Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-02-05
Wealth of Farmers.


Nothing is more commoG than to speak o.
men in trade realizing much larger sums thar
earned by farmers; and no mistake is CRATER
than to suppose that the balance of profit
rests with the merchant. Ask The owners o
warehouses in New York, and you will find
that seven out Of ten, if not larger propo-
tion, of those who begin the business of mer-
chants, fail within the first ten years the few
that succeed are not sufficiently wealthy to en-
able all their gains TO pay the shortcomings
of those who have failed. Not so with the
farmer; if be adhere to his business and avoid
outside speculations, bankruptcy is impossible.
1t should be remembered, however, that, as a
general rule capital is as necessary to secure
the best results in agricultural, as in mercan-
tile pursuits. The farmer should have on
hand, on the first day Of November, sufficient
funds to enable him to purchase the necessary
7amount of iertilizing meterial for spring use /;
and this should be, pot what will simply Sc
cure a crop, but the largest amount which can
be used with increased profit. He should also
be amply able to meet all expenses of hired
labor, farm implements, etc, for the current
season. Under these circumstances, only
gross ignorance, combined with negligence,
can prevent his ultimate success, whiIe intelli-
gent farmers have made fortunes in almost
every State, county, and township.
We have published within the last five
years, several instances of farmers becoming
wealthy in the regular pursuit OF agriculture,
aud in this country they are assisted in SO do
ing, by the upward tendency OF real estate in
value, particularly when improved.
1t should be rememered that The entire SUE
cess of the merchant--we mean his actual sac
cess-is dependent upon the commissions, iu
the form of profit, paid by the farmer on his
supplies, and the direct commissions for sell
ing the products of the farmer 1t should be
remembered also, that three-quarters. of the
taxes paid in the United States, are received
from farmers and planters that the same pro-
portion of the real wealth of the couatry is
possessed by the farmers We will admit
that there are more of them, but we claim
that while Il few merchants, and bankers, and
spectators, may acquire fortunes greater than
the average OF those acquired by farmers, still
farmers average greater profits than amer
chants, from the fact that they always succeed,
provided they live within their means, and do
not attempt more than they are able to ac-
complish
a writer in the Boston Cultivalor, furnish
es some interesting instances, showing that
fortunes can be made by farming. Sixty
years ago he says, a man came to Western
New York, from New England or New Jer
sey, am not certain which, his axe aud a
little loose change, constitut ting nearly all his
property He worked several years for differ
ent farmers, and then bought land for himself.
He now has larm Of six hundred acres or
more, has given two sons each good farm
and pays taxes on two hundred thousand dol
lars Of personal property. lie has never had
any business but farming.
L know of another man whose father left
him farm Of more than two hundred acres,
over thirty years ago, with some eucumbran-
ces on it in the shape Of legaces to other
heirs, who now has over four hundred acres
Of land, and fifty thousand dollars at interest
He also, has done no business but farming.
Several men have worked for me, who,
though they had nothing when they came, are
now well Off 4 young Scochman worked
for me thirty years ago, who had but three
cents when he began he now has a good farm
of two hundred acres, well stocked, and is free
! from debt. He knew how TO do the mechani.
cal part OF farming, thoroughly, but knew no
thing Of speculation. l could name others
who have acquired fortunes wholly BY farm
ing.
A farmer of small means should be very
economical and still very liberal, He should
be very economical in dress for himself and