Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-06
EARNING as an 0ccupatiOn-HOW to
Make 1t Pay.

On general principles we may assert
that the margin of profit in farming
will depend as in other occupations on
the order of talent devoted to it and the
capital employed in it. Judging from
the practice of the average farmer, we
think he has a good deal to learn yet on
both these points, The old adage so
frequently quoted as though it were
self-evident truth, ''He that with the
pillow would thrive, himself must either
hold or drive, is in my opinion piece
of unmitigated nonsense. 1t is part of
the old absurdity that farming simply
means manual labor. A man might
drive a team or hold pillow eXcelIently
and yet be destitute of nearly every
quality that would constitute q good
farmer; just as a man might be an ex-
pert in the manipulating of setting
type and yet be unfit to conduct news
paper successfully.
Ability to perform some manual or
mechanical operation is very conven-
lent thing to have; it is not, however,
Of much Importance in estimating the
fitness of a man for the successful con-
duct of any business enterprise, whether
it be farm, a factory or mercantile
establishment, More than that, man
who is going to conduct such an enter
prise must be better employed. He
cannot afford to spend his time in man
ual operations that he can hire done for
one dollar or two dollars per day. The
return will be in proportion to what you
give and as you give. Does not your
Bible teach that what q man soweth
that shall he also reapY That, and not
something else. If you have nothing
else to give your farm than manual labor,
it will yield just about what manual
labor is worth in the labor market, and
you must be content to live on that; not
because your farm has nothing better to
give, but because you give your farm
nothing better. Give it the enthusiasm,
of one who loves his occupation. Give
it the best intellectual service of which
you are capable, leading you to the
wisest possible adaptation of means to
an end, and with q liberal hand it will
shower upon you the ample reward for
that higher service.
The margin of profit in farming will
also be in proportion to the amount
of capital judiciOusly employed. have
kcown some farmers, who in other re-
spects had excellent practical ideas, but
whose practice ia regard to the use of
capital did much to prevent a larger
success. AS soon as they had accumu-
lated little beyond their immediate
wants they would put it out at interest.
We'll, perhaps You will say, a little
money out at interest surely isn't very
damaging thing. OF course in itself
considered it is very good thing, but it
might be worth while for some people
to ask If there is not something better;
whether there is not a bank on their own
farm Ia which that money could be
made to yield larger dividend; ,Or bet
ter still, whether some of it might
not be better employed In improving
the minds and manners of the home
circle. fitting them to mingle in society
with the intelligent and refined. We
see comparatively few farms on which 4
more liberal outlay of capital, If !
iudiciously made, could fail to greatly |
increase both the pleasure and the profit |
OF the labor expended on them.-R. @. !
BgiTd, IN AGRICULTURAL 2ep0rt