Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-10-27


which have beeu longer settled. To some CIV
tent at least, there is evidence of a oradnaf
exhaustion of some of thu material elements
essential to the abundant yield of cur stanle
commodity.
A wise man foresecth the evil and avoid
eth it, While we are rejoicing in abundant
harvests and receiving remunerative nr;ces
for orr products, and while cur farInir1y com
munitv enjoys season Of universal Drosnsr;-
ty, is it not well for US to considerateIE in
qulre how long such a state of hings Is like
y to hold out. aud what precautions pru-
dence may dictate to avoid a most discour-
aging reaction.
Some Of our best farmers are already he
Cunning TO adopt a more THOROUGH mode 81
cultivation. They have found there Is abont-
as much Froht and good sense in stirring the.
ground to the depth of three or four iscbes
year after year, and raising the same kind of
crops without rotation as accrued To az g..
gal housewife, who was said so skim Lp,l
milk, turn 1t over and skim it again. and
then serve it to her domestics."
They begin to think it wise TO plough deem
and turn up little of the new sell that has
been already waiting too long for the sum-
mons. The old soil that has been over tasl--
ed can now rest awhile and recover strength
while the new soil comes to the work with
youthful vigOr and freshness.
Then progressive farmers be-ip +o tb;,1-
also, that summer following and rotation IF
crops are good expedients they are settled in
the opinion that farmers are rsperaIly- too,
ambitious TO own ard cultivate LARGE srms
and that the secret of successful cultivation,
Is "much labor on little land" Farmer A
who cultIvates 100 acres of land vas NOT .
little mortified last year 70 find that hi, neiob
Dor, farmer b, had more and larger stacks
and more grain from so acres, THAI he raised
from twice That extent of ground. Farmer B
has small place, but he plows deep, sows
his grain seasOnably, aud spares no ,ains II
working and pulyerizing the soil. He nevor
burns his straw, keeps horses. cattle. and ;
few sheep, raises some corn, hay. and roots
and IN fact, has little Of evervfbinc, To carry
TO market. He is not afraid that little ma
nure from his trampled and rotted straw milo
will hurt his corn OF lodge his grain. On fine
whole, farmer B. from his small lint VII an.
ed fam derives a com Portable Iivip0 mo-
profit, and pays less taxes than farmer A
who raises only wheat on farm of TWICE a.
many acres. | VIII venture to affirm that
not many years viii pass away before tbe
management OF farmer b, viii be more gem
orally initiated than hat of A
The conclusion of the whole matter = .1,,t
farmers who get good start on their oyr,,
land, avoid speculation and iockevipo Iabo,
patiently and faithfully, adopt a thorough
system OF cultivation, avoid extIava0ance
and debt, and act well their part as citizens
can hardly fail Of conteutmeDt. coonetanee
and thrift. Their land is their caDitaI which
fires cannot destroy nor revo lutions seriorJsIv
affect. 1t is safer than any bank in Cbrisfe6-
dom, and timely. jUdici0us husbandry will
literally reward tie tolls of the laborer.
The last source of conientment TO the far
mer 10 which [ shall now refer, is that he
should feel conscious that his vocation Is hon
orahle. 1t is no uncommon thing TO meet
with upstairs. hor e Jockeys, blacklegs and
empires, young toP+, dancing masters. half
iiedged students in college. students at law.
and sometimes Young Misses too, and old
Misses. VINO teIga cent!llity. put or air.. and
live dalntIIy and dellCa;ely on the hard earn
lngs 81 others, II Is quite common. 7 szv. for
silly things Ike taese, 10 dcspise all kinds If
labor. and to look upon Agricultural n,,rsrifs
as low, and sneeT a; the farmer rs an unco nth
rustic and an iliiterafe plough logger i"
Aside from these and their kind, the voca-
tlon OF the farmer is looked upon not only -
honorable, but as absolutely essential as the
basis on which rests the Whole fabric Of ma
tonaI wealth and greatness and commercial
prosperity. Let Agricultural pursuits b-
brought INTO disrepute aud neglected. and
civilization would detlioate into barEarism.
Ships would no longer sail upon The sea, all
our proud monuments OF science and The arts
would crumble into dust. and society would
deg6 nerate into aboriginal simplicity.
tits not strange that good and great men
OF every age and country sFOpld love and
honor the pursuits Of Agriculture. To the
eye of the philos rpher there is something
noble in pursuit which is coeyal with the
human race, and by steady aud gradual de-
velOpment has whitened our seas with shipe
and checkered our land with railroads. has
lufhi9hed The slHews Of gigantic wars. and
built up empires and Kingdoms, ana epleu-
did commercial cities. To the eve Of the
patriot and pkilanthropist, agricultural life Is
the best suited TO the great masses OF society.
for IN this there is a bOuntiful subsistence,
health, virtue and happiness. Tt is admir-
bly, adapted to the training of the young in
the great duties of citizenship, and in the
proper estimation Of the value offs dustrv and
economy.
To the eye ofthe poet there is somethiue
fascinating and beautiful in the waving fiei,
Of the golden harvest. in the lowing IF d
herds. and bleating of the iiocks. To his IN.
agination all Nature IS full of life and ioy,
watching the husbandman in his toll, he can
sing,
Labor is worship the robin is singing.
I1s''"4 = NbiabIt tilc " iiG zee Is nuN0mlng.
Listen that eloquent whisper upspringing,
SPEAKS 10 thy soul from out Natures great
heart
Labor is glory the flying c,ond Iightens
Only the waving wing changes and brightens
Labor IS health Lo. the husbandInan reaping
How through bis veins goes the life current
Iesping
How his strong arm in stalwart pride sweep
ing
True as sunbeam, the swift sickle glidssl
Men of almost every profession and trade
look to the farm as the ultimate place of re-
tlremeut and rest. To the public man per-
picked with cares or tOrmented by disappoiut
ed ambition, the farm is the place where he
eau lay DOM his burdens calm his agitation
and repose in dignity and honor. The noblest
uanes in history are intimately associated
with agricultural life.
The celebrated Roman. Cincinatus, as he
plOughed his field,was informed that the SEN
ate had chosen him Dictator. Upon this, he
left his ploughe land with regret, aud re-
pared to the field Of battle where he conquer
ed the eEemy, and returned 10 Rome in tri-
Umph and sixteen days after his appoint
ment he laid down his office and returned
back TO plough his fields So our great
Washington laid down his sword at the feet
of Congress, and retired TO the pursuit which
next to the service of his country. he loved
most of all. Need instance a Timaleon, q
Cato, Virgil, Of ancient times. or a Harrison.
a Webster, or a Clay, of modern times, To
show that farming is an honorable pursuit
or Lincoln, or a Grant. to prove that labor
is no disparagPment or hindrance IN the way
of the highest hOror and distinction ? But
in our eu!ogy and defence of our pursuit we