The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-12-11
Editorial NOtingS.

Editorial Notings.
THE OLEo FIGHT. The Homestead
is vigorously carrying out that ideal Of
a genuine farmers paper which was
first made prominent in the old Yer
mont Farmer, nearly twenty years ago,
that it should represent every interest
of agriculture in business and politics,
as well as in the art and science of the
farm. We rejoice to see the good work
it is doing, and the hearty way in which
the NeU England Farmer seconds it.
Too often "a petty jealousy has pre-
vented agricultural journals from heart
lily working together for farmers inter-
ests-but that is far from being intelli-
gent journalism. More power to your
elbows, brethren
TIE IDAHO PEAR.-This remark
able pear is a chance Seeding, original
ing about eighteen years ago near
Lewiston, Idaho. It's vigorous grower
and an early and profuse bearer. The
tree, in growth and LEAKAGE, indicates
alliance with the Chinese or japanese
pears, of which the Keiffer and LeConte
are representatives. but the fruit, which
we have had the pleasure of tasting, is
not only large and handsome, but of
very high dessert quality 1t surely
deserves trial in the East, and unless
we are much mistaken it will prove
frst-class fruit either for home use or
market. 1t is not quite iron-clad in
tree, but is probably not less hardy
than Flemish Beauty.
"DEsERTED FARMs.-A writer in
the Mirror and Farmer says: " As a
rule, believe that every one who has
stopped farming has done so because
he found something else at which he
could do better If l am right, it would
not be reasonable to expect him to re-
turn to farming, even though it yielded
moderate profit, so long as he can do
better financially at something else"
No doubt many have left their farms
because they thought they could do
better But how has it proved, in the
majority of cases? There are many
men engaged in farming, as in other
businesses, who are little calculated to be
successful at it; but our observation has
taught US that generally these poor
farmers are still poorer at any other
job. Inefliciency will live longer on a
farm than anywhere else, but it is
bound to have hard times anywhere.
SOUND housekeeping to para
graph of ours, maintaining that our
New England agriculture is as profit
able to-day as farming anywhere on the
continent, HOard's Dairyman says:
We don't doubt it a particle, as ap-
piled to those who farm it well; and
therefore the greater was our surprise
to learn that there are tens of thou
sands of acres of abandoned old farms
in both Vermont and New Hampshire.
The cause for this was rather inscru-
table to one who knows that money can
be made, near good markets, on any
land that will hold up good fertilizers
and is easily tillable. We have not a
particle of hesitation in saying that if
we were in an emigrating condition
and mood and wanted farm, we would
20 for some of those New England
farms at from 81 to $40 per acre long
before we would 90 West the same dis
lance to get lands for the occupancy.
What the live farmer boys who live there
are thinking about, that they turn their
backs on such chances and certainties
and strike for homes near the Rockies,
passes our comprehension. We opine
their chances will soon be fewer
OATMEAL AND BEANS.-The NeU
England Farmer says that everywhere
in cities fruits and oatmeal are used
on the breakfast-table, while in the
country the farmer still compels his
wife to keep him supplied with pies ad
libit,ua, and, worse than that to make
pork the principal meat diet, and to
bring up their children on the same
rigid fare, (which" says the Farmer,
fits them in adult life to be apt candi
dates for treason, stratagems and
spoils." We find this item quoted in a
good many papers, it being one of the
sort of paragraphs which just suits the
fancy of the scissors editors of city
papers. But we can not believe that it
came from Brother Cheever's pen, for
he has sat at too many farmers tables
in New England not to know how in
correct it is. 1t is not fact that pork
is at all more common on farmers
tables than on city tables, while the
profusion with which our farmers
wives can up" fruit for winter use,