The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-05-23
Does Farming Pay!

Does Farming Pay!
EDS. COUNTRY GENTLEMAN-There is q
proverb that he who drives fat oxen must
himself be fat which is applicable to the
subject under consideration. The writer
lays no claim to successful farm manage.
ment that can distinguish his experience
from that of thousand others. He only
contends that very well advised invest
ment in soil, renovation and crop cultiva-
ton, is as sure to result in present and
prospective advantage as any occupation
in life. If one-third of those who put
their hands to the pillow, turn back with
dissatisfaction and loss,it only proves that
that proportion have no qualification for
the business, and would be as likely to
fail in any other occupation. That there
is tendency on the part of the rural pc.
pulation to neglect the labor and persist
ent application necessary to secure profit
able harvests, and fly for refuge to some
more genteel and easy mode of life in the
large cities and towns, is patent to ALL
That class among farmers recognized as
"croakcrs," is so considerable in number
as to involve the whole in the same re.
proach. Ask half the farmers about their
profits, and they will tell you that they
only make both ends meet, or they see no
prospect of lifting the mortgage which
hangs over the farm and the impression
strengthens with the advance of years
that they must lose the labors of life
time
There is remedy for these failures
that has never yet been tried In order
that the great business of agriculture may
be placed in the foremost rank of human
occupations, the times demand more
general diffusion Of knowledge among its
cultivators. In order to obliterate the
impression that farming is low and igno.
Bile drudgery, farmers themselves must
be better educated Instead of ploddine
through life as mere animals, with the
semblance of men, they must attain a cul.
ture broad as their own free acres and
full as the sunlight on the face of nature
While delving in the earth, they need to
be conversant with geology while grow.
ing plants that should be schooled in bot.
any and chemistry; and in order that
their class may become controlling pow.
er, they must be read in history and the
science Of government. While their hands
are brought into daily contact with nature
their heads must study to comprehend
the laws Of her manifestations. Thus
they will bring to their labor, endowmentl
illumlned and enforced by an ever increas
ing enthusiasm.
Agricultural pursuits must ever be tn,
principal business Of our country. While
we are advancing to that position which
shall cause us to be recognized as tn
granary of the world we should begin Il
cooperate in the formation of such ALI
ances as will secure to us the great advan
tages which that position confers. 1t il
only by enlightened and judicious coop
Grafton that agriculture is to render thu
common carrier subservicnt to its owl
interests, and by placing its production
everywhere within easy access Of the con
sumner, reach most of the profits which nov
enrich middlemen.
Agriculture is now in its infancy il
this country. While England has an are
of 31,000,000 acres, she feeds popula
Of 20,000,000 from II ,59l 900 cultivate
acres. East of the Rocky Mountains W
have the enormous quantity of 634, 43S,
400 acres Of land, never invaded by tn
hand of toll. On the west of those noun
tains, we reckon 555, 1926, 24O acres in
virgin state making total of / ,189, 1854
GAO acres, exclusive of Alaska. Here i
territory equal to forty Englands, whicl
is destined to become the homes of
mighty people after few years. Il
every ten years our Government sells
tract of land equal to the whole surfac
Of England, besides the not inconsidera
BILE quantity sold by the several States
When we consider the ever increasin
mass coming into the possession of thes
new lands, we cannot fail to be impresse
with the influence they may WELD, an
the destinies which will lie at their di
posal. We have now population I
some 40,0O0,0O0 people, whe are subside
directly or Indirectly from the produce
the soil. When we consider that larl
portion Of this population are already Ell
riching themselves and the country fro
their farms, and that every year adds
the countries of the civilized world, '
SHALL be prepared to answer the questit
Is farming profitable =?
Any business is profitable which yiel
man subsistence but while the farm
lives by his labor he is generally mul
plying the implements Of his calling
number and in value, and increasing Il
productive capacity of his acres. If
rears q family Alright, and has not laid
one dollar in the bank, he has been
prosperous man, enjoying the fruits of
lsbors and comforting benefit to t
State. But while many do this, ma
more are doing vastly better every ye
In confirmation of this, let us refer
illustrations
That farming is profitable even in M
England, where the farmer is snow bou
half the year, is manifest from the Lar
number Of well-to-do cultivators livi
in all the Northern States, ! will cite
few instances where men have work