The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-02-26


appreciated, success is bound to be
the result.
1t is proposed to supplement these
organizations by going into the fields
and orchards and showing practically
how pruning and kindred work should
be done, and also the best manner Of
destroying Injurious insects. An i'm
portant feature of the institute is the
question box. Written questions upon
any branch of farm life are placed il
this box, and at the opening of the af
ternoon session are answered in such
manner as experience may suggest
The other meetings were held in
Batenan's Hall, Bel Air, on Tuesday
and in the Odd Fellows Hall, at Elk.
ton, on Wednesday. The remarks Of
the different speakers were naturally
in the same line at the institutes.
They are given below, practically in
full. The first speaker wss Mr.. James
E. Rice, of the Fernwood farm, York.
town, n. Y, his theme being:
THE OPPORTUNITIES OF THE EASTERN
FARMER, AND HON TO USE THEM.
After a glowing tribute to the pro-
verbal hospitality of the Southern
people, he said
The main thing is to get into close
touch with the market. The producer
and the consumer must get together
and let the profits which go to pay
the middle man and the broker their
numerous commissions, get into the
pockets of the farmers. Our grain
markets are too much controlled by
the price of grain upon the other side
of the ocean. We want market right
here at home. You may say that we
have them. So we do, but we are here
today not to discuss theories, but facts;
and it is too much of fact that three.
fourths of the farmers in this com
munity are dependent upon some one
else to market their products. The
middle man is our especial pest. and
we must eliminate HIM from our cal
culations. The man who has nothing
III the world to do with our crops but
sit in his office and sign piece of pa
per which transfers that crop to some
one else, is the one who derives all the
advantage from rise iii price. Take
for example eggs. As soon as the farm
er can succeed by hook or crook in
getting together Il basket of eggs, he
takes them to his nearest store and
trades them out at 10 or IL cents pei
dozen. Your storekeeper sells them at
one cent advance to the commission
m archant. He adds a cent or two to
the price and delivers them to the re
taller. The retailer sells to the con
sumner at Is or 20 cents. We should
slice off these three commissions and
get the profits ourselves. In order tc
make the farm pay, the farmer must
put the skill and ability to work
which characterizes a successful mer.
camille life.
'"There are different ways of reach
ing the consumer. One is to have a
stall in the market, a place where you
can show goods. Hustle at home. Keep
memoranda and see what branches of
farming pay best and work them for
all they are worth. If you cannot at
tend to the mark ct and farm both, get
some one else to run the farm.
"If we divide our farms and inten-
sify the fertilizing, we can produce
more and make more. Our farm con.
tains 90 acres, but we only work sc
acres of it at any one time Don't
have too many irons in the fire. Have
one or two things which you really
can do, and push them for all they are
worth.
There is one thing which must be
borne in mind. Keep up the stand
ard. Quality always counts. Pro
duce just what experience teaches you
GLlcIS 10 d IOl, anu dCStl III IllS
best. People, as a general rule, would
prefer to deal directly with the farmer
They are fond of being able to say
Il get my butter and eggs direct from
the country, and always fresh" Re
tail your own produce and keep in
touch with them and their demands
You may say, Il live too far from the
mtrket.n l don't know about that
When | resided in Pennsylvania, !
lived thirty miles from Philadelphia
l tried driving but found thatswas
most too much for me, and adopted
the plan of sending my produce by
rail. l went with it myself, had g
wagon to meet me at the depot and
saw to the display and sale of my
goods, and found it to pay me.
ut does not do to contine yourselve.
to one or two distinctive thing. True
you must have leading articles. but
have in connection with them a NUN
Der of tributary ones. Take with yor
anything you find on the farm. Chest
nuts, walnuts, hickory nuts, such
things as city people often crave
Trifes they are, but in the course of a
season, when you review your sales, il
will surprise you how these little
things all help to bring money. Itmay
seem at the time only little, few
cents here and few there, but it ac
cumulates.
Another idea is to produce thing
when they will bring the highes
prices. There is nolonger any none!
in wheat or potatoes. Try to var,
your produce. Raise and pay atten
ton to those things which ordinar.
! farmers will not take the trouble t.
raise, and retail them yourselves.
cannot lay too much stress upon re
failing. Last August sold from on
farm at retail goods in one week whici