The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-06
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Fancy Farmers.

Fancy Farmers.
No class of men have been ridiculed so
much, and none have done so much good, as
those who are denominated fancy farmers.
They have been, in all times and countries,
the benefactors of the men who have treated
them with derision. They have been TO
farmers what inventors have been to man
ufacturers. They have experimental for the
good of the world, while others have simply
worked for their own gain. They tested
theories while others have raised crops for
market They have given dignity and glory
to the occupation of farming it never had be-
fore.
Fancy farmers have changed the wild boar
into the Suffolk and Berkshire; the wild bull
of Britain into the Short-horn; the mountain
sheep, with its lean body and hair fleece,
into the Southdown and the Merino. they
have brought up the milk of cows from
pints to gallons. They have heightened the
sirloin of the bullock, deepened the udder of
the COW, enlarged the ham of the hog, given
strength to the shoulder of the OK, rendered
finer the wool of the sheep, added feetness
to the speed of the horse, and made beautiful
every animal that is kept in the service of
man. They have improved and FASTENED the
development of all domestic animals, till they
hardly resemble the creatures from which
they sprang.
fdlCy tdTIHeTS lutlOuuCeu ufiSdtlOu duN
understanding, grinding aud cooking food for
stock. They brought guano from Peru and
nitrate oil soda from Chill. They introduced
and domesticated all the plants we have of
foreign origin. They brought out the theory
of rotation of crops as a natural means OF
keeping up and increasing the fertility Of the
soil. They first ground up gypsum and bones,
and treated the latter with acid to make ma
nures peculiar value. They first analysed
soils as means of determining what was
wanted to increase their fertility. They in
troduced the most approved method OF rails
ing and distributing water.
Fancy farmers or fancy horticulturists have
given us all our varieties of fruits, vegetables
and flowers. A fancy farmer in Vermont, a
few years ago, originated the Early Rose po-
tato, which added millions of dollars to the
wealth OF our country, and proved TO be a
most important accession in every part OF
the world where it was introduced. Another
of these same fancy men originated the
Wilson strawberry, and another the Concord
grape. II was a fancy farmer that brought
the Usage orange from Texas to the northern
states.
Among the men in this country who were
classed as fancy farmers at an early day, were
Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and Living
ston. The first introduced mules; the second,
the cultivation of improved rice; the third,
the use of land plaster; and the fourth, the
raising of lucerne. More than any men o.
their time did they add to the wealth of the
country. After them came another race Of
fancy farmers, who introduced Arabian
horses, Spanish sheep and the improved
breeds of English cattle and swine These
fancy farmers, added immensely to the wealth
of the practical farmers of the country.
What we want to develop the agriculture
and horticulture of the country to their fullest
extent is large number of fancy farmers
men who work for pleasure rather than fol
private gain. There are men who will per
form experiments and give the world the
benefit of them. There are men who will
carry on investigations for the sake of inves
tigating. These are the men who will bring
in new grains, new fruits. new vegetables
and new varieties of animals. These are the
men who will devote their time and money
to the improvement of old varieties and the
creation of new ones. The country is sadl,
in need of more fancy mers.-ChicagC
Times