Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-01-08
agricultural.

A TALK ON ORDERLY FARMING

A TALK ON ORDERLY FARMING.
There is so much disorderly farming in
vogue. we have thought we might do a useful
service in drawing picture of the opposite
we mean style of husbandry which has a
place aud time for everything and docs every
thing in its place and time which seeks, in
short, TO carry on all the operations Of the
farm in the best possible manner. Il cannot
be denied that very many farmers lack the
quality TO which we here allude. They pillow
and manure, and rotate crops they BUY,
raise and sell stock, and manage their house
hold affairs, very much at hap-hazard, with
little forcthought and method We arc well
aware that il is hard to resist the power of
bad example that It is easy to do as our
neighbors do around that unforeseen circum-
stances will arise to break in upon the best
matured system we admit all this yet we
know that it is best to reduce our style Of
farming to a well-dgestod plan. and to strive
by all means to make circumstances bend to
that plan. BY firm resolution and energy,
more can be done in this matter than is often
supposed. There is meaning in the old pro-
verbs that "Fortune iavors the brave and
that "The lucky man is generally the ener-
gctic and Industrious man But now to our
picture -
HEALTH.
The orderly farmer takes care Of his health.
He does not expose himself unnecessarily to
wet and cold does not go with damp feet
and insufficient clothing; does not oyerwork
himself in planting time, and in haying and
harvesting does not worry himself with un-
due anxiety about the weather. or the success /
Of crops, and so expose himself TO the assaults |
of disease. lie keeps his head cool his heart
cheerful, his passions under control, and
builds up and fortfcs his ctidcl Of strength
i1at he is seldom interrupted in his daily la
bors.
nUfLDINOs.
Look now at his buildings. His dwelling
house is not indeed, prcntentious; that /
would be ont Of keeping with the character Of
the man, and Of his employment but it is .
cmfortablc, convenient, neat It is roomy
kc his heart. tits good protection against .
al the vicissitudcs Of the seasons. What
e,acious cellar How well arranged for stor-
Ing all kinds Of fruit and vegetables, and the .
y1rious other articles needful in good house /
aepng. And then, it is frost proof and rat /
proof and is kept as "neat pin. The /
rioms abovc-ground are planned for convo-
n'ence in dispatchng household duties. The /
prior and living-room look attractive; kitch /
c., pantrics, closets, milk-room, wood house, /
well-house cistern. sinks and drains. arc all
Just where they should be, or as near to that
possible. His barns and other out-build- /
ings have no ginger bread work about them,
bit they are substantial, suited to their pur-
p'ser and are kept in repair.
FENCES.
Glance at his fences. Some of them are
tie old Virginia rail, but they are not suffer
c to become tipsy some Of them are post
I'd board and here and there hedges are be- /
ginning to appear. He is not yet perfectly I
satisfied with any hedge-plant for perma-
mt farm fence. The bnckthorn is hardly
tiorny enough to turn cattle the thorn-lo-
ist is rampant, and needs considerable care,
bit answers tolerable we'll The Usage or
ulge is just the thing, if it proves hardy G.
nough for his climate He is giving it a /
thorough trial. But whatever kind of fence
he may have for any field. he does not suffer
it to become dlapdated Good fences, he
knows, have much to do in making good
neighbors; he values his own peace of mind
80 highly-saying nothing about his crops
to leave his fields exposed to the nroads of
vicious cattle Broken rails are, therefore,
replaced with new ones, and il board gets
off, 1t is soon observed and nailed on again.
MODE OF TGIIAGE.
Notice his mode of tllage AS ground /
work of the whole he has drained his low |
swampy lands, and not those only, but other /
parts of his farm which were found to have /
superabundant moisture at any season of the /
year. He was systematic even in doing this /
1t would have cost too much labor and l
money TO have undertaken all at once So
he distributed the work through several years /
doing the most important first, and the re-
mainder as time and means permitted And (
the work pays as it goes. Thorough blowing
and manuring go hand in hand with draining,
The sknning system he leaves for others ;
has plows are Of the kind which go down into I
the soil, not merely scratch the surface. No
manures are wasted on his premises they
are never so highly concentrated as to need |
dilution by exposure TO rain and sun and |
wind. If anything of this sort is needed, he
thinks it best to incorporate with them muck
or straw, and to lay them up in heaps, under
sheds or in barn-cellars. Nor does he con
fine his work to a single season. The we'll |
prepared field is sown or planted with good /
seed, and then it is we'll titled throughout
the summer. The cultivator and hoe are kept
always bright, the soil kept mellow, the crops
always growing, and the weeds kept in con
slant subsection
IMPLEMENTS, SEEDS, AND srock
His selection Of these is worthy of notice |
He likes not to make farming an unnecessary
drudgery. Hence, whenever he can find !
machine that will economically save human |
labor, he buys il at once. He takes pains to |
inform himself as to the best patterns, that he
may not be imposed epon by unprincipled /
vendors. So in the choice of seeds lie is /
careful to save from his own crops those which !
mature the earliest, and develope themselves
in the best manner. And, lest they should
deteriorate somewhat, by being too long grown
on the same soil, he exchanges with orderly
farmers in other places. If he learns of new
varieties which promise well, he does not
scout them at once as humbugs. He goes to
reliable sources Of information. or he makes
careful experiments and then adopts OF re-
jects the new conner its merits seems to re-
quire. He is not afraid to prove new things.
yet is quite sure to hold fast to the old which
are known to be good. The same system is
shown in his purchases and care of stock
He is not ignorant of the respective merits Of
imported breeds; but whatever the "blood"
of his animals, they are well cared for. They
are well housed, supplied with food and wa
ter in abundance, and at regular hours
BOOKS.
Our last glance will be at his book-c ase-