The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-23
AGRICULTURAL. DEPARTMENT..
practical HINTS 10 Earnlcrs.
From the Boston Post.


FROM inc boS''" Fo''I
If there is an, one opinion more thorough
~ grounded IN the general mind than an
other. il il that the healthicst. thc nleas-
ATTEST. ana the most indcpcndcnt life is
that of n farmer. the reason being. doubt
less. that il ought TO be. The inference is
correct enough. but when one looks the
facts in the face. and calls to mind the
Carcs and forms of many arricullurists
with whom he has come in contact during
his bucoic experiences, he will be con-
strained TO admit that those who drove fat
oxen were not always fat and those who
breathcd the fresh air of heaven twelve
and sometimes fourteen hours dav were
not always models of health. I'm fact. rot
wi,hs,andng the advantage of exercise.
pure air and pure water. statistics 20 10
show that the farmer has his full share of
ills, and often more than those of certain
other classes whose peculiar vacations have
hy nopular consent come to bclookedupon
rs ''unhcalthy :" and yet there is no reason
why a farmer should not be in reality. in
the particular instance Of health. all that
popular Imagination has supposed him to
be. The average New England farmcr.
though knowing exactly how his cattle
should be treated, the kind and quality of
the food they should cat. and how they
should he housed and taken care of genei-
ally, is either wofuly ignorant of the COM
monest rules of health as applicahle to him
self. or else wofullv careless. If of VIVA;
is known as the ''thriflv" class. hc often
rises at an hour when he should be slccp-
ng: bolts his breakfast Of fried pork and
potato hastens to the field works with
out ntermission until noon then more
fried pork then another five or six hours
work with a scythe, the plow or hoe and
after that the ''chores." which frequently
includes milking from six to fifteen cows.
This Is frequently performed after dark in
the hurried season, the farmer or w0rtmen
sitting in the cool night air in their shirt
sleeves, after having swcated protuselv all
day in the field. Hundreds Of cases Of
consumption, rheumatism and a score of
other diseases are thus induced. while the
general diet and the hasty manner in which
food Is disposed of have made New Eng
landers n race of dvspcntics. Errors in any
form are rarely seen upon the table of the
family that raises them. They are sent to
market. In thousands of families beef
steak is an unknown article of diet. When
an OK or n COW is killed that goes to the
market, too. Once in n while a sheep is
sacrificed to the wants of the owner but
rarely. The great staple is pork, salt, nine
tcnths of the year, fresh few meals at the
killing season. As a rule, very little milk
is consumed by the adults OF farmers
family. That goes for butter and cheese.
1t is a lamentablc truth, but it is a truth
nevertheless, that there is no class of peo-
pie in the country capable of living so well
who live so poorly.
Some time during the past year the board
of health. wishing to obtain statistics upon
the subject. addressed n large number of
circulars to prominent physicians in various
part of the state One of the questions
asked was '.What causes tend TO iniure
the hcalths of farmers and their families ="
That our agricultural readers may have
some idea of what professional men saw in
regard to the matter. beyond the Individual
opinion expressed in this article. we quote
"'o vi t"o VI ''ie answers maui
excessive fatigue, especially in hot wealth
cr.
or h otthwopN want Oh recreation '"eN
"TnsnCi,ien,,v and hodlv cool,ol Good
damp cellars, small bedrooms, opening
from the kitchen improper drainage"
''MOnotOnOus hard work insufficient
variety in the kind Of food inferior cook
ing too little attention to the ventilation
OF sleeping apartments
All answers received by the board are
but rcpctitions of the above The same
report shows that dyspepsia exists, as a
rule, in great majority of farmers fami-
lies; that of other diseases, rheumatism Is
the most common, pneumonia, pulmonary
affections and consumption coming next in
order. This is showing, but it is doubt
less having little effect Eight farmers out
OF every ten will insist in finishing their
days on salt pork, and according TO the
iweiVc-hour system, because their fathers
dld SO before them, unless they can be
made TO see Their error. And is this all
losSiDle The next generation, il there is
To be any next generation OF agriculturists,
may he, ana very probably Will he, wiser
Let us most sincerely trust So
uryuy w,rn rprcurp r,r,,rp
'''''>'''''' ''''''''''
At the recent anniversary Of the New
York Rural Club, at Delmonico's. Henry
wal poool,o. ,,,,.o H.. -,
'' s'''N us experience ~
farmer us ioiiowsi
knew that all understood | was far
mer- Oaughter)-b speaking not being
my vocation renewed laughter)-I did
not know that you would call upon me ia