The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-05-05
BUY A FARM.
Sensible Advice to Young Men.

We are glad OF an opportunity 10
copy the 70 lowing article from the New
England Farmer 1t was written for
that journal by Thos. Pearl Briggs, Esq,
Boston gentleman of large experience,
who has observed how precarious are the
professions and trades usually followed
In cities sOmpared with the calling Of
farmer. He says:
With the Bible and Horace Greely,
we exhort you TO keep out Of debt. But
there is al least one way Of getting into
debt that we Ger ainly recommend to
some young men, viz, to buy a farm.
The Bible Injunction to cove no man
anything" evidently means To owe an
other In such a way as 10 injure or de-
fraud your friend but in running
in deb for farm the creditor runs
no risk, where ho holds a mortgage
and receives lawful interest, in fact, he
is safer than the debtor.
But few young men will save their
money unless compelled to do 50.
What little real estate the writer Of this
owns, be owes 10 the tact that he was
in debt for a farm before he was OF age,
and was compelled 10 meet the notes,
with interest, as they fell due; there
fore ] know whereof ! speak Let a
young man earn 800 or 5000, and then
buy one Of The many New England
farms which can be bought for less than
the buildings and fences cost, paying in
advance as be can, giving his notes for
the res, extending over ten or fifteen
years, if necessary, each note to be paid
annually, with interest. suppose you
buy good grazing farm, worth 81, 900,
IA. gFlIT
10 be paid in nine equal instalments
annually. The first year the interest
will be at per cent. litrle over 800,
constantly decreasing after that. Well,
now, YOU can find farms Of the above
description where there is enough wood
and timber on them to more than half
pay the cost Of The farm. This is es-
pecially the case in Maine and Vermont.
By little energy you can sell enough
wood IN the winter to meet your notes,
and raise enough from the farm in the
summer tO give you good living. If
there is a saw-mill on the farm all the
better; or keep half a dozen yoke Of
steers, and a few colts growing, and
they will meet those notes IN way that
will astonish You, especially if you are
careful to ge- the best breed and blood,
aud see that the steers are well matched.
\ good colt or good yoke Of steers
will always sell, and to good advantage
on the cost of raising them. Like in
terest. they grow while you sleep.
Ii is the young man that has some
paying employment during the winter
that will most surely and easily pay for
his farm If you haven't wood or tim
Der or bark to sell, teach school, sell
books, trees, rat-traps, or something
that viii give you cash enough to meet
your notes and you are all right. IT
near a village or city you can very like
" find some mechanical or other kind
Of work that will pay them. When
spring comes pitch into your farm with
q determination 10 subdue the soil, with
the blessings of heaven, in such a way
tina she will yield her increase, and own
YOU as her worthy lord and master. To
try 90 get a living off from a farm, and
pay for il at the sa ne time, Is hard, I'M
less You have paying work during the
10 y winter months find that and the
open door to a home Of your own is be-
fore YOU, and easily attained. At the
end of one decade you will be more in
dependent and prosperous than most OF
our merchants, clerks or professional
men. II it is rue, as il Is said to be,
that more than 30 per cent. Of our bust
ness men fail, it behooves you to look
well to your choice Of occupations. Be-
sure, if possible, to buy a farm on which
you can use a moving machine and
her machinery, and you Will be the
peer Of any man Of any profession, as
to the number Of hours you work, as to
time for reading, social blessings, aud
above all, independence to do as you
like
The city clerk or ''counterjumper,"
while he may dress we'll, is comparative
" a slave. He owns no home he must
90 to his work and stick to it as regu-
larly and a. constantly as person at
hard labor in d State prison, and in
some cases Is treated As hard, generally
as they are there. A physician or law
yer Is but little better off, unless they
are among the few who attain to fame
and wealth. By the introduction of la
bor-saving machinery, the whole aspect
Of farming has changed within few
years, and it is time people gave up
their old-time prejudices, which were
well-founded once, but are now a libel
on what d farmers life may be. A slen-
der man and boy can now do, with ma
chinerv, what it formerly took half
dozen stout men to accomplish. In such
q case the farmer is manufacturer of
grain, beef and PORK, ms cad of a "rais-
err of these things, and he ought to be
one Of the happiest, healthiest and
hottest Of men on the face Of the earth