Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-03-13
WHOLE NO. III.

better, nor as well as ourselves. There are
other disadvantages besides high labor that
have seriously affected the profits Of the farm
of lato, such as dry seasons, and the grass
hoppers damaging our pastures. To illus
trate the comparative profits Of farming and
labor, suppose a young man at twenty-one
has farm worth three thousand TO pay for,
and the stock thrown in; another one works
out and lays up twenty-five cents day,
placing it at interest at the end Of each
year. You will iud by reckoning that the
farmer would have to do better than the av-
erage to pay for his farm before the work
man would have enough money to buy him
out
AFTERNOON.
First was paper by
Hon. r. n. Carpenter,
on What Style of Farming pays2" fol-
lowed by discussions upon the following sub
ject: How can Farming be made more
Pleasant ?" commenced by j. Lawrence, Of
Passumpsic, who read short paper upon
the subject, in which he mentioned some
things that tended to make farming unpleas-
ant, prominent among which was the prac-
tice of working too many hours in a day, al
so using muscular power where brains might
as we'll be substituted A person that works
hard on farm fourteen hours out of twen-
ty.four is entirely unfit to think, but by a
decent amount of exercise the mind is made
more active. All of you are gamers for
resting to-day from your usual labor and at.
tending this social gathering. Perhaps some
who have staid away thinking thereby to
save time, aud the price Of one of the best
dinners in town, are really losers thereby. l
notice you style the meeting " The Annual
Festival, wish we might have such a
reunion oftener. hope this farmers club
will be kept up during the GUNNER, and l
would recommend that you meet once a
month at the farms of the members and
criticize each other in farm management.
Our club at Passumpsic practiced that last
summer with good success
j. e. Hovey once heard of a minister
who said he had preached before all grades
of society and never was the least daunted.
But what would he say if he was here to-
day? Here we have ministers, judges, ex-
judges and newspaper reporters, and l con-
fess feel somewhat timid trying to speak.
But how shall we make our occupation more
pleasant L say first by putting enthusiasm
into it, and doing everything in the best, and
most complete manner. Some people can see
nothing pleasant in farming. They should
step out. Just look at the improvements that
have been made in farm implements for the
last forty years. When we look back to
the tools our grandfathers used, they seem
very rude to US. But presume that in
fifty years from now our present implements
will appear as awkward to future genera.
tions. These improvements make farming
more desirable by saving a great deal of the
hardest labor. Then the work in the kitch-
en- should be made easier and more conven-
lent. 1t is here that the greatest pleasures
of life are found. We should keep our wives
strong and healthy and furnish them with
every reasonable qualification. Even some
things that we call silly notions we should
overlook. 1t is very fashionable now for la
dies to wear what they call a polouaise. If
your wife wants to 60 to St. Johnsbury and
have one Of these appendages procured and
fitted, 60 with her without murmuring, and
if next week she thinks some other aise "
is necessary to her comfort, 60 with her
again. Also we should furnish good tools
for our boys to work with, if we send them
out to hoe potatoes with an old rusty, broken
hoe, they will certainly take a dislike to
farming, and wish they were of age. Then
we should furnish our children with books
and amusements But be very careful what
selections we make If in this way our
families are made happy, there is not much
danger but that farming will be considered
very pleasant.
r. B. Cobleigh: suppose that labor is
the part of farming that is considered uu.
pleasant. Some think that the curse was in-
tended for farmers because it is said, " By
the sweat Of thy brow shalt thou eat bread.
| think this is a mistake. If labor was con-
sidered not only as a necessity, but bless
ing, and something that is really dignifying
people would-be much happier than they
are The most depravOl races of men are
those that are indolent and lazy and the di-
rect tendency Of inactivity is to produce fee
Bile minds and bodies.
Geo. Il. Drew Farming can be made
more pleasant by making business Of it,
and not be attending TO too many other
things at the same time. And then by not
overworking. | think there has been an i'm
provement in this respect, but there is need
Of more still | have said that would not
take the gift of farm and be obliged to
work as did when boy, now see the
policy of giving children and young folks a
great deal OF recreation. am very sure
that more work can be done in long run
by working ten hours day than by being
actively engaged for fourteen hours. Also
we should not be too much confined at home.
We should go away occasionally, aud many
times we might learn enough to make up for
our lost time
After some other brief remarks upon the
subject, an essay was read by
ID. GOOdalI,
,,vo, 4. Iabor - and the maatino yVas al