Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-03-03
Tho Thraldo7n OF tho Farmer.

There are so many things in
farmers experience and practice
where improvements can be made
new ways of doing things, new
applications Of fertilizers. retorma-
ton in old ideas and prac ices
that the agricultural millennium
seems an ilnpossibility. y
Every years experience adds
something to the progressive
farmers store of practical know
ledge; and he is poor, indeed, who
has not gathered cabinet of choice
experiences in his battles with ma
turc, to tortify him in future needs.
There is one thing the average
farmer most needs to learn, and
that is to do his own thinking. He
wants to plan his own campaigns,
and fight it out on that line. There
are too many odd, musty ideas, and
too much patterning after some one
else's say-so. There is an idea
prevalent, even among farmers, that
theirs is a low calling: and they
suffer themselves to be patronized
and toadied over by the voluble,
well-dresscd tradesman, and insti
tute comparisons preludicial to
themselves and their calling. But
the worst feature OF it all is, they
are teaching their children the same
fallacious ideas. How often we
hear it spoken or acted out ohn
is going to college, but jim has
learning enough, he is going to be
, farmer" As though it were not
necessary to cultivate the intellect
that is to plan the operations Of the
farm; that is to make two blades of
grass grow where one grew before;
that is to devise ways and means to
utalize the elements that produce
growth and vigor in plants. As
though "the stuff that men are made
of" was never found among the
horny handed. If it is necessary
that John shall go to college to fit
him for profession, send jim there
too, and he will make all the better
farmer.
The farmers sitting room should
he well supplied with papers and
magazines; and, as he has more
time to read than the business man.
he should be better posted than any
other class OF persons. But this is
not the case with the average farm
err. He takes but one weekly paper
and that frequently not an agricul
tural one. He sells his produce at
the figures the dealer sets for him,
and not from any reasoning based
on careful study of the markets.
that now is the best time to sell.
The farmer should know Just what
it costs to raise pound of pork or
beef, or a hushel of grain, and ser
his price accordingly. But We can
never arrive at that point Of pertec
ton, without unity Of operation, the
same that is established in other
kinds of pursuits. Manufacturing
establishments set 4 price for labor:
Trades Unions say whether it is
just, or unjust, and act accordingly.
Boards of Trade establish the price
of produce; the farmers, through
farmers clubs and county organiza-
tons, should decide whether pro
dure can be raised At those figures,
anA refuse to sell at a loss.
Wages by the month on the farm
should be regulated in the Spring,
at give,s standard, varying accord
ing to the age and ability of the
laborcr. SO also wages in having
and harvest. This would do away
with the bad practice of agreeing
to pay what others do, and the con
scquent i'll feeling Of both parties.
Farmers clubs can decide what is
fair and equitable: and, by confer
ring with other clubs, the whole
county, and even the whole State,
can have a fair standard scale of
wages. \. {. e.
Par Per. Wrh.
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