Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-24
4 FARMERS TRAVELLING EXPENSE,

set.
la FARMERS TRAVELLING EXPENSES.
The commercial man and the pro-
fessional man reckon up their travelling
expenses each month, week and day,
but how few farmers even estimate
theirs once o year. I have seen these
things; have not your Passing . farm
Of many broad acres, saw the farmer
send hIs hired man q mile to borrow .
hoe, to replace one just broken, he sit
ting at the end Of his row, smoking .
pipe, the while. Said I, that man sitting
still ls running q bill OF travelling ex-
penses, to he paid at harvest time; and
| should estimate that on small matters
like this, they would amount to q
months good wages In Q year. Just q
little farther, and saw q man with gray
hair, who had seen fifty years. hard
work on his farm. No slothful man
was he, but he had two hired men, but
he had two men, and across broad fist,
covered with heavy bush and weed
growth, up on to the back hill field,
With eight cattle, they were hauling
manure; both men beside the cart, and
the old gentleman driving, walking to
and fro with each load, because the time
TO an cart was only one-fourth that
required to empty. This had been re-
pested over the whole field once In three
10 i've years, generation after genera
tiou, because the hill was 90 steep that
it washed down on to the fiat before q
crop could get Il. Better have put the
old hill field Into an orchard, and turn
Cd In flock Of sheep, years ago, and
cut and burned the bushes, and plowed
and cultivated the fiat, saved one-half
the manure, three yoke Of cattle, and
the work OF one hired man, and seen
more Of the world and the bright side Of
life while his hair was growing gray.
Said I, that farmer can reckon his trav-
cling expenses at s2i2, with interest
added annually, for each year during
the past fifty years; and he never rode
on the cars or steamboat In his life.
A half mile farther on, aud l came
to farm about half way up hill, with
the house on one side OF the road, and
barn Just opposite, and, like tw0-thirds
of the farmers homes, the bsrn-yard
facing the house, and all the manure
shoveled out under the caves, with good
drainage by way Of the street gutter.
As I was going up the hill, l overlook
two of the farmers boys with a good
team, drawing muck from the foot OF
the hill, to put In the barn-yard. ask
ed them how much muck they used.
SON. said they, tive put 10 about fifty
loads per year, and 1t takes John and l
and four cattle about two weeks; but
we have To do II, for We Just hold our
own on our crops now" And just then
noticed three of this farmers help go
ing in the gutter, on the run, and look
again, recognized them as three BROTH
ers-Mr. Phosph0ric Acid, Mr.. Available
Potash, and going on ahead. with con-
siderable gas, and good deal OF smell,
was Mr.. Nitrogen. "Where Is your
father to-day, boysr' I asked. "Gone
after the doctor for sister; we think she
has typhoid fever" don't doubt 1t,
thought I, and venture this man
would be better of by hundreds OF dol.
lars II he would put q cellar under his
barn, and his muck In the stalls, as an
absorbent, having no occasion to call
the doctor, add keeping his help at home
at work In the field, instead Of running
down the street, to ride back on q load
OF muck. surely, said l, this mans
travelling expenses must be well up to
those OF the gray-haired farmer Just
passed. Il
On beautiful ridge of land just as 1t |
bounded the western horizon, I saw q
fine farm with stately mansion and barn.
Attracted by the appearance, asked
gentleman whose fne looking farm that
was. "why," said he, "don't you know
that big brown house and barn what's
got them big elerms just afore itI That's
the honorable Mr.. Charles Burbank
Smiths, what's gone TO Con8rist from |
this ERE deesrict. That's what they |
call model farm, that ID; and the Gov !
eruor, Ms we all speak Of him round here,
we do, he has got mighty rich of'n that
farm, he has" My curiosity awaken.
ed, l thought to visit that farm and see /
what new lesson might be learned.
After four miles pleasant drive, l !
halted ut the gate Of the most inviting
country home had seen for many Q 4
day. As I hltched my horse, I noticed
o team of four fine horses come 10 sight |
over hill; and as they neared me,
saw II was team belonging TO the farm
loaded with eusilage corn.
"IIow far do you draw that cornr'.
asked.
IA mile" said the driver.
"why do you plant your corn 90 far
awayf VIII not this land at hand and
on the height of the ridge bear corn,
and saving the drawing up the hill,
make II less expensive to growT
"Oh, yes, this 10 the best land on the
farm for corn, right back OF the barn,
and two horses can haul more than four
from that fiat field; but the Governors
father always planted that field to corn
once In six years, and he does the
same"
"How much do you put inY'
"About two hundred tons this year."
"How long does Il take to gct q two
ton loadr'
aOh, we get six loads a day, and cut
It."
.How much can you get out Of this
fieldY'
"weli, with two more men than we
have to have now, using one pair to cut
and the other to haul, I think We put
10 some over twenty tons per day."
"IIow much does II cost per day now
to put II inr'
iAbout sl.5O per ton" i
After he Was gone ! figured up, and
found Il was costlng this successful
farmer, on modern farm, 9l0 per day
while flling his sllo, or nearly el0O,
lust because OF his attachment for the
ways of his father. Pretty good travel
Ing expenses for sporting man, even,
to say nothing Of farmer. Il
Il was now nearing sundown, and
retraced my way homeward. While
sittipg in my easy chair, rehearsed to
my rood vile the experience OF the day,
and this was my conclusion: That II
nlnet y-niue Of every hundred farmers