Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-03
Why Farming Don't "Pay.v


followed farming from his youth mp, on Ii
cars. After some preliminary conversation
which soon led to the subject Of the preser
inactivity Of business, and consequent char
times" the farmer complained bitterly &
the unproftableness of his occupation, con
pared with the success Of his old schoolmat
in business. The following was about tb
drift Of the discussion, as It reached us in tn
sat behind them.
Fdrmer.-Why, you started in life will
nothing but your name, and now you are re-
ported to be worth $4,000, while ! had
good and wel-stocked farm, worth $4,000
left to me- and have barely kept even will
the world. Farming is the poorest paying
business on earth, and the hardest. It woul,
have been far better for me if | had beer
compelled to begin life as you did.
should have been richer man to-day, ny
family would live easy and enjoy the luxu
ries Of life, as yours do.
Business man.-You might have been, il
is true. But you know that not one fourth
of the boys who went to school with us, ant
who left the farm to seek their fortunes il
business, are worth a cent to-day.
FUmer.-Perhaps so, but good many Of
them never would have amounted to any
thing, any way
Business man.-Then you admit that some
thing depends upon the man, as well as upon
the occupation.
Fdrmer.-Of course, but you are not O
more industrious man than | am. | doubt
If you work as hard as do You don't look
as if you did.
business man.--perhaps DON'T yet all
that have has been acquired by Legitimate
industry not a cent by speculation.
Farmer Well, that shows you have a
better business than have
Business mds.-Other men in the same
business are constantly failing. More than
half the shops in the trade are shut down TO-
day, or running on short time and making
no money. 1t is not all in the business
Fdrmer.-Do not men in your business
and the business men generally in New
England, average richer than the same mum
Der Of farmers, even though the farmers had
the best start in life
business mdn.--They may. But If we
take into account the greater uncertainty Of
business, compared with farming and the
much greater number of business men who
die insolyent, the balance is not very heav-
lily against farming. And believe, If farm.
ing were more generally conducted on bust
ness principles, the principles to which the
success Of business men, when they are sue
cessful, is mainly due, that the average
would be the other way. Such large for
tunes as are sometimes accumulated in bust
ness could not be made by farming; but no
farmer need ever fail of acquiring a compe-
tency. You must be satisfied, where the
risks are so much less, with smaller prizes.
But | do believe, as things are now, that
more money is made, with the same outlay
of capital and labor, in trade and manufac-
lures, than by agriculture. The reason is
that business men know that success abso.
lutely depends upon thorough understand
ing OF their business, and upon strict adher-
ence to business principles while farmers, as
a rule, neither understand their business
thoroughly, nor conduct it properly
Fdrmer.-IIow is that ?
Business man.-Well, you know that when
left Vermont | went TO Worcester to learn
trade. After had learned what | could
OF my employer, worked in other shops in
Connecticut and New York and in each
place | made considerable additions to my
skill as a workman, and to my knowledge of
the way the business was done. I spent my
evenings in reading and studying books that
gave me information regarding my business.
When had occasion to travel, | never neg.
lected an opportunity to visit shops where
similar business was carried on. ! took the
Scientific american, which kept me posted on
everything new in regard to tools and
machinery, and mechanical processes. All
this time was getting my education, but
was not making any money After had
been at work eight years, was not worth
800 more than when began.
Farmer.-Didn't you begin to get dis
couragedY
Business mdn.-Not at all. had but lit
tie money in my pocket, it is true; but hat
money's-worth in my head. soon becam,
known among employers as desirable hand
AMI received good wages and constant EN-
ployment; and not long after, venturet
upon matrimony. Steady work and careful
attention to business in time led to my re
ceiying an appointment as foreman of tn,
shop; aud five years afterwards an opportu
nifty offered to become a partner. Since ther
we have had our ups and downs, some year
making large profits, and others hardly paw
ing expenses. But have constantly strive,
TO keep myself posted in all the details o
my trade have turned out only first-clas
work, and have kept careful accounts, b.
which the exact profit or loss of every brancl
OF the business was known 10 me- This /
the whole secret of my success. If farmer
pursued similar course in fitting themselve
Tor their occupation, and followed it aftel
ward with the same attention TO details,
see no reason why they should not NEE
with satisfactory degree of success.
Fdrmer.-Cannot farmer learn his trad
at home?
Business mda.-That depends upon whp
kind of instruction he gets there. In bus
ness we seek for new and improved ways Q
doing work, for the most profitable products
Tor the greatest production from a given e,
penditnre Of labor and we do not expect tina
all these things can be learned in one littl
Isolated shop. The essential thing with 4
Is to keep posted, to keep up with the time
and a little ahead, il possible. But with a
these we do not look for success, unless "
keep an accurate account of debit and cred
with every thing that we manufacture. w
must know the cost of the raw materia
and where it can be had at the lowest pric,
and OF the required quality. We must kno
the cost of the labor in manufacturing, ii
wear and tear Of tools and machinery, ii
interest on the capital and we must kee
these as far under the price at which Ii
product can be sold as possible, for thel
lies the profit. A great part Of the prof
comes also from skillful adaptation Of IL
articles made TO the demands Of purchaser
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