The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-12-16


| An Essay Read by Hon. Leroy Cave at
the Dubois County Farmers Institute
at Ireland Dec. $, 1898.
80 frequently we hear it said of a
man. that he is "a good farmer"
we wonder what qualifications are
necessary to entitle him to this dis
tlnction. Having pondered over
the matter considerable my conclu-
sions are about as follows; it is not
|alwais the man that has fancy
houses ana barns, fancy stock and
the latest improved implements to
raise fancv crops, that is good
farmer. Money will buy these
without man being farmer. Aft
er man is thus equipped it does
not always follow that he goes ahead
and makes any sort Of profit on his
investment. We have seen good
farms, and good farmers, who had
no such display OF fine things. |
have known good farmers who
started in as renters, but by their
good methods of farming were
soon wellto-do and in condition to
take the world easy when they felt
inclined to do so. The land that
is worked by good farmer shows
that it is Systematically rotated,
fencing in good trim, briars and
brush not allowed to grow up in
fence corners, and no gullies in the
fields. The buildings may be old,
perhaps, but they are in good re-
pair, and neatly painted or white
washed; gates are not off their
hinges, and the wood pile is not by
the side OF the front gate. Stock is
in pastures, lots or stables, where
they can do no harm, and where
they VII not interfere with each
other. They are not all pedigreed,
necessarily, but are in good thrift,
and show what close attention and
careful feeding will accomplish.
If you look across the field. some
crops show up better than Others
round about. 1t is evident that
they have been started in ground
well prepared, and given the very
best of cultivation from start to fin
ish. Orchards may not be large,
but they are kept vigorous By
proper cultivation, and the planting
of few trees every year. If you
watch his products as they go to
market they are such as may be
classed among the best, and such
products always command a fair
price.
A good farmer don't sell his corn
at gathering time at zoe and buy
the next summer at 35c. The good
farmer in not always college bred
man by any means. He may have
labored under many disadvantages
on account of lack of education. A
few winters at the district school
may have been the only school
privileges he ever had, but he has
learned much in the school of ex-
perience and observation, and by
reading few good farm papers.
He know good animal when he
sees it; he knows Just what kind Of
food is cheapest ard best to fit it
for market. Feeling sharply the
disad santages he labors under for
lack of education, he sees to it that
his children are kept regularly in
school, and if the means are at
hand they are topped off with a lit
tie college polish. If you look a
little closer into his financial stand
ing you will probably find that he
has something laid by for a rainy
day, a condition quite different from
that OF many people who farm for
show, with big mortgages hanging
over their worldly possessions.
Before we term these old fashioned
farmers "fogies" let us be certain
that we are in advance in practical
work and results. | call them sue
c,ssful farmers, because they are
not failures in any sense of the
word.
The successful farmer of to day
farms within his means, and makes
the most of his surroundings. The
unsuccessful farmer covers over
much ground, makes big display,
splutters around promiscuously and
ends with u smash-up!
"Dickie, did you give your papa
and mamma my thanksgiving din