The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-10-04

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Tom conquered. When he explained
to her about his small income and consul.
ted with her about this sufficiency she
told him that he ought to be ashamed in.
deed to waste such heaps of money on
one. lie should have sent half to the
hoathen.
Toms income has thus far held out
better than when he was single. Young
men. try !--Pntnam's Magazine
--------------------------
The Relation Of Manufactures to Agfi-
culture.
Adde'S deiiv,rsd at fhs Far Of th, Addisoa County
agricultural Socirc, az Hiddis5ury, Stpfsm5er
28, 1870,
By Col wHskLoek. u vEAsrr. of Rutland.
The three leading branches Of business
Of every State are agriculture, manufact.
ures and commerce. Hitherto. manufact.
urers and commerce have bat little atten.
tion in Vermont. Agriculture has been
our business. and to agricultur do we
owe our prosperity, and to the agricultur-
ist our fame. Indeed, there is but little
OF Vermont that is not worth mentioning
that is not worth mentioning that is not
the work of her farmers. Eminent jurists
and statesmen have said that Vermont
presents the best model in laws and insti.
tutions,as whole, of any people on earth;
yet statistics show how much more than
30 per cent, of those who enacted these
laws and moulded these institutions have
been farmers. Iu endurance, in bravery,
in brilliant achievement in war. both for
its early struggle for independence and its
last vindication Of liberty and government
against the assaults Of treason. Vermont
has record unsurpassed in the history
Of war. Yet this glory, iu the main, be-
longs to the tillers Of these rugged noun
tains. In the forum as well as the field,
Vermont has been distinguished. In in.
telligence, sobriety and loyalty, she is
conceded to equal, and even excel most
other States. Her beautiful scenery and
healthful climate make her the resort Of
the tourist and the invalid.
1t would be pleasant to spend the hour
as so many have doue, upon these topics,
to notice. perhaps. the antiquity Of agri.
culture; to allude to the dignity of labor;
to demonstrate the effect of agriculture
in moulding character to point you to
the great names that have adorned this
pursuit ; but us every picture has Il re-
verse side not always pleasant to behold,
a f.al 10, et tn a,,l
understand, it has occurred to me that it
would be more profitable. though less a.
greeable, to indulge in some observations
upon problem which the farmers Of Yer.
mont must solve for themselves and
that is, how they can make the pursuit of
agriculture and their investment in land
in Vermont pay in the future. And how
the state may sustain its past record in
the sisterhood of states.
1t is said that there is no question IA.
bout it; that agriculture has paid we'll
in the past, and that its future prospects
are eq 1al to its past realization ! Then, |
ask you, who know, what does it pay now
even at the present high prices of most
|
u capital Of one, three, Ur Ave thousand
dollars, afford at present profits, and in
view Of all existing circumstances, to in.
vest in farm in Vermont. with the pur.
pose of cultivatiug it? | see before me
good representative farmers Of Vermont.
owners of valley farms, and owners ofhill
farms men well to do in the world, men
of large experience, of great industry, of
good natural ability of strict frugality. |
ask you, gentlemen, how much profit you
can realize with all your labor, experience
and skill, from your $4,000 farm? After
supporting your family we'll but with
commendable economy, from such farm
not from your bonds and mortgages and
speculations--how much can you lay up ?
H you rent the farm or hire all the work
done in doors and out, what will be the
net profit, with building and fences in as
good repair, and the land in as good con-
dition at the end as at the beginning,tax
and insurance paid, what will be the net
profit on the $4,000? | cannot answer
from immediate experience, but the testi.
mony of farmers whom now see in this
audience. and Of many others with whom
have talked within the past year,is that
the net profit will not be above three
per cent. You, gentlemen, know better
than |, how much, if any, too low is this
figure. Suppose we add one,two,or even
three per cent. can the young man,in view
Of opportunities for other business and
Of pursuing agriculture elsewhere, still af'
ford to make the investment here? And
the more important inquiry to our State
is. will he do it? We may concede that
it would-be better tor the young men OF
Vermont to he baptised in the spirit Of
eontentment, and invest their little patri
mony or hard earned savings in Yer
mont farm when they are ready to set uI
for themselves. But, repeat, will they
do itl Observe the migratory. nomadit
spirit that prevails Notice the ambition
for wealth, for display, the eKtravaganc'
of the day, products of the anomalous
times through which We have been pas
sing. Turn your eye, westward, and he
hold those vast empires. stretching ava,
toward the setting sun, inviting young
men to come and partake of their abun
, dunt stores, almost without money an'
without price. Remember that il single
months wages which you pay to one o
those for work upon your farm, will se
\ him down in the very heart of this broa'
West, where soil and climate unite tG
. make almost a paradise, and there is til,
. charm of novelty, activity, excitement
; and. to him better than all, promise,
4 wealth. Observe all this, and leave j
1 to you to say where our young men, witt
. present prospects of agriculture in ver
( mont will take up their abode? Indeed
q where arc they now? ask you VIII
q have sons above the age Of majority, hoy
4 many are with you on the old homestea
to smooth the pathway Of your Declining