, 1879-02-15
Fer On" Farmers.

People Lave always been hearing OF the
fixed habits of farmers, and their s!oWness
to accept new idcps and new methods.
This kind OF talk has persuaded many who
were brought up in othar occupations,
that they could tallc farms, and 10y means
of books and agricultural journals and pro-
gressive ideas. could go far ahead of farti-
ers. Many nave tried it, and have t"und
that their pew ideas made necessary an IN
come from other sources to support their
farming. Farming is very ancient trade.
In all these thousands or even millions OF
years, the cul;ivators of the soh have
learned something Real progress does
MT 81 by jerks and jumps, nor Is all pro
gress ot knowledge in farming exclusive
TO those who are not practical farmers
The conservative habits of farmers IS the
offspring of wisdom. They can afford to
wait till a new thing is well established by
experience before risking anything IN Ii.
They have need of all their cons srvatisun,
because they are continually beset with
Rev inventions. new seeds, new products,
new machines, new things in every branch
Of their business, many oT them bringing
the deiilsive promise of wealth with little
work In this interior region the c"ndl-
tions make profitable the carrying On Of
the various branches ofagriculture
grass, dairy, hogs, sheep, horses, beef cat
tie and 50 on. The conditions which make
this diversified farming profitable are IN
creasin{ every Gay, and will continue to
increase, and the size of the farms makes
it practicable III these branches are IS
old as farming, and to keep them al going
is the conservative habit. On the other
hand. IL neglect one and another of these
because some other branch happens at a
time 10 be more profitable. is likely to
keep one travelling with products which has
most overdone the market. The dairy,
for example, is becoming more and more
a staple part Of farming. Improved quail
ty OF the product, making it practicable to
keep and to transport 1t, has greatly wide
ened It's market, and made this industry
more reliable for profit. Statistics for the
past year show Us that The foreign sales O!
butter amounted to Sl3,G99, 600 and of
cheese to si4,G 0.000. The average far
ner wouil resent the notion that he and
his family Ware not competent 10 carry on
the dairy branch without interfering with
the other farm operations. The raising of
sheep has It's yic;SsitudcS, and when wool
is low the farmer inclineS 10 sell off his
Aoci, but h. soon finds ry.S1n to wish he
had nat. This Is solid branch of farm
inu and works well with others, and The
farmer will not admit that he and his bows
are not comp tent - carry 1t on with al
the intelligence that is going. This indus
try viii increase, for whatever may become
Of the protective duty, the consumption OF
wool vii increase, and III this rs III al
other civilized countries, mutton Is gam
ing IL favor as staple article Of food. For
an unusually long period, hogs have been
So profitable To the farmer that he has in
cilnri 10 neglect other animals hut these
are npw on the Down grade, and he needs
the others to keep his broader foundation.
The same ru!e 10 horses and beGves. Colts
of the good strains that alc now so widely
ditfuscd can always be depended upon to
fetch price, and this better blood has
ncarly abolished the ola job cf breaking
'iiiH - '''tS t-it stiitiC !l-lIliiii!- a-i'--
wise lie can have each year few heeves
to turn oif. and this with advantage to the
other operations Of the fa,m. Al over
the world the "ity population is increasing
SO iauca I,,crc rapidly than the rural, that
the market tyr mca- can never fai!. Her:
In thi; ely lat 4 few days ago We heard q
merchant offer G,eeats per pound for onions,
, the price Is ten cents. Potatoes are six
cents and other Vegetables in proportion
Here IS = ina chance fog some of cur men
Of broad acres 10 reap a little fortune the
next summer. So a'ich produce is shipped
off nowadays that they need not feaf that
our city will lee g!ulteI. From our ex-
changes We lind thai the same scarcity II
Vegetables prevails all The way down to tidc
water. and along the S"uEd cities. II is
fact that raising vegetables requires
more troable chan gram, bat when our
farmers ses that Ii is 4 profitable business
proposition, they viii lot hesitate to put
on more labor 10 attain 50 desirable u
contamination.