The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-24
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
4-he Model Farmer.

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-
lures and hence are always in debt.
A model farmer will never be in debt,
if 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.
lie 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 inn
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-saviug 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
ho ho
! penditure of effort They will be nicely
| painted, not only because paint is a
| preseryative, 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 a ceaseless and systematic warfare
! upon the weeds and against the accu-
mutation about the premises of
all that is distiguring and all that
is dangerous to health. Pure air
in the house and in the barns and
stables will always be highly priced by
| such farmer. The wells will be so
located. and such care will be eXer-
| cised with reference to surroundings
that water will not become contami-
| mated, and there will be no smells OF
eye-sores on any part OF the premises.
Such a farmer, too, will make it a
point to devote Il portion of his time
and effort to the cultivation of fruit
and the adornment of dooryards and
lawns. There is no reason, whatever,
why the farmers dooryard and lawn
should not be as beautiful as any that
can be found in the city or a city's
suburbs. They simply require the
same. The soil needs to be care
| fully prepared and sodded or seeded
Chickens, boys and girls should be
kept off of it. A lawn mower should
be purchased and the hired mar
| directed that among his duties is thai
of keeping the yard and lawn in gool
order if the owner himself does no
wish to do it. and there are no boy:
large enough to do it. Unless the
dcoryard finds a place in our regular
plans of work. and has some labor ex
| pended upon it, we can not expect t
have it beautifed. Then comes thu
flower beds. just what they will b.
will depend upon the knowledge o
Horticulture. Ii the farmer, OF
his wife or boys, have a good
knowledge of Horticulture, the
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 the question, if til
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 carelessness? We believe tina
there is but one answer to that aues
, ton.
Then comes the matter OF fruit
Hundreds and thousands of our farm
have scarcely any fruit upon them, an
some of them none at all. Ask why
; and the answer is very apt to be tia
it does not pay to grow fruit on this G
that farm, and sometimes the answer
= that fruit will not grow. 1t is possibl
t that the answer may be correct in som
cases. But how much effort has bee