The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-27
From the Boston Journal
EVERY DAY THOUGHTS ABOUT EVERY
DAY WORK.
By A Young Farmer.

BY Young Farmer.
AS it is we'll known among my acqualnt-
ances that | propose to make change in
the spring from my present location, GER
tain parties have tried very hard to awaken
western fevor in me. This must be my
excuse for again referring to my convic-
tions in regard to the policy of poor man
going west for the purpose of engaging in
farming. | know many young men are
possessed with the idea that the small cost
of government land and its extraordinary
fertility will enable any one who goes west
to accumulate fortune in few years if
he only has energy enough to scatter lit
lie seed and gather the enormous harvests
that will result therefrom But | have
very carefully investigated the matter as
far as it is possible to investigate, by hear
ing and reading the evidence without going
there, and am so firmly convinced that it
is not as favorable a situation for poor
man as New England that cannot help re-
ferring to the matter in these columns at
the risk of wearying few who have read
these articles for few years past, by a
repetition of the arguments that have been
used before. But ii | can save one reader
of The journal from making western
trip with anticipations that will not become
realities, can feel we'll satisfied with the
charge of being little dull, or of repeat
ing myself.
In the first place, is land without build
ings, without fences, without wells, and al
most without market for anything which
YOU may raise, more than you want TO con-
sumo at home, as cheap as good farm,
with good buildings, good orchards and all
other improvements, in such condition that
man may get good income from every
acre, and at convenient distance from
markets where all the produce can be sold
at fair rates, If the first place can be OBJ
latter must be paid for at the rate of an
hundred dollars an acre or more? Com
pare prices in Massachusetts and in Illinois,
which is one of the most advanced of the
so-called western states. The average cash
value of all farm products per acre in Mass
achusetts is $50 II, while for Illinois it is
50 SO. Over three times as much per acre
in Massachusetts as IN Illinois. Five years
products 10 Massachusetts would equal the
value produced IN Illinois in the same
time, and pay for the farm with all its i'm.
provements, at the average price at which
farms are sold or appraised in Massachu
sets. Here, also, is a market for any
crops that man may desire to raise, while
there q man is limited to certain crops, and
must raise those which he can keep until he
can get them to market. Even without
taking into consideration the matter OF
good schools, churches, good roads and al
the various comforts and convenience,
which make life in New England pleasant
and merely looking to the question of prof
give me.the old Bay state.
am perfectly disguised with the wealth
er we have been having this winter, ant
am ready to sign petition for the ap
pointment of a new clerk of the weather IL
place of ''Old Probabilities" l think he
is running this thing into the ground. W.
have not had two days in succession OF thu
same sort of weather since winter set in
No rain TO fill the cisterns or springs, al
though we have had rainy days enough
Mud nearly all the time, no sleighing an(
no decent wheeling.
If / had been located on a farm of m,
own I should have been delighted to Sc,
such weather, but it has been so tantalizinl
to me, under the circumstances, as goo,
dinner would be TO man who had no ap
petite to eat it. | could have been digging
out rocks, building wall, making cranberr.
meadow, clearing up the pastures, moving
bushes, digging bitches, getting pea
out of the swamp. repairing wagon
and harnesses, or doing many othe
Jobs that would add to the value o
the farm and its productiveness, more thai
enough to pay days wages for all the tim,
spent in doing the work. And yet ! see
almost every day, men sitting abou, tn,
grocery stores who have large farms wher,
many OF these improvements are greatly
needed, and in some cases where they nigh
be made at very small cost and little trou
BILE, and the owners are complaining tina
farming cannot be made to pay, and tina
they cannot afford to hire help.
1t seems to me that if they would EN-
ploy their leisure time this winter in max
ing some of these much needed improve