Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-06-17
2fericulfural Department
I. D. r. COLLINS, Editor
THE FARMER.


stocks may fuctuate, what panics may
occur in the money markets, he is, in
dependent of all these, the necessaries
and many of the luxuries of life-many
luxuries, indeed. which wealth cannot
buy,-a sound mind, a strong and
healthy body, sweet sleep and content
ment, offsprings of health giving labor
and quiet life.
Yet with all these advantages, no call
ing is carried on with less system, Eve
speak of the masses) less thought. study
and maturity of plans, and Consequently
no class is more imposed upon. If the
farmer, with all the advantages of his
calling, would add system to his labors,
and correctness of action in his transac-
ton, instead of being looked down upon,
as is often the case, by the more gen.
teel O. professions, he would, in truth,
be the lord of manor, as he is the bone
and sinew of the nation. There is
plain road which leads directly to this
position of the farmer, and that is concert
of action. Merchants have their boards
of trade and their meetings on 'change,
printers their typographical unions,
teachers their associations and insti-
tutes the various mechanics their re-
spective unions-all the trades and pro-
fessions have means of securing karmo-
ny of action, while the farmer, single
handed and alone, not knowing, practi-
cally speaking, what his nearest neigh
Dor is doing, with no system of concert
ed effort must combat all these united
influences, for they all depend upon him
for their daily bread and is it any
wonder that he comes out of the battle
of life with colors trailing in the dust.
1t is retorted that the farmer has his
agricultural fairs and cattle show i?
What are they? Two often mere ex-
hibitions of prodigies, controlled fire.
quently by the other professions, in
which premiums are paid for slow mules,
and feats of equestrianism, where not
single idea is interchanged in regard to
saving labor, increasing the yield of
crops, advancing the value of farm prod
ucts, improving the condition of the
farm and its soil, and elevating the farm
er himself. What the farmer wants is a
system in his labor, experiments in i'm
provement. Farmers should form So
cieties, having at least semi-annual
meetings, not for the purpose of mere
useless exhibition, but for the purpose
of comparing notes, giving the result of
their experiments, and laying plans for
the future, taking into account all their
labor and expense-the cost of giving
products, that reasonable gains may be
put upon them. How. often are farm
products sold for less than the actual
cost of production-the farmer and his
family toiling life away, and receiving
for their labor no just recompense and
so it will ever be while the farmer is
content to work single handed. without
regard to his own or his neighbours in
terest, taking no note of his own oper-
ations, and having scarcely thought
ahead. The time is past when all the
thinking, and all the writing, and all
the speaking must be done by the pro-
LESSONS. Every farmer should be his
own thinker and his own actor, and
those thoughts and actions should be di-
rected to the. success of his calling.
Would the trades and professions look
with jealousy upon such movement
They would have no cause for jealousy
Their own prosperity would be secured
by it. Tell us the condition and bust
ness habits of the farmers of a commu
nifty, and we will tell you the condition
of the trades and professions of tha
community.
As the farmers prosper, so will thos,
: around them prosper. All are alike in
terested in the thrift of the agriculture
: classes Let the farmers be true t.
themselves, then, no longer content t.
drag along in the plodding burrows o
the ancients, but come forth as the mel
e they are, and regulate and control thei
5 plorious callinp.-Golden Era.