The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-05-17
FARMERS COLUMN.
co-operatlon Among Farmers.

they do not know how TO do their work in |
systematic way. 1t is great mistake to
have work scattered all over farm two or
three little pieces of corn on one end of the
farm; potatoes in the other, and so on. 1t
is better to have one large piece of corn in
one place than two in separate places. 1t
takes time to 20 from one piece to the other
with teams and tools, and that when the
time is most valuable. Every farmer should
have q proper rotation in regard TO what
fields he should plow, and what crops he
raises. System must be applied to every
thing on a farm to make it go well. "a
place for everything and everything in its
place." is the only sure rule to go by. This
is one secret Of the success at Echo Farm.
Mr.. Starr applies the same system to farm
ing that he did to a successful business, and
all goes like clockwork. In this way more
is accomplished than by spasmodic effort,
by which not much is accomplished and
Que is soon tired out. Farmers also fail in
another respect in which they might help
each other accomplish given purpose, and
that is in cooperation. When our country
was first settled. it was only by helping one
another that they opened roads through the
forest, built bridges, barns, houses &C., and
which all who could help assisted. "Spells"
were often held, and attended by all in the
neighborhood, to clear up fields, move logs
or draw wood. A certain writer ON politi-
cal economy says: "a single person work
ing by himself in agriculture will not, it
seems plain, obtain more food than that
which he requires for his substance. Sew
eral persons combining their labor in the.
most simple operations in agriculture, will
obtain more food than they require. They
will obtain a surplus produce and that sur
plus produce may either be used as capital
or for the employment Of more labor" Now
if farmers would co operate in both capital
and labor, much more for their common
good would be accomplished. In many sec.
tons of our country this great principle is
carried out. The grange movement is only
a co operation to resist combination on the
part of middlenen and railroad corporations
Cheese factories and ereameries are also the
practical results Of farmers combining for
their own profit 1t is evident to all that
much labor now wasted in making up our
dairy products could be saved by a move
ment of this kind. The fact that by this
system much better class of either butter
or cheese is made out to be a sufficient rea
son to embark in it. II we would combine
our capital and labor in the same way that
dairymen do in the "factory SYSTEM" we
could have much better class of tools with
which to labor. Many farmers would like
to buy improved machinery but for the fact
that he could use it but one or two days in
the year, and it would not pay him to buy
for this alone. By combining in many
neighborhoods reaper or a threshing ma
chine or some expensive tool could be
bought, so that each could have the use of il
at a small cost, and then work would be ex-
pedted. We New England farmers mus
come to this if we expect to compete with
the West in the finer class Of dairy good.
which now supplies our markets. Many oI
the hotels in our smaller cities are supplied
with butter from Illinois ana Wisconsin,
creamery butter. Is it because we here il
New England cannot make as good buttel
as they, or because we do not cooperate 81
as TO manufacture it in systematic wav al
they do? ! am inclined to think it is be
cause we do not keep up to the times in th
respect. | AIN certain that in many local.,
ties there are places where factories coulc
be built to advantage, if the farmers woulc
take and do it by joint stock associations
By doing our work in this way, we woulc
make much better class of goods, lesser
the labor for our families, and add to ou
incomes. The time is coming when w,
must d"this or else "knuckle under" to TIN
great West in the very thing in which w
have always thought we could compete will
her. We have abetter market, nearer home
and can get better price if we will onl,
make as good grades. 1t is said land an
not certain but it is sol that of all classes o
men, the farmer is the most suspicious O
his fellows. Ifthis is so Il do not say it is
1t may be accounted for by the fact tina
farmers live such isolated lives, see SO littl
OF their neighbors, and read 50 little. TAX
men from the cities who see much of eacl
Other, end the rough edges of distrust, O
malice, or the things which tend to max
one sour, get rubbed of by their daily con
tact with their fellows. In short, there i
often more good feeling among this class 0
men than those who have lived all thei
lives in the county, and this may in
measure aeeopt for the readiness witt
which they hasten to take advantage of tn
best ways to better themselves If farmer
expect To overcome the hard times and ex
cessive competition, tney can only do it b.
throwing prejudice to the winds and takin
advantage Of the best things by which the
are surrounded. Some farmers do not sue
ceed because hey are too fond of change
experimenting, as 1t were, to find some NOR
profitable way Of getting along than the on
they are in. If they have cattle, they mu.
change to Sheep il they have sheep, the
change to tobacco. They are Just about
make their fortune, forgetting it is only
steady pail they can succeed. One OF ou
keenest observersoG New England farm Iii
says at is rare now-a days to find so
doing as his father did, aud working Ii
farm with the experience of generation
We have reforms, improvements and ehani
esj new buildings new tools and couver
fences, and new methods all costing none
and labor, and all involving loss and vast
These changes have been SO rapid that mar
of our conservative farmers do not think
any change themselves, but merely wait,
at the'efreus, % see what win come aroll
next" i am inclined 20 think that
some respects we have gone too fast, al
there is happy medium between these t,
extremes [HalaJoy IN he Country ca
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