The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-08-25
farm aud Garden.
Will Farming Pay?


State, we do not hesitate to answer af-
Tentatively proviid'ng farming IS property
conducted. And we may ask what bust
ness will pay if not carried on with judg-
ment skill, and close attention. We may
visit any county, and almost any neigh
borhood in the State, and while farmers
may tell us farming will not pay" if
the question is asked, is not there some
farmer of your acquaintance who is max
inc the business profitable? the reply
will necessarily be, Yes, ! know one, or
more" And whence results this success,
except that intelligence, skill, and dill
oence has been brought to bear by the
Farmer who is succeeding? Some of the
rnf,rtunates of the unsuccessful class,
who are much tempted to grumble, are
,,rone TO put this success down to ''luck"
his neighbor has had good luck"
while bad luck has followed himself A
successful general once said, Providence
ALWAYS smiled on the side of the bravest
soldiers, the bravest battallions, and the
largest ordinance or in the words of the
proverb Fortune favors the brave"
Another has said that "good luck is the
result of good sense, and close attention,
and that as regards the farmer, it loves
to dwell about good gates, efficient fences,
comfortable buildings, and that it
smiles on farmers who have the best
breed of all kinds of stocks, and is always
found where theresare rich soils, which
are kept so by an intelligent rotation of
crops, and the careful use of fertilizers of
all kinds" Farming pays then, not as
the result of "good luck, but of good
management, and great attention to large
matters, and small matters. The fol-
lowers of no other business have hereto
fore, appropriated to themselves so much
leisure, and ease, as have the farmers.
The merchant, the mechanic the clerk,
and the manufacturer, must be in their
places from "early morn to dewy eve"
not only to work themselves, but to see
that every employee is attending to his
allotted work, and even the members of
the learned professions, those of the law,
OF medicine, the teachers, and professors,
have their regular hours, and prescribed
times of business. The farmers, particu-
larly the successful Ones are now more
than formerly, realizing that they must
give up so much holiday taking, hunting,
visiting attending court house gather
ings, races, political discussions, with
whole days at elections, leaving to an in
different "overseer, or ignorant fore
man, the supervision of their farms. If
the farmer will carefully save his time,
giving up court-greens, politics, and leis-
urely ease, watch his farm, and his labor
ers, think constantly about his business
study his profession, wisely, and thought
fully lay his plans beforehand, he will
find hot 60 ,,,,o =, ,,,;1I 49, .
there are farmers cramped with debt,
without means to hire labor, provide
teams, and Implements, and burdened
with poor land, who cannot succeed in
farming-nor would the merchant, the
manufacturer, or professional, succeed
under like circumstances.
The fact that men here and there make
farming pay, proves that many can 90
and do>likewise, if the proper means were
used. There are many instances of sue.
cess IN farming in Virginia, and in other
States and countries. Virginia taken al
together, with her nearness to market
large range of productions, naturally good
lands, temperate winters, healthy climate.
cheap labor, with the marls of Underwater
ana lime IN many portions, and inexhaust-
IDLE beds OF gypsum" in the Southwest,
mas as many advantages for making agri-
culture successful as almost any country
under the sun. Our labor has been in
weighed against by some, and its indiffer
ent character given as reason for fail
ure to make farming profitable. Our la
Dor is cheap, Cheaper than in the DAYS
OF slavery, and if promptly paid, mildly.
treated, and encouraged, can be made as
efficient as ever. From replies to circu-
lars sent out, we find a large majority saw
they prefer colored to white labor. par
tlcularly at the same price, and that col
ored laborers generally are working we'll
We know it was predicted after the lib
GRAFTON of slaves, that the Southern pro-
ductions would fall to almost nothing
and that our agricultural interest would
go to the dogs. But see the result in
the cotton States, particularly where all
the labor is done by the colored race
more cotton is raised now than ever be-
lore, and we believe sugar production has
not fallen off. In the days of slavery, we
'1ad to keep and find and clothe and paw
doctors bills for perhaps thirty persons
70 get about 8 laborers. These cost now on
an average $500 annually, without cloth
ing, which is less than thirty men. women
and children could be supported for r.