Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-03-13

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What is Successful Farming!
Read at the MarshGcld meeting of the Board of
Agriculture, by L. y. Fisk, Esq, of Wasiield.
A majority of the men engaged in al
most any occupation seem to have some
ambition TO make their business success,
and farmers are no exception TO this rule,
though they would probably differ more
widely than most others in regard to what
constitutes success in their calling.
AT meeting of farmers for mutual
Improvement it would seem proper for us
to consider for II short time the nature of
the success which we shonld most desire,
and some of the conditions essential to
secure it. The subject is one Of such
magnitude, that shall touch upon only u
few of the many points which might be
brought out, with the hope that in the dis
cussion which follows, ideas will be adj
vanced which will compensate for,the def
cencies of this paper Negatively consid-
orng the subject, we may say that success
tHt Jdrming is not the mere accumulation
of money by the farmer Let us look at
one or two examples. Farmer Close has
81 large farm and mortgages on several
Others, besides quite an amount of bank
stock or its equivalent, but he is one of
those men Of whom it is said that if he
obtains dollar it is prisoner for life.
His buildings are among the oldest and
poorest in town and are inconvenient and
uncomfortable for man and beast. The
furniture of his house is poor and scanty.
and few books or papers are to be found
in it. OF course he does not believe in
" book farming and his tools are half q
century behind the times. Neither has he
expended dollar to improve the blood of
his stock, and his crops are growing small
er year by year, though the number of his
acres has gradually increased. If there
are children who are so unfortunate as to
call him father " we may be sure that
little has ever been spent upon their edu-
cation and like the southern slaves of
former days, they are valued chiefly ac-
cording 10 their capacity for labor.
Churches and benevolent societies do not
rely upon his contributions for very large
part of their income. In fact about all the
benefit that community derives from such
citizen is comprised in such taxes as he
cannot avoid paying. Too often the estate
gathered during the long life of such a
man, is speedily scattered by his heirs
with prodigality equally culpable. BY
such u course as this man may be tolera-
bly, sure to lay by a few thousand dollars
but if his farming is n success it is such a
one us none of us, trust, will wish to imi-
tate. | do not wish to be understood as
saying anything against Il proper degree
of economy, for | believe it to be indis.
pensable TO success in any business that
we live within ourincome, and we should
not be ashamed to do this even ut the eX.
pense of being considered niggardly. But
economy is one thing, and misery ac.
emulation of property for the mere sake
of boarding it up, is another.
Mr.. Sharp combines the farmer and
specuator. He was born with bias fol
trade. At school he snapped jack knives
and usually came out ahead. As mar
he has traded in farms and everything con.
nected with them. Indeed, the principa.
part of his farming has consisted in apply
ing the SHINING" process to farm fol
few years, and then exchanging it fol
another, to be used in the same way, anG
of course he had much rather be trading
in horses or cattle than doing anything tc
improve his farm. He mag or may not be
a man of some wealth, but if successful il
is rs a Spectator and not as Il farmer
Neither is increased production sure in.
dication of successful farming. A man
born in the country goes to the city early
in life and there accumulates fortune, but
at length he begins to long for the fresh
air of the open fields. A farm is bought
| buil1ipuc npl nrppp1c oro Etto1 40 sci
taste blooded stock is purchased ana
manures of various kinds are supplied
with liberal hand. Considered as sum
mer retreat and a change from the care anC
WEAKNESS of Il city life, no doubt the opera.
ton may be considered as success, but
financially it is II miserable failure. The
amount Of crops raised is greatly increas.
ed but their money value is far less thar
the cost of production, Yet it is sucl
farmers as this that carry off a large par
of the premiums at our agricultural fairs
although the animals and products which
they exhibit al e fitted up at a cost which
no man of ordinary means could endure
| will give one more example of in
. creased production of farm, in which
there may be more doubt whether to elias
it as successful or not. A young man o
limited means, but possessed of good nh
tural abilities, determines to become
; farmer Eyes, | believe that such n thing i
possible, although we are obliged 10 yiel,
u continual supply of young men from
our agricultural communities, to constitute
the ablest men in all the other professions
But our young man wishes to become a
Intelligent farmer, and so INDUCES in th
r r.