The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-10-31
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.


The farmer should remember one fact:
that even if fortune cannot be made in
a single year cultivating an average area
Of five acres to a farm in grain and pota-
toes, yet his is the only business that
furnishes nearly all the necessaries and
comforts of life free of cash cost, and
the safest occupation, since less than
five per cent. of the total of insolvent
persons are farmers. I give in illustra-
tration Boston book-keeper who, on
yearly salary of 1920, had by great
economy and self-denial saved up 800
per year realizing the risk he run of
losing his health, situation, and savings
il he remained clerk, he purchased
small farm and moved on to il. Charg-
ing himself with all that he and his
family consumed from the same during
year at the same rates that he had
formerly been obliged to pay in Boston,
to his great surprise he found at the end
of the year that he had consumed
81, 800 worth, besides having sold quite
an amount of farm products. With
such result he had no desire to return
to his 81, 200 position, depriving his
family and himself of such health and
comforts as their city life had never
afforded.
That the farms of New England, av-
eraging 103 acres each, are too large, or
that insufficient capital or energy is en-
ployed, is self-evident from the fact that
only five acres each are under cultiva-
ton, only seventeen acres each in grass,
with thirty-one acres in woodland. The
farms of England average forty-one acres
each ; France has 5000, 900 farms less
than six acres each Prussia has 1,099,-
600 less than four acres the less area q
farmer cultivates the more care and
skill he exhibits, and few farmers pro-
duce in proportion to the acres they
own.
As larger number OF the discouraged
residents of our cities make up their
minds to go back to mother earth, where
they started from, for support. sub
division of these large farms will take
place, and the rural districts will be
enabled to support much larger popu-
lation, and to increase the products of
the soil, and thereby add to the pros
perity of this section of the country.
No occupation to-day presents a surer,
steadier, or more remunerative prospect
than agriculture, and if farmers will only
realize that many Of them are not cult
waiting as many acres even as their fathers
did, Notwithstanding the improved tools
and implements for hastening and re-
lieving farm labor-if such will take
hold with renewed zeal and pride in
their calling, New England can make
1 rapid strides toward making herself self
supporting in reference to her food sup
ply.-7he CUltiUatOr.
Cleaning the Hen-house.
If the careful poulterer will look to
the under portions of his perches, and
as faithfully apply the saturated kero-
sene brush to this part of the premises
as he does to the top and sides and
crevices, once in while, he will find it
profitable for the removal of vermin.
Lice brood and breed and live under
the roosts in great numbers In the dfy
time they are thus partially secreted. In
the night, when the fowls settle down to
their roosts, these millions of parasites
crawl up, and nestle themselves COM
fortably among the birds soft feathers
where they subsequently, stick to their
new warm quarters until they are car
bolated or sulphured out again.