Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-29
THRIFTY FARMERS.

1t is fact that there is as great differ
ence between farmers as other people. Some
are thrifty and getting up in the world,
while others are thriftless and running in
debt. This is apparent to any observer. 1t
is not hard to tell who the thrifty are.
Even though you know little OF their pr-
vate affairs, there are certain unmistakable
signs, sometimes in the farmers personal ap-
pearance, in his conversation, in the aspect
of his family his house and barns and fenc-
es, that tell the story to any careful OBJ
server of men and things. But let us look
at these tokens of thriftiness little more in
detail. What are they? Not splendid
dresses upon himself and family; not
Aashy equipage nor a snowy house and fur
niture. Have we not all seen display
made of all these and the like things, while
the farm itself was running down aud debts
were running up which soon swept the vain
proprietor from the old homestead and it
passed into his more successful neighbor's
hands Verify we have seen this done
Another fact we wish to notice, viz, it does
not prove farmer to be getting "torehand.
ed" because he is great trader, is seen
buying and selling and swapping horses and
cattle, and is considered keen for a trade |;
oftentimes while he is running about after a
trade, the cattle and sheep are running into
his grain, and the weeds are running over
bis corn fields and garden, and his farm
from one end to the other is running down !;
no, this is not thrifty farming rather when
we see such things we mark them as signs
of thriftlessness. But when we see farm
er content with simplicity in dress. equipage,
house and furniture when we see him stick
to the farm satisfied with what he can pro-
duce from it, by patient and careful indus
try when we see him systematcal in the
Improvement Of his land, not skimming it,
draining its low and wet parts, manuring
and plowiug as science and experience re-
quire, seeking for improved stock and taking
good care of it, seeking for useful informa.
tion from books, agricultural papers and
from experiments made by brother farmers
and taking a due interest in agricultural
fairs and club meetings, we set him down as
one who is likely to get up in the world.
Such farmer will be often seen haul
ing manure, ashes, ETC., from the village,
carting muck and leaves from the waste cor
ners of his own lands to add to the bank
stock in the barn yard he will be seen in.
Producing improved farm implements so far
as they have been thoroughly tested he
will be seen planting apple trees, pears
cherries, plums, grapes and all manner o.
fruits, for the comfort.of his family, and fol
the sale of fruit, and, not the least, as pc.
euniary resource when old age shall have
come upon him and rendered him less able
to perform the harder labors OF the farm
He will make agriculture his specially, Civ
ing to it-as does the clergyman, lawyer and
physician to his own PROFESSIONALS bes
energies. He will not be ashamed of his
farm frock any more than the clergyman o
his.white cravat ; he will honor his owl
calling, will hold his head up among mel
with dignity and independence and while ht
labors to promote his own welfare and tina
of his household, he will also seek the gooC
of all his fellow men. And at the presen
time it behooves the farmer to be up and a
work striving to protect himself from mo
nopOly in every form, that has for its nom
inal basis reform for the laboring classe
with politicians at the bottom whose sole OBJ
ject is to get hoisted into Office by crying re
form and pity for poor taxed farmers.--J
L. HerSey, IN Mirror and Farmer.