Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-02-26

prairies and exhauStless resources, 10 the
south, where New England's thrift, indus
try, integrity and the indOmilable will of
the " Yankee" is making itself felD had
been encouraged to remain at home by
every means in our power to make farm
life not only pleasant but profitable here
on the green hills Of Vermont. They. as
Il class. are proud of their native state.
/ We would have been proud TO have kept
them with us TO help us raise the standard
Of farming by more intelligent cultiva-
ton Of the soil, by realizing sense of the
Importance and nobility of our calling, 10y
Il more thorough education of the mass oil
the farmers, their sons and daughters.
MAY they be IL AIDE TO believe that farming
is noble calling worthy of the hest efforts
of every son and daughter Of Vermont
and the better enlightened, and the more
intelligent that effort, the better the re-
suits; then let us all strive to educate our
children in all that pertains to true man
hood and womauhood-do away with the
old-fashioned notion that labor is degrad-
ln9, by learning them that nothing in life
| worth having can be had without labor,
and instruct them in such manner that
they shall perform that labor in y way to
make every blow count, towards elevating
their calling and themselves, demanding
their Just rights not only at the ballot box
but in the respect and esteem of the mass
es of the people, by their lives, which
should be pure, and their example, which
should be above reproach. Then and moi
till then will the farmers of Vermont have
the influence they ought, not only in pub.
lie, but in private.
| There is no farmer in the land who can
afford to get along without at least one
good agricultural paper. which will pay
them back many times its cost in Il gener-
al knowledge of their calling, to SAY
nothing of paying in dollars and cents il
keeping better posted on the market price
of the produce they raise, the best meth
0ds OF raising it, ETC., etc; and when Il
farmer knows he has an idea, which i,
worth more than the subscription price oI
any agricultural paper in the land, let him
imp1rt it to the farming communit,
through the medium of his agriculture
paper, thereby not only beneliting himself
in writing the article, but his brother
farmers by imparting valuable information
10 them.
This brings me to the subject whether
we can improve our farms and make il
pay, and in connection with this subject
would say, that good farming always pays
not only the farmer himself, but his farm
No farmer can be permanently prosperou.
unless he has an eye to the improvement
of his farm us he goes along. How many
illustrations of poor farming We see al
about us over the hills of Vermont, in rur
down buildings and fences attended by
such system of farming Cor lack of sys
TEN to speak more correctly rs sooner OF
later is sure TO result in the farm being
deserted and given over to pasturing or
allowed TO grow up to wood; and right
here let us stop and take lessons of nature
she takes the WORKOUT farms of Vernon,
that are too poor for pastures and in hel
slow but sure way brings them back tc
such state as to be capable of RAISING
good crops, and once more paying foi
cultivation by the hand Of man; and well
is it for him if he has learned this lessor
of nature, who has only given back to the
soil what she has taken from it, but stii
in the slow passage of time has made thai
worn.out soil capable of producing good
crops of wheat, potatoes, oats, hay aud al
The crops raised on the farm.
VITO is there here TO day that doubts
that Vermont, left to the hand and care v
nature for II thousand years, would renew
her vigorous strength of soil, would repro
duce growth OF timber equal to that seer
by the first settlers? Int let man but enter
natures domain with all his boosted in.
telligence and knowledge, and how soor
all is changed; the proud monarcns of the
forest are lelled at his feet and utilized tc
the best possible advantage. 10 be turnre
INTO dollars in the quickest possible man.
ner; then comes the tax and drain ON the
strength of the virgin soil, which to iudn,
by mems actions was deemed inexlnus,i.
lie, and II few paltry dollars are wruuu
out Of that; but let man but follow
nature teachings and pay back to tn,
soil Us much us he receives, and. if nos
sible, more, and We shall see Vermont
blossoming like rose, her people tht
most prosperous, happy and Intelligent o
any On tie face Of the globe, instead of 81
many iorsakGn farms and deserted home
,t"ads; her people in too many cases try.
ing to wiring the last vesige of fer,ilii,
out OF the soil to support their famiIir,
and educate their children, vet in Ia,
many cases ! aving out this one plincipl,
III their educa ion, principle that is the
bnsls OF all good farming and underlies
al others,-that You cannot get anvlbinc
worth having from nothing. Then letus n,
farmers strive to improve the farms in ou
care, believing that the poor est heritaut
we can le1ve to our children is poo,
WORKOUT soil, and aproduclive, well tile,
farm with cummodious and comfortabI,
buildings the best.
Now The question presents itself, How
Shall we farmers bring about this desira
bic State of things? | would saw i, renlv
that all cannot use the same course n,
mode OF dong this, yet all can use tn,
same means, viz: brains. | tell vou
brother farmers, there is us much chnnr,
Tor brain work on the farm as in an,
other calling, and, in fact, 7 him
more and if we look about us to SEQ wb,
it is that makes farming pay, we shall Sc,
that 1t Is not those who do the most manu-
nj labor on the farm, acting us though the,
thought all they could get out of the'
bodies IN the shape of work was ellen
gam, no matter if at night they sleep tn,
) Steep OF utter exhaustion, too tired T,
think diligently or, in fact, to desire to d,
so; but those who make the mind H.,
power that controls and directs nil thn
pertains to the farm, as well rs the NOR,
and intellectual welfare of himself an,
family. By this do not infer that | woul
under rate work, rs without that ever,
branch of industry would sooner or l4tc
fail, but | would have the hands dircctr,
by clear intellect, so that every blow
should count and accomplish something i,
this battle Of life which we are all fgbtino
One farmer says 81 have to sell most -
my grain and some hay, besides wha
other produce | can sell. in order to 1.-Two
and then cannot keep even," which state
ment | can readily believe. or II part of i
at least, " that be cannot keep even;r I'm
he says, can you at the present price q
produce and stock feed out hay to make i
worth twelvh!our fourteen dollars per ion
which got for minoP am ready to nd
NIT that l cannot see any way of gettin,
so much ready money out of It as to sci
it, but the question is, do we make th
right use of the money when we get IT'D
claim not; if this money could be expend
ed for ashes, phosphate, plaster, or An,
other fertilizer to make more hay grow Of
the same ground, then ! say it would d,
to sell it, but how much of the none,
received in that way goes back to keen n,