Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-07-16
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY.


Iabor-saving machines are important arti-
Giles upon the farm. A few years ago man
who had argued that such an amount OF man
ual labor could be dispensed with on the farm
as is now the case, would have been consid-
cred mailman. But how could the crops
be raised and the amount of land cultivated
If it had all TO be accomplished as II was n
quarter Of a century ago? From whence
would come the laborers to cultivate such an
extent of territory and produce such an
enormous amount Of food2 On small farms
and to farmers with moderate capital, this
matter Of labor-saving implements is very
important one. For some farms one Of these
machines would only be required for n day or
two in year. To purchase one would de-
mand too great an outlay for such short SER
vice. and so the small farmer continues TO
cultivate his farm as in the days of his father,
while the amount of time and labor required
are such as to almost place him on the out
skirts of civilization in point of result. For
a deficiency Of the modern improvements up
on the farm suggests but meagre quantity
Of the most improved kitchen utensils, 80
thnt both the farm and the home are found,
in place of advancing in general intelligence
and improvement, rather going backward.
Now these small farmers are large and use
full class Of citizens whom we cannot afford
10 lose from among us. We have frequently
heard il asserted that they would be much
better of IL they would abandon the farm and
become employees Of some Of the larger farm
ers, who have the means whorewith to buy
every improved machine. But can the coun-
try afford to let this class of men drop entire
ly out Of sight?
They constitute a desirable class of citizens
who have a stake in the interests of the coun-
try. The very fact that they are owners OF
tract of land be it ever so small, gives stabil-
ity to their occupancy Of the land which
onght to be encouraged rather than set aside
and il becomes a duty of the Grange to see
to il that these men do not lose their present
identity with the, permanent interests Of the
country. In one way at least, they can be
of great service, by purchasing these costly
tools and letting them out to those who do
not have them, or purchase on joint stock
for common use. The writer owns a seed
sower. Few of his neighbors own one. He
does not use one a day in a year, but loans
10 his neighbors, who accomplish as much
in haitian hour with the seed-sower as they
would in a day sowing by hand. There are
moving machines, hay tedders and many 9th
err articles which could be owned by the
Grange and loaned to its members, 50 that
these small farmers could thus have the ben
eft of the most improved implements. Then,
again. in the purchase of seeds and fertiliz-
ers great benefit would arise to all farmers,
whether farming on a large or small scale, by
buying in large quantities and at wholesale
prices. A great amount Of money could be
saved to each farmer in this way, and il
might be a question whether or not the farm
ers could not in a measure cooperate, 70 as TO
dispose of large quantity of their produce
to better advantage than by disposing OF it
in small quantities 10 persons when there is
no retail demand -Am. CuliUdtOr.