raise little
the largest crops on less land Taste and in
clination, too, made farming lighierto Mr. Bur
ton that to his neighbor, who the reader has al
ready observed, thought a good deal of getting
on easily and without exposure. His sole slim
illus and principle of action IN managing his
farm, was, to get the most possible for the pres
ent, without reference to the future. Under
this system, he found that every succeeding
year required closer engineering to make the
ends meet, and this, too notwithstanding his
two boys had got big enough to do almost a
days work each. Mr.. Burton had followed
quite another system in the management of his
farm, and by the help OF his boys, who were
twins, about the age of Mr. Russe's second boy
he found his income from the farm slightly n-
creasing. Farming at that time was at a pretty
low ebb, and every body, as Mr.. Russell said,
seemed to be leaving i, 10 get a living and prop
eTty some other way.
The most casual observer would see at a glance
that Mr.. Russell was not a man Of much taste,
from the appearance and arrangement of his
buildings. His house, which he had built him
self, stood close by the roadside, and his barn
stood nearly opposite 10 the house or the other
side, still nearer the road than the honse. No
trees or shrubs sheltered or adorned either the
house or barn. His neighbor Burions was
somewhat unlike this. His place manifested
no particular refinement Of taste, but it had
different ''air" about it. 1t stood farther back
from the road, and had several fine large cherry
trees near it, and two towering pear trees, and
there were shrubs and flowers around aud near
it, which gave it cheerful aspect. And then
the barn and out-buildings were back from the
house, and nearly out of sight, hid by the ap-
pie trees between them and the house.
Mr.. Russell had the shop-room soon finished
of, and a hand hired to come and learn both
himself and sons TO make boots. lie had three
sons in all, but the youngest was too young to
do much; he had one daughter. Mr. Burton
had two sons-ihe Withstand three daughters
Russell applied himself with will 10 his now
trade, and Burton dug away upon the farm, with
perhaps, little more energy and determination
than ever. For two or three years Russell gain
cd upon his neighbor in worldly thrift. Times
in his new business were good, and money low-
ed in easily, but, some how, it seemed to get a.
way unaecountably fast The first season alter
Russell aud his sons begun on their boot-making
they planted piece to potatoes and small
patch of corn, and had what was called gar
den too. but it was very little attention they all
got. Occasionally Mr.. Russell himself would
get out with hoe, but the boys usually shun-
ned that kind Of recreation, and after the first
season, they all concluded ihey1had rather take
few more stitches, or drive few more pegs
day, and buy what was needed in the family
in preference to working out doors for exercise
to raise it, and to take their exercise in more
agreeable ways. But these agreeable ways
were extremely apt to cost money in some shape
or to lead to it, a: least. A "quarter" or tloo
every little while, and dollar nov and then,
were but trfes, and soon earned So it went
TO the end Of the year, when it was found that
there were not half the "shot in the locker"
they expected 10 see there when the year be-
gan.
One cause of this was found to he owing to
the amount Of doctors bills they had 10 pay ;
for, from some cause or other, there had been a
good deal of sickness IN the family of late. In
the winter they were some of them on the bor-
ders Of fever from terrible cold" and in
summer all sorts Of complaints troubled them.
lint, Notwithstanding all these "pull backs, .
hey made more money than they did at farming
and could sec more al The end of the year.
Meantime farmer Burton kept on the even