Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-10-07

The three leading branches Of business
of every State are agriculture, manufac-
ture and commerce. Hitherto, rnanufac-
ture and commerce have received but lit
tie attention in Vermont Agriculture
has been our business, and to agriculture
do we owe our prosperity, and TO the agri-
culturist our fame. Indeed there is but
little Of Vermont worth mentioning that
il not the work Of her farmers Eminent
jurists and statesmen have said that Yer
mont presents the best model IL laws and
institutions, as a whole, of any people on
earth yet statistics show that much more
than 80 per cent. of those who enacted
these laws and moulded these institutions
have been farmers. In endurance, in
bravery, in brilliant achievement In war;
both in its early struggle for indcpend-
ence and in its ,st vindication Of liberty
and government against the assaults OF
treason, Vermont has a record unsur-
passed i'll the history of war. Yet this
glory, in the main, belongs to the tillers
OF these rugged mountains. In the forum
as well as the field, Vermont has been
distins uished. In intelligence, sobriety
and loyalty, she is conceded to equal,
and even excel most other States. Her
beautiful scenery and heaithipll climate
make her the resort Of the tourist and the
invalid.
1t would be pleasant 10 spend the hour,
as SO many have done, upon these topics,
to notice perhaps the antiquity of agri-
culture to allude to the dignity Of labor
to demonstrate the effect Of agriculture
III moulding character: u point you 10
the great names that have adorned this
pursuit; but as every picture hiss re-
verse side, not always pleasant 10 behold,
yet essential 10 the artist 10 study and uu-
derstand, il has occurred 10 me that il
would be more profitable, though less
agreeable, to indulg III some observations
upon problem which tho farmers Of
Vermont must solvo for themselves; and
that il, how they can make the pursuit Of
agriculture and their Investment in Land
in Vermont pay in the future.
IL it said that there ian0 question about
IT.; that agriculture has paid well il the
past and that iia future prospects are
equal 10 it, pnat realization Iheu, /
ark you, who know, what docs IL p1y now
even al tho present high prices of most
kinds Of producer Can u youny man
with n capital Of one, three, or five thou
sand dollars, afford at preseut prpita, and
in view of all existing cIrcufn stlncc-, to
invest in a farm IN Vermont, with tho
purpose OF cultiyatin1 itI ! SEQ before
me good representative farmers 81 YER
mont, owners Of valley FARMS and owners
of hill farms men well to do in the world.
men of large experience, Of great indus
try, Of good natural ability, Of strict fru-
gality. / ask you, gentlemen, low much
profit you can realize, with all your labor,
experience and Skill from your $4,000
hrm After supporting your family
well, but with commend 4blc economy,
from such farm mot from your bonds
and mortgages and speculations how
much can you lay up? Ii you rent the.
arm or hire all the work done, in doors
and out, what will be the net profit, with
buildings and fences in as good repair.
and the land in as good condition at the
end of the year as at the beginning, t1xcs
and insurance paid, what will be the
net profit on the 5000? l cannot an
swer from immediate experience, but the
testimonyof farmers whom / now see in this
audience, and Of many others with whom
have talked within the pas. year, II that
the net profit viii not b. above TIRE PR
cent. You, gentlemen, know better then
l, how much, if any, too low il this
figure. Suppose we add one, two, or
even three pr cent, can the young man.
III view of opportunities for other bust
ness and OF pursuing agriculture else
where, sill afford 70 make the invest
mcnt here And the more important
inquiry TO our State, H. will he do il ?
We may concelc that il would be better
for the young men Of Vermont 10 be btp
tsel i'll the spirit ut eenteutmeut and IN
vest their little pltriaauy o. hard earned
savings in "a Vermont farm WHOM taey lrs
ready 10 sci up for them olives Bat, /
repeat, viii thty doitI Ob-.re Sic mi
gratory. nomadis sitrif, taat y .I..
Notice the ambition f5s We l,h, FIR d.
play, the oxtrsya2a nce 81 the aer, pro-
ducta Of the anomalu time tlr1' y.l,ci