Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-02-12


large prospective one attended with uncontrol-
able risks. The former does not often make
great capitalist, but farming gives on irde-
pendent competence, health, and as much sat
isacuon aud happiness as is found in any other
pursuit of life. Not one in seven Of capable,
energetic farmers will fail in their business,
and then only by some unavoidable and un-
ioreseen exiqencies, while six out OF every
seven of the mercantile community fail aud
become baukrups failure among farmers
is the exception, but in mercantile lie tits the
rule. In the mechanical trades but few make
fortunes, aud in professional life a less NUM-
Der succeed TO eminence or wealth. When
opportunities present they can make their
dollar easier and in less time than the farmer
can carn 10 by manual labor but his dollars
arc steadily and constantly accumulating by
the growing Of his trees, the enlarglng of bis
forests, the maturing Of his fruits, the grow
ing of hs crops and Of the various kinds Of
farm stock. While he sleeps his income does
not stop If ne locates Alright in starting, the
advance on his lands is telling in his favor,
and n some local. les will amount TO fortune
in lees than a brief life time.
Mr.. Clark says, the good farmer cannot
be merchant. neither can the merchant
be good farmer" do not agree with him I;
a man may have been trained from his youth
up upon the farm, auot her 90 merchandising,
and of course both better fitted 90 Gao ousj-
ness OF their training than TO any other, but a
man Of energy, application and aptitude 20
business Of any kind TO which he turns his
HAND, will do well whatever be undertakes TO
do Stephen Girard or John Jacob Astor, had
they adopted farming for a living in early life,
would have been model farmers and been sue
cessiul in business. A man may have taste
for some branch OF business over any other,
but failing to get established in his iavorite
branch and taking the next that comes 10 his
way, If he is right as a thorough going persis-
tent man, he will do with bis might Whatever
bis hands find TO do, and will scarcely iail IA
anything. The success OF nal depends more
upon himself upon what he is and what he is
determined 90 bs, than upon any and all other
Circumstances as general rule.
Mr.. Clark does not give flattering account
Of the farmers ia bis neighborhood, who are
at the bottom and scarcely touch anything
else but the bottom. II Mr.. Clark will come
up into this Connecticut river valley, into
this goodly heritage Of Vermont, we will show
him different picture. We will point him
20 farmers and 20 estates Of deceased farmers,
which foot mp all the way from six TO thirty
thousand dollars, the Accommodations of farm
ing only with the aid Of the interest on the
funds drawn from the soil. These are not is
olated cases, nor are ;hey the general rule,
but they can be counted by scores. Then if
he will 90 with us over to the Lake Shore
counties on the western borders Of our State,
we will introduce him to farmers, he breed
ers and owners of the American improved
meiuos, what some have termed fancy bred
and others thoroughbred sheep, who can count
their dollars from thirty TO one hundred and
fifty thousand. These are facts, not fiction /,
our wealthy farmers touched bottom long
ago. When they commenced life for them
selves they steadily progressed until there is
no other class among us that stands higher in
enterprise in intelligence, or socially and
financially. Mr.. Clark may deem this as tail
Dragging for little Vermont. Though Yer
mont is diminutive in territory and small in
manufacturing, she is & eat in agriculture, and
can probably beat every other State in the
Union in the cash value Of her agricultural
products per capita Of those engaged in pro-
ducing from the soil We send more cattle
and sheep to the Cambridge aud Brighton
markets annually, than all the other New Eng
land States put together | have said thi.
much Of Vermont farming and do not dispa1-
age the occupa' ion elsewhere, bus Whenever
see it spoken Of anywhere as low, mean, I'M
profitable pursuit, unworthy of the attention
OF the intelligent and the good it starts my
ire and feel like indicating it against such
unjust aspersions, as he most honorable and
noble calling that man can follow, and reason
able lucrative if conducted with skull, being
the base and foundation Ct all other indus
springfeld, VI, Jan IL, 1868.
POPULAR PALACES CONCERNING
WOOL.
The report from the Department Of Agi
culture for Dec. says: In commercial circles
at least most erroneous views concerning th,
/ quality, consumption, present supply, and thC