Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-03-13

people of all trades one half Of these are
engaged in agricultural pursuits. Suppose
these 5000, 900 laborers should stop work
ing for one year Halt the people of the
country would starve, all business would be
paralyzcd, and the whole world would groan
under the stroke.
Look at the figures n little nearer home
There are in this county 2.396 farms, and
only two of them so small as three acres
and only eight of them of 1000 acres or
over. These farms represent capital Of
Sl7,000,000; the implements alone { or
working them, s5OO,OOO. The live stock
on these farms is worth to-day s2,500, 600
In this little town, Montgomery nesting
high up among the mountains, the capital
invested in farms, stock, and tools amounts
to the snug little sum Of sS00,00O EnOs-
burgh, (my own town. has in the same
81 1859 800.
A single farm back on these hills is but
one, ana may appear a small affair, but let
all the farmers unite their interests and
move in one grand whole, aud there is no
power on earth save God alone that could
resist them.
The Management OF the Farm.
1t would be better for our farms and
better for ourselves it we did not try to do
so many kinds of business. We ought to
devote more Of our time to our stock and
farms We can not all be good peddlers,
mechanics, spectators, patent right sellers,
&C., and at the same time he good farmers.
The English say the Yankees try to do
too much, and do nothing well. With them
farming is life work they devote their
whole time and energy to it. 1t is not an
uncommon thing for them to cut three crops
OF grass in one season, and get two tons per
acre at each cutting With us farming is
too much temporary work. When we get
rich we shall quit it aud move to the village
In this way we farm to get the greatest
amount Of immediate cash, caring nothing
for the future fertility of the soil or the
wants Of the next generation. Perhaps it
is just as well, for with many there lcW be
no future generation in those modern times.
The Lord ovsth cheerful giver, and 80
does the soil, and just in proportion to our
generosity to it, will it reward us at the
harvest time. Then let us feed it we'll, give
it liberal coats Of manure stir it often, and
mix it fine. 1 would not buy commercial
fertilizers until | had used up all that is
made around our own buildings There is
more plant food wasted in the kitchen sIops
in one year than can be bought 10 a ton of
the best commercial fertilizer.
Allow no unnecessary growth to exhaust the
SOIL We can grow crop Of weeds very
easily, but they will take about the same
elements from the soil that crop Of corn
will, and in the crop Of weeds we raise
thousands and millions Of little seeds ready
to be scattered all over the farm, to repro
duce their kind another year.
You can see some of my mismanagement
every time you go by my farm, Il am glad
don't live on the road,) in the shape Of great
skeleton weeds standing up in the snow as
stiff as m old line democrat | hoped the
snow would be deep enough this winter to
bury them out Of sight. Perhaps some Of
you have seen these witnesses against your
shiftlessness standing in your own fields with
their arms pointing in all directions limiting
to you that they have scattered their seeds
as widely as they could
Products.
We ought to produce from our farms more
Of our own food and family uecessar aries.
The farmer is the last man who should be
seen round with bag under his arm look
ing for something for his family to eat.
There are yet a few Of the old fashioned
farmers left who raise their own food aud
live well, grow their own wool and make
their own cloth, and dress warm and they
are the most independent people in the
world
would rather have one of those good,
old fashioned undergarments of generous
length than a half dozen modern linsey-
woosey short variety. In our own farm
productions let us endeavor TO excel in quail
ity as we'll as in quantity. When we have
a good article to sell, the market and buyer
are at our door. If we make such butter
aud cheese as customers like, they will eat
it fast, and when it is gone look for more
just like it. 1t is good policy to make such
as people will eat much Of, for the more
they eat the more they will buy. There is
no doubt that the dairy will pay us better
than any other branch of farming. We
must therefore devote our best energies to
the production Of grass for both summer and
winter food for our cows, keep all the stock
we can keep we'll, and save all the manure,
that we may increase our grass crop. Thus
will our stock and crops be constantly in
creSsng.
East Berkshire, FEB. 26.