Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-08-24
Does Farming PaJi"


y
give me an idea. if you are not in too
much of a hurry" said the outspoken,
genial. faced stranger, glancing admirlng'
iy from the speckled oxen and blue paint
ed cart, over the white fence across a
smooth field to cluster of weli-kept
buildings, nesting in environment oil
fruit trees.
20, no particular hurry" said the
farmer. "The sun is hot and the oxen are
fat. The shade is thick here beneath tnls
maple, and it won't hurt us TO rest DIT.
johnny, my boy, you may run over 10
the house and fetch US pitcher OF iceu
milk. and one of well water with EtIle
maple molasses and ginger in 1t. Ihlnk-
ing of farming it sirP"
81 am looking for farm with the
intention of purchasing" replieo Tue
stranger. 81 want to bring up my emil
d, en- in the country, and am not able 10
support nv family without work. Hear
inc that this farm up above here was LOT
sale. came to look at it. 1t SUITS me
avery way, but am discouraged about
INCREASING after hearing that the man 10
vyhom it was given in good condition ana
we'll stocked clear of debt, Was only anle
To keen il fifteen years before it was sold
nnder the hammer. After hearing that l
ave no all thoughts of buying farm
INT walked on down this way and saw
vnur nice, well kept thrifty place, and
was inspired to ask your advice about
investing in the adjoining farm yonder."
"Well," said the farmer. tying serie:
OF slip knots in his leather whip lash and
sliding them down to the hickory stalk.
" were as young and strong AS you are,
with IL wife and family OF boys willing
to help along, should consider that farm
mt the price ct which it is offered very
good investment. | run in debt Tor TINS
farm when | was married, and had not the
least difficulty in meeting my payments.
The old man of whom | bought the place
told M, the day the writings were made
out, You will do well enough if you keep
the underbrush of small debts out OF the
wav.' MY wife and | both thought thai
sensible advice and agreed to heed it, and
from that day to this have never run IN
debt We have often gone without a
needed article until we mad the ready
money to pay for it. We have been clear
Of debt good many years now, and we
managed it ny industry and frugallty.
We have not been slaves ~ any means,
but we have worked our way right along
wear after year, with a few half holidays.
We have kept early hours, we haven't
heen to many circuSeS, nor hired a great
deal of help. buy labor saving machines,
and take care of them. | can drive nail
md clnch it, | can bore Il hole with Il
yimlet can paint tolerably well. A
bit of tallow is cheaper than bit Of rust
drop of oil is better than friction. 1t is
easier to put rail on the fence than to
chase the cows out of the corn held, 1t
Il not half the trouble to nail a loose board
on the pigsty as it is 10 get the swine oui
of the garden. A board we'll painted
never rots Do you see? | make the odd
moments count in doing odd Jobs, and in
eachlng my boys to be handy IN the use
of tools We've got carpenters shol
md a blacksmith Ishop of our own, AM
that is great saving. We spend ouI
evenings over our books and papers, an'
profit frequentlyby the printed experience!
fruit trees and bushes every year, anc
have made good deal of money from ou
nursery. We have Il maple sugar orchar
We keep bees We have dozen COW!
ind make gilt-edged butter, and get tb'
highest price for it, Our outgoes arr
small, as we raise our own wheat, ry'
and corn, and the very best of vegetables
tor always buy the best seeds, 1t Is poo
economy TO save on seeds; that is scrimp
ing at the wrong end.
"And how are affairs managed in
doors? am wondering how my wife an
girls will get along, and if they can have
your women folks for models?' asked tn
stranger.
You may come in. if you will. and Sc
what you think about it. | have Away
believed in woman's right to have thing
, convenient. We have washing machines
patent churns, butter workers, and SEWN!
i machines. | would Rather buy carpet
: than to have my women folks wearin:
8 themselves out hopping and polishin!
floors. Paint pays inside as we'll as out
side. MY vile and girls dress IN calico a
:. home, and don't wear trails. have seer
woman work butter in a silk dress with
: out an apron, but her husband didn't g
. rich nor even forehanded,"
"iow about your unlucky neighbol
I who had to give up this farmp PerhaL
5 you will give me an idea Of how h
i managedP'
; :" He wasn't unlucky," said the farmer
swapping out all the loops that he ha
!, be IN so ndustriously tying in his win
y lash. He was lazu. He let things z
/ at loose ends. Instead of putting his ow
shoulder to the wheel, he hired hand q
/. two. He was always waiting to hire
t. carpenter and painter before maxim
90 repairs so you see, sir, there was nevt
any made. He bought tools enough, bl
neglected to oil or house them. II
- bought maple sugar instead Of making
= though he had II good orchard. He bougl
cordwood of me, although his wood Ii
8 WIS nearer and better than mine Il
=. went to the railway station every time tt
il mail trains met, morning and Afternoon
e.. although he had no earthly business Their
lie went to every show that came alon,
He ran up store bills wherever merchal
would trust him. he never built rod
new fence, nor dug ditch, nor cut over
b. square rod of brush land while he lived {
ID he farm. His fences at last were so RI
y down, and his pastures so run up, that !
y had TO give mp Keeping stock. and actual
hired his COWS pastured. Having l
y manure of course the land deteriorate
Is bills and interest accumulated, the prope
IS " decreased in value, and even the vel
; farm itself slipped away from him. Dor
A. you seep
y There is great deal said about the
~ being no profit in farming, but | hay
~ made it pay every year for the past thrt
= nve years. never have run to one Gro
- because you can never depend upon tt
y weather, or upon the market. l try
,r raise little OF everything. and many
. little makes mickle.'
There IS another thing that / ha
" done that very few farmers do in Ne
y, ~ England. have wells and reservoirs s
IT. l.. about in available places, here and the
IS Is on my farm. 1t is fine thing to be ah
~ 81 to irrigate in dry time. My strawberl
!, crop has been saved more than once by
:, copous sprinkling with my force pun
=, and hose.
'S "To make farming profitable farm
must enjoy all the experiments and il
provements They must enjoy makil
grains, fruits and vegetables grow,
al well as flowers. They must take
r. interest in the calves and pigs, as well
at in the dogs and kittens, and in the he
ne and ducks, rs much as in the parrots al
Ell canary birds"
~ :, 'Th,, IL II - uaid tho atranuar /,