Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-29
WHY FARMING DON'T PAY. No2.

horses aud carriages, spending his time in
riding about the country, loungng in the
village store, or--what generally proves
more ruinous to fortunes than idlenoss-go-
ing about the country with some agency or
patent right, while the management Of his
farm is entrusted to hired help, we expect to
see his fields ornamented with stones, briars
and weeds, moving machines and other uten-
sils standing out of doors all winter fences
poor, the neighbors' and his own cattle eat
ing his corn, trampling his oats, aud digging
his potatoes, his cattle or once in while
one Of his fine horses breaking their legs by
stepping through rotten floors, and matters and
things about the farm generally running from
bad to worse until mortgage on his farm
is ioreclosed and he goes TO the city 10 work
in shop or stand behind a counter, declar-
ing that Charming don't pay;" and We are
seldom disappointed in this expectation.
All attempts to make a business pay with
out attention prove failures. 1t is as true
on the farm as in the store or the manuiac-
tory that the profits will be in proportion to
the brains put into the business. The man
who proposes TO devote his mental abilities
to selling patent right or to dealing in
cattle or produce had better not undertake
to make farming investment an adjunct to
these occupations. A common fault with
the Yankee is to have too many irons in the
fire at once, and in trying to attend to them
all they all get sighted. Zone thing at
time and that well DONE is a good motto,
and if followed will lead to success.
One Of the greatest leaks on the farm
and we believe the greatest leak, is the loss
caused by neglect to save all the fertiizng
materials which are practically available.
Hardly farmer in Vermont saves all the
fertilizing material produced, while many of
them purchase commercial manures which
American countries, freighted thousands Of
miles, and burdened with the commissions OF
hundred importers, agents, wholesale and
retail dealers, &c. This is not as it should
be. Why send abroad and pay extravagant
prices for that which lies at our doors, wait
ing to be used, and which can be utilized at
merely nominal prlce2 If the Importance
Of saving every fertilizing material on the
farm were realized and acted upon this year
and next; the product of the farms of our
state would be doubled in the harvest Of
1875, and farming would be made to pay as
it never did before. We do not look to see
anything of this kind SO soon but we do
look to see the fertility and pro6tableness of
farms in Vermont rise gradually, not only
through economy of fertilizers but also
through the adoption of improved methods
and the dissemination Of advanced ideas in
the oranges, agricultural societies, farmers
clubs, and last, though not least, the columns
Of the press.
Another reason why farming is not more
profitable in comparison with other indus
tries is found IN the inferior system Of mar
keting. Manufacturing institutions have
their regular customers, who require Their
products and are ready to pay their price
for them. They have their combinations
and if they fud that the market price o.
what they have to sell is too low, that they
cannot get living and with it those com
forts and luxuries which tend to make l;iC
pleasant and enjoyable, all they have to dc
is to pass a resolution in their "union" fix
ing their price at a paying figure, and tn!
thing is done. Not so the farmer. lie ha;
no voice in saying what shall be the price
of his products. He has cattle, butter
grain, &C., for which he must find market
They must be sold, and he has to take wha
he can get and, if that is too little, poke
his loss. The cattle if kept until another
year, or until prices rise, will eat thei
worth in hay, the butter will hurt by keep
ing, and rats and mice will eat the grain, s.
the Spectator gives whatever he peases 70
it, and goes his way, passing it through til
hands of half n dozen or dozen merchants
agents, shippers, dealers, &C., before
reaches the consumer. The grdngers ar
doing good work in procuring implement
and supplies at reduced rates b
avoiding the expense Of their passin
through so many hands, but the effects {
cooperation among agriculturists have onl,
begun, We are confident, to manifest them
selves. Farmers have too long been isola
ted, indvidualistic entities, living withou
the benefits Of those elevating, refining, an
educational advantages which are derive
from association with each other. There al
too many slow, plodding farmers, whose live
are but the continual drudgery and worl
work, work, which forms the substance {
the uninviting picture frequently drawn
the Imagination and sometimes on pape
as correct representation Of life on tn
farm. If there is one thing which farmer
need as a class, it is to be made more socia
more neighborly in their habits, and led t
more frequently meet together, cOmpal
notes. and enjoy social intercourse with eac
other. The order of Patrons is doing
great work in this direction. The bringin
Of farmers and their wives, sons and daugl
tiers together for social, literary and 9TH
entertainments will do much TO make thei
life more enjoyable and attractive and
keep their sons on the farm and away frol
the temptation, vice aud crime Of the cite
They come together not merely for SELLS