Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1869-07-29

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Of the Western Rral, an Agricultural
paper published at Chicago, discourses
as follows:
CHANGING over the Leolger a short
time ago j CHANGED to see an article
written by Henry Ward Beecher on
farming, which SET me to thinking.
1t is prevailing idea that if a man
has a farm, SO long as he stays there,
he will do well enough. People do
not stop to count the cost of living
on farm, as they raise most that is
consumed, and do not see the money
paid out for it, which in fact is
good deal. There must be labor and
capital to raise wnat is used. 1t is
unnecessary that lshould give figures
to prove that farms, as general
thing, do not pay four per cent. on
the amount invested in them.
Along the banks Of the st. Joseph
river, in Michigan, are many farms
selling from S75 to Sl2o per acre; and
none of them pay four per cent. In
the township of Florence, st. Joseph
Co., land is worth about the same as
mentioned; still the old farmers are
gaining but little. adding but few
dollars to their original sum. While
many have fallen behind, property
has increased and they have built
new buildings, but in many instances
mortgage has been given to cover the
cost Of the buildings. This is as
good land as there is to be found in
Michigan forfarmingpurp True,
some have become wealthy. Some
had money to buy and some left to
improve with. They were able to
hold their crops and not sacrifice in
order to meet the annual payments,
and thus were able to get good prices
when they did come.
Men sometimes think that farmers
are always happy, and always have
a good time. Now, if there is any
thing in the appearance of people,
just go with me to the farmers home
and watch them as they work; not as
they might do were they able, but as
they are obliged to. Early in the
morning they are out doing chores,
getting everything ready for the
days work. After breakfast they
commence to pillow, or build fence, or
some other kind Of work which
would be fun for short time, but to
follow day after day soon becomes
work which shows itself in the
stopped form of the old farmer, or
large hands, fingers grown all out OF
shape from the many years OF rough
usage. Soon the corn is to be Guilt
waited, and out in the hot sun, the
dust flying, sweat pouring out of ev-
cry pore, and the dust sticking to
you till your color is hardly discerni-
bic. ! ask, is this fun? is this hap
piness? Then comes haying and the
sun is so hot, or there is cloud
which threatens you with rain, and
then every nerve is strained to ac-
complish the work before the hay is
too dry or gets wet. But it is useless
to mention instances further. The
life of farmer is one of hard work
and anxiety. He does not know
what crop will bring, until he has
the money for it. 1t is subject to
drouths, rust, blight, or other things
common to crops, which makes far,
mers uncertain Of anything more
than living, which is not always
certain.
If man is interested in his farm
and what is about him, he is full OF
cares and trouble as men are in other
business. Still we hear of the beau
ties Of the farm and SO on. Well, let
them try it and see, and they will
find that it will pay about as well as
Mr.. Beecher's has.
Men tell us to plow IA to 20 inches
deep. This may be all right, but few
do it. ! am not opposed to deer
blowing but like the plan well, only
/ should prefer to go few inches
deeper at time and thus warm the
| coil nc T want Ioun Rnt this has
not proven itself well enough to risk
the chances of losing crop; so farm
ers plow from five to nine inches
Still their farms have not made them
so wealthy that they can afford tt
try experiments OH a very large
scale. SO they work on. There il
one redeeming point. Often YOU
hear that they are honest. Well, i
J so constant labor makes them so, az
they have only small temptation
as they see but little to tempt them
Still, farming is business In
which a man can take pride and
follow with success if he is fitted fol
it. If not he had better let it alone
God never intended man to farm
with his fences down, wagons out II
the sun and rain, and Thousand
other things Of this kind.
For sick headache--taket two tea
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