Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-06
NO. 237
Miseella,iy.
ECONOMY IN SMALL THINGS.

There is no truer saying in all the pro-
verbal wisdom of sensible Old Richards
Almanac, than that, ''he who saves iii
small things will in time rejoice in great
possessions" and is so earnestly impress
ing the Importance of economy upon the
attention OF Southern farmers, we think
chat the newspapers of that section are
proving themselves the true friends of
their readers. And there is great need
for the practice Of this homely virtue by
the farmers OF this State, who, with their
large farms and heavy crops, are too much
inclined to under-rate the value of the in
Vulnerable small things about them, which
by timely attention might be made to en-
hance their revenue. Tools and imple-
ments, if taken care of, would last much
longer than they generally do; the sweep
ings Of the hen-roost, the refuse from
the hog-pen and the slops from the kitchen
with one-half their quantity of leaf mould
from the fence corners in the woods, would
furnish every week, two OF three hundred
pounds OF fertilizing material, just as good
as Chincha Island guano. This applied
to the worn-out fields or gardens would
largely increase the corn or vegetables,
besides leaving the ground in an improved
condition. Now there are numerous in
stances on every farm where things here
tofore wasted as of no value, might by
tritling expenditure of labor, be utilized
and made II source of profit. Why not
then, pay the needed attention to such
matters as these, when the brief time re-
quired could be spared from more impor-
tant concerns? There is, certainly, moth
! ing discreditable in the prudenc that seeks
| to prevent the waste of anything that may
be rendered valuable. Is it the fear of
being regarded penurious? Will you be
led to disregard your own interests by
such unworthy apprehensions Certainly,
the opinions of those who would ridicule
such economy are not worth retaining.
We do not ask our readers to be miserly
and avaricious, and We urge only the duty
of economy. There is a very wide differ
ence between stinginess and prudence,
| for the one is to be condemned and the
other approved The true philosophy of
life is, to enjoy in moderation the goods
we have, not wasting nor boarding, and
this is the practice we commend.
In times past, more frequently than at
| the present, comparisons were instituted
between the system of farming practiced
at the North and that followed in Kentucky
very much to the discredit of our people.
Now, il the farmer in Massachusetts or
New Hampshire makes more money in the
year from tract of not naturally fertile
land, with the disadvantage of u severe
climate, than the Kentuckian did on u
greater number of acres of land as pro-
ductive as any in the world, the result
must not be attributed to any superior
shrewdness, better judgement or greater
skill, upon the part of the Northern man,
hut n1yy 70 thn fno hot h, oil
anything to 90 to waste, no spot to remain
idle, no opportunity to save or improve
the place, to 90 unimproved. His stock
are housed in winter and their manure all
saved to go on the ''poor points y the feed
ing is carefully done so that nothing is
lost. and yet, we doubt, whether, ON the
whole, any person enjoys life more fully
than this provident industrious man. We
have eminent authority for the assertion
that comparisons are Odious" and we
have referred to this difference in systems
in order to point the moral, that economy
watchfulness, and attention to small mat
ters, will bring profitable results to our
people as well as to those in other sections
We are entering upon II new era in the
South, and we are hopeful that few years
hence will witness a more rapid progress
in agriculture, and a greater degree of
prosperity for our people, than has ever
been before. The cultivation will be more
thorough, and our people will learn to
utilize many things that were thought to
be too insignificant for notice in the slow
plodding, unenterprising ante-bellum days
and then we viii see the beginning of
our growth in wealth, importance and
power as Il State.-Faymers Home Jour
nal, Lerington, ky