Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-02-06
Prom the Mass, Ploughman,l
Farming "a Hard Busincss.
RY noN. ]. W. CnInrNN.

have recently noticed some articles in
the Ploughman, with regard 10 the profits
Of farming, neither Of which | believe "a
DO quite correct Mr. Clark of Weston,
contends that there is Lo trade or profess
sioa where man has 10 do 80 much labor
for dollar as the farmer Ii he means
actual muscular labor, like hoeing corn or
digging potatoes, he may be right, but it
is not necessary TO stop here, there sre
others and vastly more important conSid-
erations pertaining 10 the business OF
farming than mere physical la
Dor. There is thought, skill, judgment,
and room for the exercise of vast
amount of brain work in the successful
operations Of the thorough going farmer,
His success in his business depends vastly
more ON his Judgment, skill and thorough
ness in management than upon his tone
and muscle. We know that man want
ing in all the essential elements Of charae'
ter that 20 % make a good business man,
will fail as a farmer, and SO he will inuny
other business; but where nature ha,
fitted an individual Ca be a irhal' man in
a practical view, with a reasonable educa-
tional training, he will be as likely TO sue
coed in farming a. well as in any other
pursuit; and in fact more 50, Tor there are
bus few other pursuits OF life that are 50
sure and safe from hazards
This is one Of the great Inducements
that should influence a young man Ia stick
to the farm. A slow sure profit Is prefer
able 20 a large prospective one attended
with uncomfortable risks, The farmer
does not often make great capitalist, but
farming gives an independent comI Stencc,
health, and as much satisfaction and hap
piness as is found in any other pursuit OF
life. Not one in seven OF capable, cn,r-
gctic farmers will fail Ia their business,
ami then only 10y some unavoidable and
unforeseen eNigcncics, while six ont oi
every seven OF the mercantile community
fail and become hankruptS, \ failure
among farmers j. the exception, but IN
mercantile life il is the rule, In the me,
chanical trades but few make fortunes
and in a professional life a less number
succeed to cminenco OF wealth. When
opportunities present they can make thcli
dollars easier and in less time than. tn,
farmer can earn it by manual labor, bu
his dollars are steadily and constantly ac
cumulating by the growing OF his trees
the charging of his forests, the maturinl
Of his fruits, the growing OF his crops, ant
of the various kinds of farm stock. Will,
he sleeps his income does not stop il b,
locates Alright in starting, the advance OF
his lands is telling in his favor, aud il
some localities viii amount To forum,
. in less than brief life time.
Mr., Clark says, " the good farmer can
not be.a merchant, neither can tie mer
chant be- a good farmer" | do not agrc,
with him; a man may have been trained
from his youth up upon the farm, an
other to merchandising, and Of cours
both better fitted to the business of thci
training than to any other, but man U
energy, application and aptitude to bust
ness Of any kind to which he turns hi
hand, will do well whatever he under
takes % do. Stephen GlrArd or John ia
cob Aston, had they adopted farming 70
a living in early life, would have beei
model farmers and been successful il
business. \ man may have taste 70
some branch Of business over any other
but failing to get established III his favor
lite branch and taking the next that come
in his way. il he is right as a thorough
going persistent man. he will do with hi
might whatever his HANDS find to do, ant
win scarcely fail in anything. The sue
cess Of a man depends more upon himsel
upon what he is and what he Is detel
mined TO be, than upon any and all 9th,
..ira "a a general rlllP
Mr.. Clark does not give tlattering AZ
count Of the farmers in his neighborhoo'
. who are-it the bottom and scarcely touc
ANYTHING else but the bottom Ii Nj
, Clark will come up into this Connccticu
, river valley. into this goodly heritage {
Vermont, we will show him diftcrei
picture. We will point him to farmer
and TO estates Of deceased farmers. whiu
foot up all the way from six to thirt
j thousand dollars. the accumulations {
= farming only with the aid of the intcre'
on the funds drawn from the soil. Ihcs
are not isolated eases, nor are they the gel
eral rule, but they can be counted 10y score
Then il he will 60 with Us over IA tn
= Lake Shore counties on the western bo,
I der. .of our State, we will introduc
: Of the American improved merinos who
some have termed fancy bred and other
Thoroughbred sheep, who can count the
I dollars from thirty to one hundred an
e fifty thousand 1hcsp are facts, not ii
. tom our wealthy farmers touched lo
tom long ago. When they commence
, life for themselves they steadily progrcsse
1 until there is no other class among I
: that stands higher in enterprise, in int
: ligencc, or socially and financially. NJ
! Clark may deem this as tall Dragging Il
little Vermont Though Vermont is d
minutive in territory and small i'll mani
{ featuring, she is great in agriculture, an
? can probably beat every other State
4 the Union in the cash value of her ayr
: cultural products per capita of those FL
gagged III producing from the soil W
send more cattle and sheep to the Can
bridge ana Brighton markets annual
o than all the other New England Stat
' put together. | have said this much
: Vermont farming, and do not dispara.
. the occupation elsewhere, but whenever
!, see it spoken OF anywhere as low, mea
unproftable pursuit, unworthy Of the a
tentlon OF the intelligent and the good,
: starts my ire, and feel like vindicatlr
a it against such unjust aspcrsfons. Il
most honorable and noble calling tn;
man can follow, and reasonably lucratiN
} il conducted with skill, being the ba
o and foundation of all other industries.
$ Springfield, Vt, JAM II, 1868.
4 Masonic Expose.
AT an inn in the west of England sew
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