Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-11-21
DaiIu kfnnebfr JournaI.
Union Among Farmers.

Advantages of united effort have been
long appreciated and improved among
those who pursue the trades and profes-
sions. Those especially, the seat of whose
business Is in large towns or densely pop
ulated districts, have made most progress
in this department Of improvement.
Farmers being apart and associating with
each other, or With the world less perhaps
than most other classes OF society, have
been slower than other bodies OF men OF
equal intelligence to see the advantages OF
nnion for their common good, or to i'm
prove to the full the advantages they al
ready see. Yet something has been done.
The agricultural fairs, which have become
so popular within the last few years. have
diffused vast amount of information,
which had otherwise been confined to a
few. They have inspired self-respect,
and awakened an emulation and enthusi-
asm for Improvement, whose effect on the
agricultural interest has, along with other
! favoring causes, been as life from the
dead.
| Whatever processes can lessen the num-
! Der Of middle men between the producer
and consumer. both ways. are blessings
! to the community. The merchant, we
admit. performs a great and valuable ser
vice wherever he is needed. But still all
deyice-honest ones we mean-that may
lessen or remove the necessity for his aid
are blessings They relieve labor OF one
of its heaviest burdens the support of a
! large crowd Of non-producers, who must
| be paid at a high rate for what they do,
and whose number. from the operation OF
obvious causes, is becoming greater every
year. But our object at present is not so
much TO comment on the progress already
made by farmers in union OF effort, as to
! point out some other thug in which union
is especially needed. and in which its
results would be without doubt of the most
beneficial character.
FIRST. among the matters which we
would commend to the notice of our
friends. is union in the purchase OF costly
stock-books, implement, seeds. shrubs,
trees. aud other things of a similar kind
1t is so easy to see the way in which union
may operate most advantageously in Sc
curing improvement in farming imple-
ments seeds, shrubs and trees, that we
may not dwell longer on them at this
point.
The farmers of certain nei9hborhood
are fully convinced that a certain breed of
horses, cattle, sheep or swine is the best
they corld have But only one OF them is
able to make the purchase of a first-rate
and female that can be relied on as thor
oughbred. But by uniting their means,
they may make the expense very light.
which would secure the speedy introduce
ton among them of the very best of all
kinds Of stock which the American or
British stock growers can furnish.
In the destruction of vermin. union is
absolutely essential to success. A gar
deuer attempts to save his fruit trees from
the ravages of the borer, or the fruit from
the apple worms. He uses every proven
tive aud remedy that a single man can
use. He accomplishes little, and but
little For his neighbors on all sides.
neglect all these matters and live on from
year to year unaffected by his suggestions
or his example. Their orchards and gar
dens are prolific sources OF every species
of vermin and insects, that flourish under
the reign of carelessness and laziness :;
every year he is everrun with IA new
swarm. He becomes discouraged and at
last gives up the struggle. Union is es-
Sential to success in all these matters
Let whole neighborhood be animated by
a common spirit and pursue the same
effective system OF prevention and cure,
and the pests NAV be conquered.