Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-02-18
Farming Don't PAY.

T"rminS DON'T ray.
Asssrs.l Editors american Farmer .
There is an idea gong the rounds that
farming don't pay. 1 have thought if
we.should all stop farming and 90 for
something that would pay, the country
would be IN rather a bad fix, and as l
am very fond of the country, should
ike to have that notion stopped short.
Those WHO have always lived in the
country know better, but those who
haye been brought up in the city want
some instruction, which the writer has
paid for in big figures, having had con-
siderable experience in running his own
farm and noticed the operations of his
neighbors who came from the city.
L find we have done a great many
things that do not pay. In my case l
loved the country everything IN the
shape OF agricultural papers and periodi-
Gals devoured with great relish. When
l got well filed I purchased a farm
where an old fogy farmer had lived
peacefully to a good old age and died.
When l got possession and surveyed
The premises, I found from my undiges-
ted matter that the buildings were all
wrong and in the wrong place. pull
ed them down and put up the right
Kind in the right place. l found a piece
OF ground too low and hill too high.
had the hill carted to the low place
and made things smooth. 1 kept a
good many hands employed, and they
sung and -whis!led faround land made
things lively. I thought farming splen-
did.
/ Having got the old maxim, that be
who by the plew would. thrive, deter.
mined to practice 1t. l got out my
young team that an honest householder
sold me for one-half they were worth ;
for be had plowed them himself and
could recommend them to be as steady
as clock. l commenced IN q field
lately cleared, that 1 wanted to plant
IN corn; there were q good many stunps
and lots OF stone. l spoke 10 the team
and they started of lively. l trotted
along, keeping a firm hold Of the hand
les, which 1 found rather difficult when
the plow struck stone or root, and
noticed when the plow was in the air
the team improved Ithe time to move
faster, which used up all my surplus
wind, and began 10 get out Of patience
and jerked and pulled them about
sufficient 10 let them know who was
master. When they stopped found
their breaking to bring them down to
the right speeds when an old blown an
came along and suggested tying them
back. No, l was bound to carry nv
point. noticed that when I looked
at the men l had to work, they we're
always looking at e. seeming to be
much interested but was bound to
show them how blowing ought 10 be
done. At last the team slowed down
and came to full stop. When l found
the perspiration had run down and
nearly filed my boots, and my stomach
had collapsed, started for the house
and made directly for the pantry. and
helped myself to bread and butter,
which went with a relish never would
have thought possible.
On gong again 10 the neld found |
had been over considerable ground, and
throwsd up nearly enough dirt to cover
that which was not turned; but to tell
OF the starting that team and the broken
shares, straps, swingletrees, chains,
and horses, and the grass and weeds
that were on that field after l had
harvested 25 baskets of corn per acre.
would be too tedious. 1 learned that
kind offarning did not pay, but kept
on learning a little every year until !
cleared a piece of woodland, and after
taking out all the stumps and stones
and dltehing it, and with good strong
man and steady team. who turned over
every inch, fHely pulverized and ma.
nured, which gave me crop Of csrn that
paid all expenses and left the field in
tne order for another paying CROP
Rather than hold an argument with
those who say farming won't pay, l
would compromise and say some ways
Of farming will pay small dividends,
Others will pay big; aud l think can
make il plain how it will pa, better
than ANYTHING cleo