Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-11-08
2fericirltilral Department
WHAT HINDERs THE SUCCESS OF
THE FARMER!


| intimated some time since that |
might send you an article on the sub
ject above indicated have not the
vanity to suppose that am wiser than
all my brother farmers. Neither do |
think that they, as body, are greatly
deficient in intelligence. l write mere
ly for the purpose of stirring up others
to think, write and act upon this sub
ject of so much Importance to every one
of US.
Now. in order that you may not mis-
understand my position. let me give you
leaf from my own experience. About
twenty three years ago l purchased a
farm in this town, paying $1,000 for it.
The farm then produced seventeen or
eighteen tons of hay; and four cows, a
yoke of oxen and a horse were about all
the stock that could be kept on it. |
! lived upon the farm about fifteen years
when sold it for $4,000. The farm
then produced about forty tons of hay,
and would keep twelve cows, yoke of
oxen and two horses. suppose you
will not call that scrub farming"
But to the subject in hand. Let me
mention first, as one great cause of want
of success on the part of many farmers,
the lack of sufficient capital. A young
man has, we will say, one thousand dol
lars. He buys farm that costs three
thousand. He owes two thousand on
the farm, and has to buy the stock and
tools on credit. Now he goes to work,
but soon finds the farm very much run
down. He thinks he will improve it,
and bring it up. He is ambitious, and
commences a course of improvements,
but soon finds that there are so many
calls for money on every hand that his
pocket is drained, instead of his land
He has no money with which to buy
grain for his cattle, or fertilizers for hi;
fields, and at last becomes discouraged
and settles down with the conviction
that he can barely rub and 60, anC
gives up all thoughts of improvement
But there is another class of farmers
who begin with a good deal of capital
Many of them inherited good farms
with good buildings and good stock up
l on the same. Most of these will tel
: you that farming don't pay, their farm
are run down, etc. Now what is tn
matter with these men? This bring
. me to my second great reason why far
mers do not succeed. And what is it
answer, the prevailing extravaganza
of the times.
The farmers money, instead of bein
spent for the Improvement of his lanC
or his stock, goes into the hands of tn
= village stOre-keeper to pay for DIRE;
goods, jewelry, and fancy articles. H
family will ape the rich, and follow tn
;. fashions of those who have nothing I
! do but spend money. In fact, ever,
! thing about him or her must look wei
- except his poor farm. He has no mol
\ ey to expend on that, because the d
/ mands of fashion and style use up a
! his surplus means. In fact he owe
draws his income, and while his farm
growing poorer, his debts are increasing
Il his farm is mortgaged, and he wants
. sell out, which if he succeeds in doin
- he generally finds he has jumped out
y the frying pan into the fire. 1 ha
h. thus in few words, barely limited
\ two of the causes that believe We
=. much hinder the success of the farmt
n and by success-I here mean an increa
~ of capital year by year, in some perm
!. nent form.
W. SPENCER IN North Star.
Cabot Oct Is