Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-11-06


buckle meet, but run behind more and more
every year they live in the main, agree
with them again. But would not the same
men run behind in any other business And
would not other business men run behind if
they were to adopt the same methods of do
ing business Go and look over the farms,
fences, buildings, stock, yards, &C., of these
unsuccessful men, and see whether their
want of success need to be matter Of sur
prise. Then, again, don't men fail in every
other kind of Industry Is the bottom
therefore knocked out of all business
3. If they mean that the farmer Of tho
present period cannot follow in the steps Of
his grandfather, (viz., having no knowledge
Of the elements of agriculture, take from the
land everything it would produce and return
nothing0 and succeed, agree with them
again. For the reason that the pioneer
farmer took the new lands which he had re.
claimed from the forest, and which had not
been exhausted of its fertility. Then, hav-
ing no use for the timber he burnt it upon
the ground, thus returning to the soil all
alkalies aud earthly matter contained in the
timber growth which was of immense value
as a fertilzing gagency. But now, the land
has been cropped again and again for fifty
or more years until it has become exhausted,
and consequently the farmer of to-day must
adopt new methods, and must necessarily
seek in every possible way to enrich his
lands by returning the full equivalent of
every crop removed.
But while the farmer must now adopt
new methods, pay higher wages purchase
fertilizers, &c, he will nevertheless make
money faster than the farmers Of any former
period not including the exceptional years
Of the war.
4. But il they mean that the cultivation
of the soil by careful. intelligent men who
understand their business, is no longer fairly
remunerative, | dissent. And dissent for
the reason that | see many practical demon
strations to the contrary. There is as much
money in farming now as there ever was, as
compared with other branches of business.
And he who has the necessary gumption
and enterprise will find it so. Some men s
dishes are always right side up, and other
mems dishes are always the wrong side up ;
changing from cows to sheep, or from sheep
to cows, &C., but always making the change
just at the wrong time, and always doing
business on the losing scale.
The great need of the farmer is more in-
telligence The idea that all smart men
must turn their attention to mercantile life,
or to the professions, and that any kind OF
dull, half-witted men will do for farmers is
an altogether erroneous one. There is
really no branch of industry where more in
telligence and skill is needed than in the
successful tillage of the soil. -
The farmer should be acquainted with the
character of plants and the laws which gov
ern their growth. He should also be ac-
quainted with the character of the soil he
cultivates and with the best methods of pre-
serving its fertility. Some men succeed, if
at all, merely by the extreme indulgence Of
nature, and if they fail they are unable to
discover the reason. Only few understand
the properties of the soil they till, and can
account for either success or failure either
in themselves or others.
5. The farmer should be a reading man
First Of all he should take one or more good
agricultural papers, which, if he reads to
profit, will be worth to him every year he
lives several times the amount Of the sub.
scription price, in the hints he will receive
in relation to almost every branch of farm
work, and in the exposures Of worthless pa
tents and the like which gib.tongued fellows
are ever on the lookout to foist upon nom
reading, and consequently uniformed men.
Second, he should provide himself with
books on different subjects pertaining to ag-
riculture, and instead of lettering away time
by the half day or day during the cold win
ter months, he should be studying these most
interesting branches of natural science by
which means he would be prepared to COM
mcnce operations in the opening spring with
greatly improved prospects of success.
Some attention also should be paid to the
matter of making farm life more enjoyable
to the farmer himself and also to his family
and help. The home should be made invit.
ing by its modest and inexpensive adorn.
ings. Books and periodical literature oi
the best sort should be in every farmer 5
dwelling, with pictures upon the walls, and
flowers within and without tograce and beau.
tify the place.
Still further some attention should be CIV
en- by the farmer and his help to cleanliness
of person and neatness of habit. There is nc
good reason why the man who does farm
work should be less cleanly and neat than
other men. When the days work is done
good, healthy bath and change of apparel,
especially the boots and overalls of the COW
yard, would make the evenings much more
enjoyable and the nights much more restiul
With attention to these matters, together
with steady aim to avoid everything like
coarseness or boorishness in manners, the
farmer may be true specimen of an indie
pendent gentleman, happy aud useful in his
chosen occupation.