The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-22
Tldiness on the Farm.

This is very common theme now a
days, and what we read on it il usually
written by city agricultural editors who
seldom see farm save from a car win
dow as they 90 dashing through the
country from one city to another. They
tell us all about how to arrange vines
and other home beautifiers; and how 70
make home attractive with flowers, even
in the vegetable garden; and how 10
spire off our lighthouses after the manner
of cathedrals, with martin-houses high
up in the spires, and all that sort of
thing; whereat the plain. practical far
mer becomes Disguised and VOWS 10 read
no more in that particular agricultural
department
The farmer who makes a living by
tiIling his own land has something more
TO do than look after and work up any
such tomfoolery. Still, this is not argu-
ing that spirit of neatness about ones
farm, mot gaudy show, is not worth
having Our very practical contempt
rary, the Virginia Rural Messenger,
touching on this subject of farm neat
ness, says:
Iidiness in farming is worth a great
deal more than many persons imagine.
hutH utltlfzS bil Atlt iDbhs vi Tic
thing" after all, As the following incident
will show:
Two men were riding along high
way. the one stranger, the other an old
resident in those parts. They came to a
point where two farms Joined, being
separated only by the public road. The
stranger pointed TO one of the farms
and said: II should Judge the owner of
Al. IL. l.. 81 l..
behind hand in the world. But this one
on the right is successful farmer, and
no doubt doing well"
Upon what do you base your judg
mentr' said his friend, who knew both
men well, and knew that his companion
had slipped for once.
"Why, upon the appearance of the
two farms, certainly. See; this ones
bitches and fences are crowded with
briers and weeds, the apple trees are
covered with trumpet vines, the gates
and fences are broken and shabby, the
buildings are sadly out of repair, and
there is an air of general neglect and
untidiness about the whole place. But
this one on the right is everywhere neat
and trim, there are no weeds along the
hedge-rows and in the corners Of the
ItuCtS, we see no DtOkEU-uoWn carts ana
implements enoumbering the lane, and
the buildings are in good condition and
most of them painted. Surely this man
is worth at least two or three times at
much as that one.
"Well, for once you are wrong. The
two men have about equal means and
both are good farmers. They both gel
ON well and are making money, and
their farms, in fact, are about equal in
value. You judge by appearance, truly
and appearances have misled you thi,
time. 1t is all on account of the habit,
of tidiness of the two men. Mr.. A. lett
no brush lie about, or weeds grow. OF
vines cucumber his fruit trees, or
board hang loose on the barn. He keep
his farm in nice order, everything meat
as a new pin, and sets great deal OF
the looks of it, On the other hand, Mr.
b. seems to have no eyes for weeds o.
brush, does not know how to keep thing
picked up, has no time to bother will
broken gates and the like; but he is
capital farmer, nevertheless, aud is max
ing money despite his shiftless way"
Thus it is that strangers, on passing
the farms, judge of the means and abili
ty of the owners, and generally they ar,
right, but not always. The looks of 1
place go great way, and good farmer
who is not attentive to appearances doe
himself injury, and is rated at less than
his real value. Therefore, keep the farm
tidy.