Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1889-08-01
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
The Model Farmer.

Is one OF independence. III is not al
ways true, and, perhaps, never true in
the strict sense of the term. None of
us are independent The richest man
in all the world is not independents
But it is true that the model farmer is
as near to that happy condition as any
man can be. And what Is model
farmerP The usual answer is that he
is the man who keeps things neat and
in good order, and does his work in
season and according to the best
methods. The answer is not a good
one. We know men who do all this,
and are yet far from being model farm
ers. They are careless about expend-
itures and hence are always in debt
A model farmer will never be in debt.
il there is no reasonable cause for his
being in debt. He will not buy an ex-
ira horse which he does not need,
simply because he fancies the animal.
He will not put on expensive airs
when he can not do it without running
in debt. We must get a better de-
scription for the model farmer than
the one given. If we were to describe
the model farmer we should begin by
saying that he should be careful to
keep his Indebtedness down to the
very lowest possible figure. We rec
ognize the fact, OF course, that it is
not always practical or possible to
keep free from debt But the model
farmer will not be extravagant, he
will buy on credit only what he abso-
lutely needs. He will do his work in
season, and will adopt the most i'm
| proved methods OF course. He will
| observe order and neatness in all his
surroundings. His house will be COM
Portable and we'll and perhaps Orna-
mentally painted? His home will be
beautified by neat, comfortable furni-
ture, books, newspapers, magazines,
pictures and musical instruments, ac-
cording to his means. He will aim to
make home beautiful and comfortable
not only for his own pleasure but for
the benefit of wife and children. He
will supply all the labor-saving ma
chinery that his wife needs.
His barns and other farm buildings
will be in keeping with the appearance
and convenience of his house. They
will be amply large. and SO arranged
that the necessary work in them can
be done with the least possible eX-
penditure of effort. They will be nicely
painted, not only because paint is a
preventative, but because it is orna-
mental. Machinery and implements
| will be kept in good order and pro-
tected from the weather when not in
use Fences all over the farm will be
kept in good condition, and there will
be ceaseless and systematic warfare
upon the weeds and against the accu
mutation about the premises o.
all that is disfiguring and all thai
is dangerous to health. Pure all
in the house and in the barns ant
stables will always be highly priced by
such farmer. The wells will be sc
located, and such caro- will be exer
cised with reference to surrounding
that water will not become contami
mated, and there will be no smells Oh
eye-sores on any part of the premises
Such a farmer too, will make it ;
point to devote portion of his tim,
and effort to the cultivation of frui
and the adornment OF dooryards ant
lawns. There is no reason, whatever
why the farmers dooryard and law
should not be as beautiful as any tina
can be found in the city or city
suburbs. They simply require thu
same. The soil needs to DO care
fully prepared and sodded or seeded
Chickens, boys and girls should b.
Kept off of it. A lawn mower shoult
be purchased and the hired mai
directed that among his duties is tina
of keeping the yard and lawn in goo,
order If the owner himself does no
wish to do it. and there are no boy
large enough to do it. Unless tn
dooryard finds place in our regula
plans of work, and has some labor ex
pended upon it, we can not expect t
have it beautified. Then comes tn
flower beds. just what they will b
will depend upon tho knowledge 0
Horticulture. II the farmer, o.
his wife or boys, have goot
knowledge of Horticulture, tn
flower beds can be made very beautiful
But If that knowledge is limited. tn
common flowers about which every
body knows something can be grow
, with very pretty effect. Is it wort
while to give this attention to the yard
To answer that question, we shoul
, ask and answer tine question, If I'll
, moments of rest, be they few or many
would not be more delightful in tn
midst of such surroundings that wer
, crude and unsuggestive of any thin
. except carelessnessp We believe thu
, there is but one answer to that que
Z ton.
= Then comes the matter of frui
q Hundreds and thousands of our farm
t have scarcely any fruit upon them, an
: some of them none at all. Ask VIII,
s and the answer is very apt to be thu
a it does not pay to grow fruit on this {
o that farm, and sometimes the answer
s that fruit will not grow. 1t is possib
o that the answer may be correct in SON
L cases. But how much effort has bee
Q made to grow iruitp Is it not fa
: that in many cases trees and plants an
: vines have been set out and then lie
9 to diep If they had had as much Cal
9 as is given to the corn crop I
h to the potato crop is it not probab
s that the fruit would have come alor
h in a very satisfactory shape? Al
@ no,r ;s ~ NOT 4rna that thaSn m mite