Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1868-07-24
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WHIT F.ER.uE.vG ~ TO BE.

1t is evident to any thoughtful man that
we have entered a new epoch in American
agriculture. Our population increases rap
idly, and the production of food does not
keep pace with it. 81 have just sold two
year-old heifer for $780," said an old farmer.
~ had no idea of selling her. She had
run in the yard all winter, and 1 never fed
her a handful of grain, but butcher saw her
and offered me $50 for her. He thought it
great price. 1 told him that well-bred
animal, with liberal feeding could easily
be made worth 500 at two years old. 1t
seems difficult for an old farmer to realize
the changed condition of things. He is apt
to think that thing which did not pay
when the country was new will not pay
now. "Fifteen dollars for a calfw ex-
claimed a city friend the other day. 81
thought calves were not worth more than
dollar apiece. My father used to sell them
for that" In those days agriculture was
not appreciated. How could it be with
calves dollar apiece and wheat seventy
five cents a bushel? We have now high
prices-perhaps a little too high-but they
were necessary to place agriculture on its
true foundation. Farming will now be as
respectable in fact as it has hitherto been in
theory. Let young farmers take calm
view of the situation. We arc going to
have very different system of farming
from what we have had. Mark you, am
not finding fault with the old farmers. No
man can respect them more than l do.
They have done an immense amount of
work and done it well. Their system was
the best in the circumstances. But the
''stump period" has passed, and is followed
by the moving machine, with the steam
plough appearing in the distance. Virgin
ia fences and bad roads are still found. but
they, too will soon belong to the past. I'm
der-draining will improve the latter, and
the high price of wood will Danish the for
mer. Labor is more abundant, and wages
are paid in wheat less than formerly. The
district school has a prodigious influence.
Now let our young farmers bestir them
selves. They must be "men of thought
and men of action" In the older settled
sections we have blacksmiths, and wheel
wrights, and carpenters, and brick layers,
and saddlers, at no great distance, and it is
no longer necessary for farmer to be a
Jack of all Trades" His business is to
cultivate the land; to look well to the state
of his focks and his herds; to attend to
the thousand little details of his establish
ment. He must have trained mind and
skilful hands-must be able to work him
self and direct others. He must plan work
for all kinds of weather, and not do in sum-
xuha tebp ha 1nr IN, into
not work in the barn when the sun shines
and make hay when it rains. He requires
great energy, promptness and persever-
ance. Much of his success will depend ON
getting his land in good order and sowing
in proper season, and it requires no little
forethought and good judgment to accom-
plish even this. 1t is good deal easier to
work than it is to think. The best general
rule for young farmers guidance is to do
first what he likes to do least.
Many people seem to think that it is the
easiest thing in the world to manage a farm;
while in point of fact it requires far more
brains to be a first-rate farmer than to be a
second-rate lawyer. The man who thinks
that because he studied agricult raj chem
istry he will make good farmer, isa goose.
II he has the necessary qualities for sue
cess as farmer, and likes the business, he
will probably succeed. If he has not, all
the chemistry in the world will not enable
him to "make farming pay" Chemistry
will not teach him how TO buy and how to
sell. It will not get him out of bed in the
morning. 1t will teach him how milk is
formed, and why it turns sour, but it will
not secure regular feeding and steady milk
ing. 1t will teach him the importance
of having boiling water to scald the milk
pans, but it will not enable him TO have ev-
erything ready just when it is wanted. If
he would make a good farmer without
chemistry, a scientific education will ena-
BILE him TO make still better and moro sue
ccssful farmer but if he would not sue
coed in some degree without it, chemistry
will not enable him to make far ming pay.
j. Harris, ia, Am. .1g.