The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-13

paid them; that is, comparing their former
circumstances with those of the present, 1t
is clear that there has been steady ad-
vance. But In more specific sense, no
one has, to my knowledge, answered, or
even attempted to answer, this important
question. | now suggest to the farmers Of
Windham county that we take up this prob
lem and settle It, beyond the possibility of
any doubt in relation to it, and give the
coming farmer the benefit of our experience
and calculations. This problem is evident
| " very complex one. 1t cannot be solv-
ed in day, nor in one year; but 1t will re-
quire the careful study, observation and
practice of several years to enable the most
expert TO detail clearly the profit or loss
arising from the different branches Of what
is called mixed farming, and show by the
figures of carefully kept accounts, whether
farming does or does not pay. 1t is one
thing to show what Is sold from farm in a
year, or period of years, and quite another
TO show that 1t was managed so as to re-
ceive the highest profits. 1t is no easy
matter to keep strict account with field
of corn for single season. You can easily
estimate the value of your whole farm;
but to estimate the value Of single field
having relative value to the whole accord
ing to its fertility or productiyeness, is not
| 81 Easy AiAtA btAtllbE WIS JOu ~ w NOih
with team and hands, apply your fertilizer,
stir the soil, plant your corn, keep the weeds
down, and at the proper time harvest the
crop. During this time you have been
keeping accounts, with which you have had
no small difficulty. The labor of hands,
perhaps, has had market value, and that
has been set down as so much Interest
and taxes have been specified; the labor of
team has had market value, and has been
set down accordingly; but, as YOU look over
the bill, it strikes you for the first time that
that item may not be correct after all. You
have kept a team during the season; it has
advanced or deprecated in value, and the
cost of keeping has been something, but
just what you are puzzled to tell. There
fore you are of the opinion that the labor
OF team has been set down too high, or too
low, as the case may be. Last of all, you
come to ask the value of the fertilizer ap-
/ piled. and how much was taken up by the
crop, and how much the value of the field
, has been enhanced by what remained; and
as you look at it, it appears as much of a
mystery as the source of the Nile, or the
UNEMPLOYED regions about the poles. If,
after settling these questions somewhat un-
satisfactorily, you are able to come to q
conclusion in the main satisfactory in re-
gard to the cost of that corn, you are met
by still another question, and that Is, what
will you get for it2 You can get its cash
, value but what will you get, is the ques-
ton. OF course, If it is fed, much will de-
pend upon future markets, of which moth
ing definite can be known. But how much
beef, or pork, or mutton, or milk and but
! ter etc, given quantity of corn will pro-
duce under ordinary circumstances, can
and ought to be better understood among
farmers. Until it is, you cannot tell, with
any degree of accuracy, whether it is best
to sell your corn or feed it.
, And right here arises the question, could
not some other crop.have been grown upon
that field to better advantage than the one
mentioned. Unfortunately, no one is for
ward 10 answer this question. So much
depends upon the nature and condition OF
the soil, with other existing circumstances,
together with the want of practical knowl-
edge, that questions of this kind are not at
, present easily solved. And so the whole
catalogue of crops and Of animals might
be passed over, and nothing is more appa-
rent than the want of more practical knowl-
edge in dealing with them.
Hence, if the coming farmer is to be dis
tiuguished above the past or present, he
must have a more practical knowledge OF
what he is to deal with. If, therefore, we
would be instrumental in elevating the COM
ing farmer, we must put ourselves in way
to give him practical information. To do
this, we must settle such question as have
mentioned. Difficult as they are, they can
be mastered. A few years of careful study
will suffice to settle them specifically, II
we set ourselves about it. We must keep
the mind at work, as well as the hands,
, upon such experiments as seem calculated
+ to develop better knowledge of general
= principles. Science, also, must come to
the farmer. Some have already become
very successful through knowledge Of the
} composition of soils, and by good under
standing of what was required to make
, them productive have been enabled to ap-
ply directly Just the fertilizing elements re-
J quired to make them so. The coming far
mer thus furnished, will take his place in
the intellectual scale alongside Of men Of
other Professions position reluctantly
granted him.