Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-12-27
COunseIOrs at Farming.

Wehave eeounselors-at-L why one
have unselOrs-at-Farming9 Why
is it that we often see one farmer get
ting along in the world, and surround
ing himself with plenty Of the COM
forts of life, while another one strug-
giles along, right by his side-always
behind hand, always in debt? Now,
if things were as they should be, we
believe that there would be very few,
in the enjoyment of health and
strength, who, by the practice Of in
dustry, rightly directed, would not be
able to place themselves in comfort
able circumstances. But no matter
how industrious a man may be, if his
industry be not rightly directed, it
will avail him little.
And this brings US back to the ques-
tiOn again, why not have "eounselOrs-
at-farming?n There are in almost
every neighborhood, men who have
been successful in making farming a
profitable business. Men, who have
foresight and judgment to act as
guides to all the operations of the
farm. But why did not our Maker
give to all this sound judgment of an
Intelligent mind? Yves It not because
that God designed the human race
(the highest creation of this mundane
sphere) to be ONE GREAT BROTHER
HOOD, and that each individual of
the race who had an excess of talents
in a particular line should be ready to
help him who was defieient2 In q
word, was il not designed that man
should be his "brother's keeper T'
Agrarian writers have argued that
80
than Another; and that there should
be a general distribution, bringing all
on a level Of equality. But If that
should take place, how long would
the equality last ? Far better, instead
of any such distribution of property,
that the total Of sound judgment and
farsightedness in any community
should be so distributed as to benefit
all, and not the few to whom God had
given these talents in excess. But
the difficulty in the matter is proba- |
bly, owing moro to an unwillingness !
to receive advice on the part Of those
who are defcientin sound judgement, l
than to any unwillingness to give |
good counsel on the part Of those who |
have clear heads and intelligent |
minds. 1t is often the case that the |
less we know, the more we think we !
know. If we are blind, we seem to |
prefer to grove along by ourselves in
darkness rather than admit to others
that we are blind. The first step that !
is necessary, then, is to get rid Of this
false pride. Now, let any one who |
feels that he has been blundering |
along, and in looking back upon his |
farming operations of previous years |
can see a whole train of errors in |
judgment-let such a one, We say, call |
over in mind the names of those who /
have been particularly successful as
farmers; and, among these, select one |
to be his own adviser and counselor |
Having selected your counselor, go to I
him and say to him plainly my /
friend, l have been running my farm /
on my own hook for many years I !
have worked hard and tried to do the |
best / could but somehow I have |
succeeded but poorly, and fail to make |
any headway In the would 1 have /
come, therefore to you for counsel. |
Will you take the helm and direct me 4
how to carry on the operation of my l
farm ?"
We venture to say that whoever
among our readers shall be able so to
divest himself of pride as to take the
course we have suggested, and have
his counselor" come and spend a
half day with him once a week, or
once in two weeks, that however un-
successful he may have been hitherto
in his farming operations. he will
soon see a wonderful change for the
better. OF course, whatever diree-
tions the ''pilOtn or counselor" gives
should be implicitly followed.
Let this course everywhere be taken,
and we should soon see nearly all
young farmers starting out together
in the world uniformly and equally
and no longer see the
''smart ones" distaneing the others so
We might remark, in conclusion,
that there are many retired farmers,
whose age prohibits active work on
the farm, but who have had marked
success in their previous farm opera
tiOns. There is many a one of this
class who would delight in taking
hold Of worthy young farmer, and |
aid him with his counsel. And when
be should find one who would be
willing to follow implicitly his direc-
tions, he would renew his age and
live his life over again as he marked ;
the yearly success Of his young
pOrtege Cincinnati Gazette.