St. Landry democrat., 1888-03-03
RAILROADS AND FARMING.
Some Respects in Which They Are VERY
Much Alike. ah

Unlike as they may appear at first
view, railroad management and farm
ing are in some respects alike. The
former is more distinct, bold and OBJ
vious, and requires heavy expenditure.
Its teachings, therefore, may well ex-
tend into some departments of farm
management. and prove all the more
instructive. Its defects and draw
backs present their instruction.
The question is often asked why ac-
cidents on railways are so much more
frequent than formerly, and why hui
man life has of late years been more
abundantlY sacrificed than many
years ago. There are three reasons:
The first and gre atest is that they have
rapidly increased in length and bust
ness. The present 40, 600 miles give
six thousand times greater length
than in 1880. and even as late as 1910
there was only about one-fortieth az
much as at the present time. There
are now ten thousand trains running
every day, and among the great multi
tude which pass safely over them year
in and year out, The scattered acci-
dents are published in all the papers,
The second reason of the many diss
asters is natural decay. A large part
of the railways some years ago were
net and strong and never gave out;
at the present time the bridges and
other structures are beginning to rot,
often unseen till a destructive acct
dent occurs. The third reason is a
gradually increasing carelessness in
men who have o certain service to
perform a thousand times a year.
Nothing happens for some years. and
they naturally become inattentive.
All these influences are continually
working in the creation of disaster,
and they will continue to operate SO
long as human imperfection contin-
ues to exist.
Various points of similarity exist in
farm management but on a much
smaller scale individually. 1t is not
accompanied with the same occa-
sional destruction of human life, but
its victims in a smaller way are much
more numerous. It is liable to
great pecuniary losses under neglect,
and to numerous discomforts from
inattention. The farm. which is once
put in good order, with fine buildings
and excellent fences, viii fall into de-
cay unless watched and keptin repair;
perennial weeds will make destructive
progress if allowed to run; fertility
will gradually pass to sterility under
carelessness; as with the neglected
railway, continued disasters of many
kinds will follow: Constant are and
vigilance will be required to
plish success.
The farmer who keeps even in prog
ress with the many improvements in
farm machinery. will accomplish more
than by adhering to old and awkward
tools. avoiding at the same time the
loss for useless expenditure. He must
save in his OUTLAWS for new and UNI
tried things, and he must save by the
economy of raising heavy crops. He
must have machinery enough to do
work cheaply. and to do it in the best
manner. He will discard the old
squaPe-tooth, three-cornered harrow
for the newer. spring-tooth and disc.
He will prefer a twine- binding reaper
to the old sickle and cradle. He
may prefer to secure his corn fodder
while fresh and uninjured in a silo. TO
allowing it to rot by storms in the
open field; he may choose the various
advantages OF horsepower appliances;
or windmills for pumping, or barb
wire fencing. and sheltering buildings
for his domestic animals. If the farm
er who is not wide awake to avail him.
self of substantial and wise improve
ments, will keep n record of all his de-
lays and disasters from old or worm
out tools and machines, or from unre-
paired buildings, or from defect
i've fences, or from the neg
lect of spreading weeds, and
estimate the loss. he will doubt
less discover q greater aggregate than
he expected; and the whole loss thus
sustained by the five million farmers
of the United States would doubtless
exceed the pecunlary loss sustained
by all the railways.
The leading and guiding principle, |
therefore. which he should lay down
for constant action, should be con-
tinued vigilance and continued inn
proyement. There was much truth in
the remark of a wise philosopher, that
we have greater enjoyment while
actively engaged IN making improve
ments. than in setting down when they
are completed and looking at what we
have done. Young farmers should
bear this in mind. and acting upon it
will soon make vigilance and energy a
continued habit in which there will be
more happiness han in idle pastimes.
One great reason why some men sue
seed in life while others fail, is that
they have acquired a fixed habit OF
doing every thing promptly, and doing
every thing well. while other pro-
crastinate Or work in a slip-shod man
ner.
Young farmers might occupy some
of their time in laying plans for an
active campaign in farm improvement,
and in keeping up with the best work
II