The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-12-24
agricultural.
FARMERS DISCOURAGEMENTS,

FARMERS DISCOURAGEMENTS.
Say what we may of the pleasures and
desirableness of the rofession of the farmer,
it will often he found full of difficulty and
encouragement. Especially to those whose
out look Is crcnmscribed by the present time
and scene, there will be many seasons of
darkness and disaster when hope wanes, and
a feeling Of loss and failure beyond recovery
or repair, will ia Il upon the heart. This is
true of members Of every calling, TO doubt.
and it may be true, too, that the farmer will
rise above such thoughts-will find new
hopes and new chcerfulness, more readily
than others. So at least we Lelieve-yct it
may not be useless to recall some of the DIS
couragemcDts to be met by every tiller Of the
soil.
One difficulty-and it is not small one.
is the lack of sufficient means tc carry our
plans into successful operation. We very
often see openings for improvements ini-
provements which would tend largely to our
adyantage-but which we have no means at
command to enter into thence the sight is
only discouragcment. The product which
| We can arrive at, to speak arithMetically is
SO much less than little larger multiper
would have made 1t, that it is difficult to be
satisfied with our meagre result. We must
narrow and compact our plans, or add to our
ways and means of carrying them out-lhe
one discouraging and the other difficult
process, as all will acknowledge.
| A second difficulty is to adapt the means
at command to the real furtheranco of the
ends desired. We cannot always readily
decide what crop will best succeed on our
soil and INCUR market. What the season
will be is beyond human view, and what
blishts and insects may prevail is generally
very uncei tain. 1t is not only true that We
cannot, from lack of means do as well as we
ought, the d faculties to be met and the
best means ofavoidng as well as cncoun,erng
them. Our remedy is to observe close " the
teaching OF experience --other mems tXpcr-
fence as we'll as our own and let every failure
or success give us lesson for the future
We must watch and study even minute par
ticulars influencing results, and then gencr.
alze deductions from the whole mass of OBJ
servations, III order to make reliable
Principles in agriculture must have more than
mere differences for their establishment they
must be grounded on long series Of like
causes productive of like effects
| 1t is u source Of loss and disbursement
to the farmer that he has so many contingent
c!es to provide for. lie wishes, for instance.
to plant Il field Of corn-it depends OH the
weather when the land will be fit to work
and planting and largely on that time and
subsequent season, whether the crop will
prove profitable or not. If the season is bad,
he not only loses in the lessoning Of the crop.
but in tie decreased amount of labor which
though paid for, there has been no opportu-
nifty to apply. Not only in planting but in
tending, securing, and marketing q crop,
there are many contingent sources Of loss and
vexation clear head and sagaclous fore
sight, may find ample exercise in carrying on
the SIMPLE operations Of q farm. and they are
needed, and we believe rewarded as well in
the profession Of agriculture as in most other
pursuits.
Much can be done to provide against loss
from changes OF season, etc. Some soils are
fit to woi k earlier and for longer time than
others-these are trable and well drained
solls-we must give that character to alt our
lands as far as possible. Some farmers have
the %nack OF making the most OF rainy DAYS,
and the odds and ends of time-we must
learn the lesson and practice it. In order to
do this, it is often desirable to carry on more
than one branch Of MISUNDERSTANDING
grain and fruit raising. stock and wool
growing, and the dairy, to greater or hess
extent, SO as to have resort forymployrnent
and support should one or more Prove tlnp,ofi-
table, as is sometimes the case, and from
causes beyond our foresight or control.
fourth difficulty is to judge of the p,os-
poet of the market-to choose the best time
and place to dispose ola crop-and also TO
toresee what will be most likely to repay
attention. But this is becoming less and
less dtficult-the extent of the demand and
supply can be known and calculated upon far
more readily than formerly. Railroad facili.
tics for transportation are now such that
prices in the great commercial centres need
liuctuate but slightly TO be felt in every corner
of the land. 1t is only in the more bulky
products that this uncertainty most prevails.
These must be at extreme prices to bear long
transportation and local surplus or scarcity
only ailcctsa small portion of country these
plices vary greatly with the varying amount
produced.
But the greatest difficulty and discourage.
ment OF the farmer, as We just remarked,
arises from the disproporton which exist
between the amount of lind farmed and the
means employed in IFS cultivation Thor
oush work Is always the most profitable if
not at once, 1t proves so in the long run
The farmer who runs over large farm Will
often complain that his crops arc failpro.
while lie who docs thoroughly as far as be
does at ALL will get better returns from his
lew acres than the other does from many.-
We would be Oh the look out for the nauv
things which wise enterprise and deternina.-
ton turns so readily to advantage. Difficult.
ties and failures should not dlsheurtcn thew
should make US bu! the more earnest to over,
come them. Study and push smooth tho
path to success; and there is no success
without deep thought and earnest labor.-
We are afraid that a great portion of tho
trials and discouragements which many
farmers meet, would meet them in every
employment, unless undertaken in o different
spirit from that with which they now 60 on
their way.-Count'y Gentlemen.
u Mich cows should be stabbed. especi-
ally at night and in stormy weather. This
is too frequently neglected, the mich cow
receiving no better care than those not in
milk. or the young stock of the farmer
This is mistaken policy, if milk is desired
And from go@ cows, well fed and cared for,
it is more valuable than at any other season
of the year. Good batter can be made, and
commands better price than at any Other
season. 1t will pay for one COW or scores,
to Keep them sheltered and comfortable-uli
Their { fnllv K, 4