Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
Shall | ant the Farm

Thousands Of farmers, and perhaps some 81
our readers, are debating this question al
this season. On the review of the year. and
squaring up the books, they find they have
not done quite as veil rs they think they
onshi 70 have lele, though better on the
whole than the average OF years.
But they hive got good living, have
farms OF their ogn, food and ramcnt, good
schools Tor their children, and fair prospects
Of ihe continuance OF these blessings, if III y
remain where they are, But they are some
Hhatiu debt for heir stocl or for a uew cur.
chase OF land, and haze no bank or railroad
stock to draw upon in case of time Of need
They have made no ample provisions fer their
chl!dreu,and they want to dis over some more
sudden aud easy road to wealth than by the
arm Or if thc father, ate no, uneasy. the
sons are as they come 20 thirk aud act for
themselves.
The cultivation o. the earth has been made
u drudscry to them, because it is merely a
business OF routine, into which the mind Of
the boy enters as little as that of the OK which
he drives. lie coycs some nobler field for
the exercise Of his powers,-the shop OF the
mechanic, where his inventive faculties will
be called into play the counting room, where
apiness at figures and fidelity bring lh-ir ap.
rewards, The learned professions.
where he eau have the home which cultivated
talent, always receive
Manhood does not depend at all upon oc
cupation. No uoblcr specimens of manhood
are to be found than among the tllIers of tie
soil lacy respect their calling, put their
minds and hearts into i,,and make themselves
r spccted by all WHO know them. They are
first rate farmers and show their manly pow.
er in everything their bands touch. They
have mastered the details Of tillng the acres |
they own. they know the weak and strong
points OF every fed they cultivate, Jus. what !
1t will do in good season with q, en- crop /
and twenty cords OF mana c to the acre.
They know what kinds OF stock arr most
Profitable for their lands, the market they
have to supply. They have entire confidence
IN the investment they have made in the soil
and know how to get dividends Of ten per
cent uniformly. They are beyond tie reach
d panieS, for ihcy have years stock ahead
for family supplies, and they can buy and sell
when the maroet saiS them. 1t is great
'eal better TO be a Grst.rate farmer than to
DO socoud.ratc anything else.
Nothing is more common than to find fur.
ncrs sons in other professions, who have
mistaken their calling. They do
not succeed as lawyers, ministers, or doctors.
They do not get so good temporal support
n these occupations as they would - culG.
'oting the sell. They do nothing in work.
nanlkc manner, and hey ave not the re.
pect OF the communities in which they live
IN that account They may be very good
neo,deyout and exemplary but they alc good.
or nothing lawyers, ministers, and doctors
hey are out Of their pace aud many OF them
rom their miserable failures must suspect it.
t may not be tue that good farmer has
cen spoiled IN every such case but i, is true
hat man has been spoiled who might have
cen hst-rate in some other capacity.
If a man is doing well as farmer, let him
eek no other occupation. There is annie
oom for selfdcvclopmeut in this calling, and
nc mobiles; virtues Of our manhood may grow
P into maturity here Intelligent aud skill.
Al husbandry is a sure road to early compe.