Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-01-18
The "Fancyv and the Real Farmer.

A correspondent of the NeU England
Farmer puts the thing about right in the
following remarks "The farmers calling
is peculiar one to make it profitable de
mands very shrewd management and a good
deal of hard work-some very dirty work.
Nevertheless, it has certain charms which
other callings have not; it is healthful it
is enjoyable to most persons Of healthy minds
and rural tastes. Hence, it has become the
favorite pastime of the weary merchant,
mechanic or manufacturer, who has made
his fortune, and wishes some occupation.
| know of no other calling that attracts
amateurs in this way, except the socalled
fine arts we never hear of retired mer-
chant amusing himself with amateur black
smith work or shoe-making. few, to be
sure, 60 fishing and hunting many more
dabble in music and painting, but thous-
ands indulge in amateur farming. The
amateur artist has not done much to
help the art to which he is attracted the
fancy fisherman does but little save to amuse
himself neither the professional artist, nor
the true fisherman look to the amateur for
advice or instruction. Why should the
farmer be expected to do SO? Why should
not, rather, the amateur look up to the
practical farmer for advice and instruction,
instead Of assuming the position of in
structor The only answer i can find is,
that the farmer is too often an illiterate
| 4 xphO has Mt ~
shrewd common sense and patient industry,
but usually very little gift of talking, and
far too little accuracy of observation. He
can not make a good speech, and would
rather be excused; consequently the speeches
have TO be made by the amateurs and the
scientific man. believe the proper place
and tulness of the man of science, as the
farmers adviser, is now pretty well under
stood. The scientific man is a careful and
accurate observer of facts, and a builder Of
theories. When his observations have a
direct bearing upon what the farmer wants
to know, they are often valuable, but when
followed blindly, they not infrequently mis-
lead. Thus the chemist can tell us in a
general way how to mix certain sorts of
fodder, 80 that the mixture shall contain the
right proportions Of starch, fat and albumi-
nous substances for a perfect ration. One
mixture, he tells us, will be adapted to the
calf another to the fattening steer, another
to the milking cow but it is the practical
feeder who must tell us whether or not the
cattle relish these mixtures whether uiey
keep in good health, when fed upon them,
and how much they gain in flesh or strength,
for work. Again the anatomist describes
the several stomachs of the OK, and COM
pares them with the smaller one of the horse
and hog, and argues thence that we ought
to feed our swine and horses much oftener
than cattle, and upon more concentrated
food. Good advice, no doubt, but every
farmer must be his own judge as to how
much time he can afford TO devote to the fire.
quent feeding of his pigs. In fact, the re-
suits of farming operations, as regards profit
or loss, are dependent upon very many and
very complex conditions as to prices of goods
in market, and labor attending their use ant
production. The practical farmer mus
grasp the whole of these conditions ant
shape his course independent of any advice
which only takes into consideration a par
of the conditions. The amateur and thu
man of science may help the farmer, as the.
have helped him already, but they do no
always take in the whole field of battle il
their views"