Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-11-15
General Agritulture.
SOCIAL LIFE AMONG FARMERS.

1t is useless to deny that, considering their
numbers, wealth and intelligence, farmers
are the least influential class of the nation.
Compliments to "the bone and sinew of the
land-the backbone of the nation-the
honest yeomanry of the country" do not
blind the farmers to this fact, shrewd as the
compliment makers think themselves. We
have silently accepted the situation and
plodded on, without Inquiry, hitherto, for
the cause. But the world does move, and
farmers are beginning to inquire into the
reason of the low estimation they and their
calling hold in the public mind
Prominent among these is the lack of So
cial life among farmers. Once upon time
a certain learned man wrote the National
History Of ireland, the most famous chapter
Of which is as follows:
"Chapter X-The Snakes of Ireland
There are none"
I'm not sure but that is the way to de-
scribe the society life of farmers. Consider
for moment how near like a hermit many
farmers live; separated from each other by
the demands Of their business, the ordinary
farmer Is as ignorant of his nearest neighbor's
thoughts, plans, experience and ideas, as if
he lived in Asia. The majority of farmers,
and especially the best class of active hard
working young men, from eighteen to forty,
spend weeks at time on their farms without
seeing strange face or hearing a new idea.
Of course this is fatal to all mental life and
growth if continued for years, and accom-
panied by hard work and concentration OF
the mind on "the grind" of their daily life.
If he undertakes to reform this by his own
personal efforts, by being "more sociable,
what obstacles does he not encounter. Not
only the personal time and experience must
be spent, but the certainty, almost, of being
a nuisance to his host, operates as great
| draw back, for the orthodox falmer holds it
to be a sclf.evident truth that visiting is an
invention Of the devil, and to be entangled
in this snare is sure sign of laziness and
folly. A man known to be addicted to this
weak habit during the working season, is
thought to be on the high road to ruin; and
then the results Of visiting, merely for social
gossip, are so very uncertain.
| Well, but visiting is not the only means o
education and influence open to farmers
newspapers, church-going, the intercourse oi
man with man, on business, etc, have
the same effect on farmers as on the other
professions. True, so far as the advantage,
for using these means are equal But wha
are the real workings among farmers of thosC
elements Of social life and infuence2 For in
stance they attend church and hear withou
chance of reply, ideas old and new, stateC
with various arguments to support them
Tied up at home, what chance is there for thu
ordinary farmer to criticize, Or to be criticized
Bacon observes, conversation makes tn,
ready man" and without this drll withou
the capacity to tell all you know, and lit
tie more, the farmers can never acquire tn
influence that their numbers and wealth en-
title them to.
Then as for papers, we usually take thos
that agree with our own opinions on religion
} politics, and business, thus paying for, an,
making it to the interest Of editors to presen
} only that side which interests us, and to com
pletely demoish the other side Of the ques
, ton.
: At elections, school-meetings, etc, there
: usually neighbOrhoOd quarrel, and each sid
is so anxious to show where the other ha
done wrong, that there is little chance 70
1 sOciability or even friendly gossip. Ther
, only remains the business relations for farm
D ers to show CT what stuff they are made.
. The main business meetings of farmer
with each other are in haying, harvesting
. threshng and the like. Tugging at pitch
5 fork-half choked and blinded with dust an
: sweat-how much chance is there to give, q
! gain information or influence, A farmer
. business in town is something after thiS styl,
. !. c. Wishing to procure machine Of
. dealer, be has one kind shown him, and al