Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-09-05
Farming and Half Farming.

We have known people ambitious to
make money, who would spare no la
bors to increase their income, and when
they had secured it, would spend it to
no purpose-waste it; get rid OF 1T they
scarcely knew how-and have nothing
to show for it. They were good TO
make money, but could not keep or use
it well. The only good they could get
of their money. was the doubtful good of
having it pass through their hands.
There are many people OF this stamp;
they can get business and do 1t; can
earn great wages; drive and push
through any amount Of toll; make long
and close calculations talk largely and
well enough about business, but cannot
increase their own capital. Their purse
will not hold money-it leaks; it seems
like the tabled pit, without bottom. +;
or, like the millers dam, whether 1t
rained much or little, would hold no wa
ter; or, most likely, they have no purse.
Their money burns their pockets and
hands; they have it spent before it is
got, or plans are on hand for its disposal.
Much ike this class of people are many
farmers-they can raise good crops, but
cannot make them pay; they neglect
their fences, and the cattle break in just
before harvest, or if they get a good
crop they have no place to secureit ; fine
fields Of hay and grain are gathered, but
there are no barns and granaries to keep
them; the fruit trees yield well, but
there are no means of preserving the
fruit, and it goes to waste the root
crops are good, but the frost and the
winter destroy them, because they can
not bear everything: the farming nipple
ments rot more than they wear, because
the rain and sun are ever pelting and
scOrching them: the cows give good
milk, but the want Of dairy appliances
makes the milk of but little value the
pigs are in the cOrn-crib; the sheep are
in the garden; the kitchen has no wood,
but lives from hand to mouth the house
has no cellar; the water is far away.
Everything works the hard way; there
is much done, but little saved. When
spring comes everything is gone; seeds
of all kinds must be bought; the rotten
utensils replaced by new; the broken
down fences made over; the peeled and
brOwsed fruit trees replaced by new and
young ones and a world of labor spent
to get the farm into working order. So
IL SbtS- tai dliCl y tdI llLCiI II NOilC;
but little improvement made, and all the
difficulty lies in a want of order and taste
in the style Of farming. No man Of Or
der or taste will see gates hanging on
one hinge, fences Keeling, everything
looking like old chaos or young ruin
men Of taste viii husband well their
farms, and men Of real farming skill
will have arrangements for making the
most of all they get, for saving or mar
keting, that nothing be lost. 1t is the
farmers losses that keep them back, and
the most Of their losses are by their own
negligence or want of skill. There is
much half farming they waste a great
deal of labor and time. The art of
keeping everything in order lies in hay
ing place for everything, and putting
everything in its place when used in
making repairs when needed in always
improving odd moments Of time, rainy
days, etc. in arranging conveniences,
and in getting ready for the seasons ac-
tive labor.
Let all half farmers mend their ways
as fast as possible, 50 will they mend
their fortunes and their temporal inter
Csts.