The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-08-21
Editorial Meetings..

Editorial Meetings..
SECRETARY SESSIONS, of the Massa-
chusetts Board of Agriculture, says in
the Net0 England Farmer: 81 believe
that young man with business ability,
industry and capital of two thousand
dollars, will be much surer of success
in any one of several branches of farm
ing, if he has liking for the business,
than in venture in any other bust
ness" Mr.. Sessions is a practical
farmer, who has made his own way in
the world. Many of our farmers saw
him and heard him talk at the last
Dairymen's meeting at Burlington; and
they know that he is not flowery man
or fancy farmer He is successful
because he is worker, and has taken
pains to do his work well. He is also a
reader and observer, and probably will
never think himself too old to learn.
JoURNEYMAN FARMERS. There is
no such class of men yet in America;
but there is good opening for them.
If men of industry, who lack the capac-
ity to manage business, would be con-
tent to do in agriculture what millions
of them do in other lines of business
that is, make up their minds to pass
their lives in the service of what may
be called executive men, we should
have sounder basis for our agricul-
ture than we ever can have while every
man on our farms aspires to be a boss
farmer. The new farming requires
capital, practical and scientific knowl-
edge, and executive capacity. 1t is
evident that all of us do not possess
these qualities; yet thousands who do
not are excellent workmen under those
who do. Now would not such men, in
the long run, be far better off, and be
relieved from the stress of anxiety
which presses them down upon their
unpaid-for and ill-managed farms, if
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and stay journeyman farmers?
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE, for many
with moderate resources but strong in
dependence, is the resolute combining
of their efforts to small areas of land.
An exchange says: "The ideal farm
ip0 community ic with
lively small farms, where the interests
of ownership and labor are united,
where mental activity prevails, and
where men are found useful alike in
the field, the grange, or the farmers
club or institute"
THIS is UNTHINKABLE, apparently,
to the average American farmer. We
lately had at our house, seeking for adj
vice and help, man who has success
sively " owned " three farms of over
one hundred acres, and has Just been
ousted from the third by foreclosure.
He is fifty years old, and is negotiating
for another large but poor farm, upon
which he can, by the help of friends,
pay down tritle, and move in with
what the law has left him. He could
buy and pay for twelve or fifteen acres
with this help; and could put all the
work there is in him into them, with
out more than half cultivating them as
they should be. He is good honest
sort of man, with little education or
energy, and no foresight or judgment.
But he doesn't think he would be a
farmer at all on twelve acres of land.
BITING OFF MORE THAN HE CAN
CHEW" is the worst thing about the
American farmer. No matter how
slight his ability, his hope is as bound
less in youth as his despair becomes
deep in middle age-and both are an
injury to him. 1t does not follow, be-
cause one can not succeed" on a
large farm, that he could not get a
comfortable living and save money on
a small one. Some of our most sue
cessful farmers have made their success:
on twenty-five acres or less, and never
felt any urgent necessity for more land
They have preferred, like our friend
Cheever, who is always so warmly wei
coined at farmers meetings in Vermont
TO make twenty-five acres carry twenty
five first-class dairy cows, and make
butter from them that averages a pric,
double the average of Vermont butter,-
rather than to put twelve indifferen
cows on to $50 acres, and make ~
pounds OF seventeen-cent butter, yearly
from each of them.
SOME OF OUR READERS may have no
ticed, in the Mirror and Farmer, al
application of the saying at the head o
the preceding note to ourself, in con
nection with a recent purchase of on
n,uy, W. ho,1l., ,uDn1ar OF IL and M