Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-21
For the VERMONT FARMER.
Would Additional knowledge aid our
Prosperity

Prosperity
Before we leave this idea it seems that it
may be viewed from different standpoints. l
have spoken of the skill needed to take
charge Of the gardening and embellishments
around the homes Of wealthy men, also the
skill requisite to be successful market gar.
dener, yet there may be many Vermont far
mers who say, "my son does act need such
skill if he understands common farming, he
can get living" Very true, he can leave
the best places to be filed by men from over
the sea, and he can be rough pioneer far.
mer, where lands are cheap, transportation
dear and profits small. He can still further
escape from civilization and become hunter,
trapper or miner. 1t is better, however, to
teach him his trade so that near the markets,
near all the privileges Of civilized life, on
high.priced land, he may proftabiy cultivate
the soil.
Sometimes a people are very ignorant, and
do not know it. In the South the men who
have Travelled aud seen the methods Of farming
at the North, desire Northern men to come
South, and they say, tive wish to have your
methods, your tools, your northern thriitiuess,
introduced here" Travellers from the North
say that with improved methods of farming
the crops, the profits and the home comforts
in the South can be greatly increased. 10.
deed, the methods now practiced are entirely
inadequate to the proper development of the
country. In Florida, especially, there are
farming enterprises going forward that the
native citizen would never have conceived
as possible.
In California, when gold caused rush of
Yankees to that country, they found tho
rudest implements and methods of culture
among tho Mexicans or Spaniards. Would
they ever improve among themselves
Would it not have been n profitable invest
ment for them to hire men from other coun-
tries to instruct their young men in the arts
of farming? japan is acting wisely in sOud-
ing some young men to this country to be
educated, and also sending to this country
for teachers, stock, seeds, tools, etc. Hon.
Horace Capron left his place of commissioner
of agriculture in the United States to respond
to such a call, aud now other scientific and
practical men are on the way. They could
not lift themselves over the fence by their
own boot straps.
The turnip crop of England is now enOr-
nous and great source of prosperity, but l
understand its cultivation was introduced
largely by a man whose zeal for the root
gave him the common name Of Turnip
Townsend
1t is said the potato was introduced into
France by a nobleman named Parmantier, who
had no success until he planted piece with
display, and had guard stand by it, and
placards threatening the direst penalties to
trespassers, aud when the tubers were grown,
removed the guard and the common people
stole his crop, as he expected, and provided
themselves with seed. While these exam.
Piles Of japan, California, the South and
other countries do not prove that in Yer.
mont we are imperfect, yet they do prove
that people may be ignorant, and not bC
able to become wise with only that know
edge that goes from father to son, with en-
tire dependence upon silent. taciturn, hard
working fathers for teachers. The question
then comes buntly to US, are We so ignorant
in Vermont that We need teachers, or tina
our ignorance brings us annually and con
stantly great loss The affirmative is th
true answer.
Only one tub Of butter in ten is good
Cheese is not general product. Most o
the calves are killed, yet some dairyme
make good income from calves, aud COW
are what We depend upon. Ia setting mill
our teachers are interested agents for patent
pans. Why do we not have place where
experiments by disinterostod men are made
What are you paying for private lectures OF
setting milk ? Fruit isvsry desirable but only
hardy varieties can grow in Vermont. Gu
teachers in regard to varieties are men tina
sell trees, rather than men who experimen
for the sake Of teaching. Our teachers il
regard to commercial fertilizers were tn
agents until lately, Our teachers in veteT
mary science are often men who own n
stock, and whose qualifications are in greI
degree self-conceit. If you wish to tOst tn
matter, hire the most intelligent young ma
in your neighborhood of about twenty-or
years Of age, and as the season passes as
him to graft one hundred trees with tn
> best varieties; SOW and plant your croT
with proper fertilizers and preparation OF Ii
. soil wash the sheep or shear them castra
: the lambs and kill the parasites make bu
" ter and cheese raise the calves improve Il
stock aud, indeed, do haying, harvesting al
= all farm work. l fear you will fnd ign
rance, but if he has learned the trade, he CT
% do these things, aud winter will fnd u
= we'll prepared. u. Il. jameson.
This communication was mislaid by Il
y editor, aud its appearance delayed thereby
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IT Why do they want to send another min
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