The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-10-20

fruit, or the pecuniary return We receive
for our intelligent labors. Fruit seems
10 be necessary not only TO satisfy our
natural appetite and craving for it, but
even for our health. The emigranis that
go west all look to aud praise the capaci-
ty of their new homes Tor raising fruit,
and all Immediately set about raising
supply for the use Of their families, and
oil testify that as the supply of fruit be.
comes abundant those troublesome ma.
larial fevcrs disappear. fthcn fruit is SO
necessary for our very health, we must
labor inteligently. and diligently to Sc.
cure a supply, and as an occupation for
pleasure who would exchange the pleas.
ures Of the fruit culturist for the grog
shop and the gambling saloon
During the delivery Of the address,
Mr.. Thomas exhibited numerous plates
to illustrate his subject. They added
much to the interest of his address, and
assisted greatly in making his subject
plain to his hearers. Drawings of many
of the insects that destroy fruit largely
magni6ed, were exhibited The curculio,
codling moth, borer, tent caterpillar and
forest worm, were thus exhibited and de.
scribed in the different stages of their
growth, and also the manner Of deposit
ing their eggs, Drawings also illustrated
good and bad pruning, also trees well
raised and the opposite as received from
the nurseries, as we'll ms those that were
properly taken up with the roots pre-.
served, and those that were carelessly
@kaH dRg or Ah Is Sp stow aq Sa sv cut of
Of too deep planting and the distance the
roots run from the tree through the soil.
Mr. Thomas closed with beautiful
tribute of :hankfulness to our Heavenly
Head who had bestowed so many and
great blessings upon US in the bestowa of
so great boon as the many excellent
health. giving fruits, and testified elo.
quently to the many improving and re.
fning lessons that were to be learned
while engaged in its culture
Certainly Mr.. Thomas hearers were
convinc ed of the good effect the culture
of fruit had exhibited in the speaker, and
he took his seat amid a good round of
applause. Mr.. Thomas is very easy
but unostentatious speaker, as well as a
beautiful writer, and we regret we can
not give his address in full, or an alb.
stract that does the speaker better Justice.
Hon. T. s. Gold, of Cornwall Conn.,,
Secretary of the Connecticut State Board
Of Agriculture, then delivered an extern
pore address upon the often raised and
much discussed question of "Does farm
ing pay?' Does farming pay in New
England? Does it pay in Vermont I?
Whether it pays or not it is the way
that moro than fifty per cent. of the peo-
pie of Vermont and Of the United States
get their living,and that living is obtained
not by sponging but directly from the
farm. Those who seek living by EN-.
barking in other avocations and fail to
obtain it generally seek living finally
Oh the farm.
The great mental labor in other pur
suits with the great want of strength de.
rived from physical labor in the pure
open air that tones up and invigorates the
physical system. causes ninety five per
cent. of those who thus seek competence
in mercantile pursuits to fail in the strug.
gle, while farmers do much better, fail.
urcs are rare exceptions among them
That farming did pay there was plenty
of evidence that could be brought forward
and that was even too visible to every eye
to BIO ignored but by thooo that were do
tcrmined not to see, but while it did pay
1t did not pay near as well as it mi ht,
and should, We could make it pay
much better did we not let too much OF
our ground both mental and physical
run to weeds, and We could not expect
our farming to pay if we allowed so much
OF our efforts and the strength Of or
land to produce weeds. No other branch
of business could maintain even poor
existence that produces so many weeds
or that allowed its Efforts to be continual.
ly spent in growing them, On all our
farms weeds steal away 100 much of our
profit
AS class farmers are wasteiul in the
care of tools. What mechanic could
live by his trade did he suffer his tools to
rot out and spoil as did many farmers
Again, how much was lost by keeping
year after year cows that we're compare.
lively valueloss when it was so easy and
so much more profitable to breed, raise
and keep those that gave a much larger
return, Farming would pay much better
were those that follow it for a livelihood
better educated for their calling,
The four grand enterprises of the world
are, agriculture, manufacturing, com.
merce and mining, while agriculture re.
turns better average profits than the
others, its votaries are the least fitted by @
proper education to give honor to theil
calling, and secure profitable competence
Of those that follow the four different
avocations. We do not yet understand
the Importance OF properly educated
minds to cultivate our farms, Our col
leges educate men to make them men o
thought and language instead of men o
action. We should have Agriculture
colleges and schools in fact. as we'll as il
name, where our young men may b
taught in every branch of farming so a
to make it pay, instead of where the fund
devoted by our national government t
such labor, is misdirected to such uses i
education as to lead our educated yout
away from and unfit them for maxim
farming pay. Again, such branche
should be taught in our common school
as will fit our children 10 follow intelli
gently and proftably iher calling G
farmers, that they more perfectly develop
his mental structure. and make him mer
tally and physically more perfect for hi
calling. A more perfect knowledge c
how to live is wanting among farmers
none can live so well and none go indie
penlently, it is their own fault if they d
not live independently and well. A bel