Nebraska advertiser., 1860-12-13
From the Country Gentleman and CHltivatOr
The Farmers Resources.


resources at the command of the farmer
are very great, and yet many of them are
scarcelh inquired into. This is surprising
when we take into view the activity which
exists in all other departments of indus
try. The modern mode Of getting gam,
however, is by associating together in
business operations and though activity
and industry seem then to be carried to
their utmost stretch, men seem disposed
to wait for one another, and are afraid 10
venture into any new undertaking alone. |
The great drawback to individual action |
and active inquiry regarding the enlarge |
ment of the sphere of industry in the
case of the farmer, seems to lie in the
fact that he is In general at his wits end
to discover the great secret of economic
management. He should at least settle
his mind upon this subject sufficiently 10
determine whether farming, in any form,
is profitable with him. That it is so with
some people, the recent discussions tend
abundantly to show. If at least one
quarter of all his capital is not in the
form of personal estate, so that he can,
without losses, withhold his crops from
the market if occasion require, for more
favorable opportunity of sale, and have
available means for the general conduct
of his ordinary affairs, precisely as in
other branches of business-in none of
which the fixed capital is out of propor-
ton to the other-his condition is a sorry
one and he will feel himself hampered
and restrained in all his undertakings,
great and small, till these things are right
| Iy adjusted.
No doubt, by great perseverance and
industry, accompanied by extreme frugal
ity-his eye intently fixed upon the great
object Of Ultimate success, and his mind
active in devlsing means to accomplish
his design by the exercise Of calculating
forethought, he will reap the reward Of
his self-denial and zeal; but nothing
short of this, which few men are willing
to exercise, will accomplish it, unless his
means are perfectly under his control.
These matters being arranged, nothing
lies IN the way Of success; and the farmer
can, with disembarrassed mind, pursue
his calling in any form which promises a
fair return.
We are placed under a most burden
some restraint by an Ill arrangement of
capital, whether we have little or much
and many men are in danger of being
completely perplexed in their efforts to
discover the cause of the difficulty, the
effect of which they see and deplore, and
keep up continual warfare against it,
though they fight as one that beateth the
air. The secrets Of success are few and
plain, and may be learned by any one
who will carefully consider the natter
Do not conjure up imaginary difficulties
which have no real existence
Can it not be certainly ascertained that
you can dispose of even the small pro-
duct Of your own farm, to great advant-
age, if you so out of the ordinary routine
of the farming productions of your i'm
mediate neighborhood, and devote your
land to some other branch of husbandry?
A person is often deferred from under
taking the growth of anything new to
him or the locality in which he lives, by
the simple fact of its novelty. If he can
satisfy himself on good grounds (lhough
never without careful inquiry and Calcula-
tion, that such an undertaking will prove
remuneratiye to him, let him enter upon
it boldly, and especially if any of his
neighbors will unite III the project with
him. And it is worthy of observation,
that associations, as they exist in almost
all other departments Of industry and
business, are rarely found among agricul-
turists. Why is this so The results of
such union of intelligence, capital and
power, would be equally great and sue
cessful in agriculture as in other pursuits;
and we predict that the day is at hand
when such combinations will be formed
freely. In view Of the inducements
afforded to enter upon the production of
new commodities in agriculture, the bene-
fits of travelling to, and visiting localities
where the designed operations are already
carried on, will be readily seen and ac-
knowledged. The importance of gong
beyond the immediate territory in which
ourselves and neighbors farm, is great.
Farmers are rewarded by travelling, more
than any other class of men. We be-
cone much restricted in our thoughts and
opinions, and confined in our acls0ns, by
seeing nothing year after year but what
our neighbOrs can show us.
Districts all have their peculiarities as
well as countries, though in less degree,
and we do well to CLEAN the good out of
the practices Of all Of them.
The facilities afforded to travellers of
visiting places remote from their own
townships, constitute one of the chief
means which have brought about the re-
cent marvellous activity In trade, and even
the changes in farming, which have crept
upon US, almost unperceiVed in their grad
ual advance.
The raising of good cattle and horses,
and their various productions, when we
consider how many animals are kept and
bred which are not fit for a good farmer
to possess. afording only an iota Of the
returns derived from animals Of a better
class, which might be kept Just as well
and with infinitely greater profit and
economy, opens a large field Of agricul-
tural emolumeni. Good productions Of