Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-02-26
The Practical Farmers Club,

An interesting selection was read b
Rebecca Shepherd entitled, "What ca
she do?'
! The most excellent address deliver
ed before the Farmers Institute b
Rev Alexander, "The Morals of th
Farm" was read by Mrs S j Thomp
son and was received with marked at
tention.
A selection by John Shepherd, Jr
was also read, advising that the affair
upon the farm be conducted with th
same care and diligence as the mer
chant in his dealings. To endeavor t
have a constant flow into the treasury
and look well to the many leaks b.
which it Is depleted.
Subject for discussion, Farm Help,
with its Sub Topics: 1st, Is it profit
able to hire hands by the year, o
only during crop seasenY End, How
many work horses is it profitable tt
keep, on farm of one hundred anC
sixty acres? 3rd, What farm impIe
ments is it necessary for a farmer t,
keep, and the care of the same?
The discussion was opened by 10:
Thompson, thought it best to employ
for the working months only. Thought
one team of horses the most profitable
hut desired others for convenience
would recommend in farm implements
and machinery the best, well cared
for, endeavored to employ hands who
who would have proper care Of machin
cry.
n B Nichols had considerable ex
perience in employing hands. Thought
neighbor boys taken when young, and
retained until grown up, the most sat-
isfactory Had experienced consider
able difficulty in employing by the
day. In reply to enquiry, stated tina,
the expense of boarding was generally
considered twenty-five cents per day.
RIB Hogue, desired to know what
wages should be paid per month, sho'd
they be as high this year as last, could
the farmer afford to pay sixteen dol
lars per month and board his hands.
Believed not at ordinary farm work.
The number of work horses depended
upon the kind of farming done.
What would be the expense of keep
ing horse for the year? In reply j W
Nichols said, in St. Clairsville, $40 for
six months this winter. N B Nichols
said, $40 year in the country.
Seaman Miner, believed in furnish
ing tenant house, and employing by
the day the most profitable AND salts,
not keep too many
horses hut desired more than two, some
for pleasure as well as work.
ia Atkinson thought help employed
bv the year would become more inter-
ested in the work. Believed it not SO
important as to the time for which we
employ, as the character of those en-
ploy ed. Spoke of the evil influence
exerted upon children by those en-
pIoyed. Such as profanity, smoking,
chewing tobacco &c. Showed how by
the natural deprayity Of the human
heart, the best of influence by parents
could so easily be set aside, and how
liable to be led off by association with
evil. Said If accumulation of money
was all that was necessary, one team
on farm would be most profitable, but
for the comfort and happiness of the
family, would recommend the keeping
of others. Believed it was apparent to
all thata new interest is beingawakened
in the farm, and the farmer, as indica-
ted by the Farmers Institutes and diff
ferent associations of this nature, all
showing that farming is not now re.
garded as the commonplace business
that many in these parts have thought
it to be.
Calvin Pollock spoke also of the evil
influence oftentimes exerted upon those
who are too young to have their habits
OF life formed, by those employed in
the family. Az to the number of horses
would recommend one good team for
the purpose of work, and another
smaller one for the purpose of riding
or driving in the pleasure carriage
which he considered very necessary
article in the family. As to the care
of farm implements and machinery
would recommend first of all shelter
from the weather when not in use, and
believed one years exposure to the
weather more injurious than five years
careful usage. Thought the proper ex
ercise of care and judgment, mingled
with good degree of common sense,
in all our transactions upon the farm,
would generally be rewarded with sue.
cess bey ond our expectations.
wv Nichols had not been in attend
ance at the meetings for some time, but
spoke of the improvement in the last
year in the interest manifested, and in
the ease and fuency with which the
members expressed their various opin.
ions. Regarded the subject of the day
as very grave one, as it involved the
great question which had been agitat-
ing the old world for years, and was
fast becoming the question of the great
est importancein this, our own country
Labor and capital, each rising to assert
it's rights, as was manifested in the
strikes. riots, and the use of dynamite
Tine and space will not permit the
further notice of the interesting re
marks made upon this subject.
In reply to the remark Of some one,
that he desired hand to have pluck
enough to hold on to team when il
became frightened, Abner Lodge said
his hand had been remarkable for hi:
pluck, as he had stuck to his horse
until it ran away down into West Vir'
gina.
On behalf of the Club a gavel was
presented to the president Of the So
ciety, which was accepted by him il
NN.-I