The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-11-23

Srasshoppers, while we take a little comfort with our beautiful hills the pure ar that blows over them and the pure water that flows from them, nev- CT forgetting that when we plant an acre of corn between those hills statis- tlcs show that our average yield is more than that of our prairie friends and let us not foul our own nests by harping upon the decay of our agriculture There are thousands of men in Con- neeticut who point with pride to the fact that their buildings are in better condition and their land more product tive than when these farms came into their possession, and the state of Con- nectlcut richer for their being her citi- zens. If there are any that can point to different conditions at home let them do so with shame and humiliation, not attributing the decreased value of their belongings to the fact that they live in Connecticut, but to their own shiftless- ness or stupidity.
 Perhaps l ought to include ignorance, innocent ignorance, as a reason for the Tact that some owners of Connecticut farms are not farmers. If so l may With justice call the attention of the press of Connecticut to a little point: Whatever interests the public, whether it be religious matters or prize fights, gets due attention from the press, but, barring occasional 'gleanings" lnai may be applicable to Iowa, California or Florida, there is little reference to agriculture in the press of Connecticut other than to increase the prejudice against farming by bewailng a fancled decadence of Connecticut agriculture, Annually, in the month of December, the farmers of Connecticut hold coll vention and, aided by the best thought of other states discuss the building up of our farms and the consequent en- rching of the state. The matters dis cussed are of interest to all. If JUhn Smith, of Granby, can be induced to put his farm in shape to send to Hart ford more home fatted poultry, more cggs. more and better potatoes and vegetables, more and better dairy pro- duets it is not only a good thirg for John Smith, of Granby, but most ex- cellent thing for Hartford buyers of these products. No conventions, wheth- CT prison congresses or meetings of base ball magnates, are of tithe the value to Connecticut that these meetings are. Not one farmer in a thousand can at tend them, but every farmer that takes a Connecticut newspaper, as well as ev- cry consumer of Connecticut agricul- tural products, and in fact. every tax payer, for the taxpayer pays the bills, ought to know the salient points brought out at these conventions. If I am correctly informed, the state board of agriculture is quite willing to furnish a brief summary Of the proceedings, and it is to be hoped that the winter meetings of 1899 will receive from the state press more than a six line item that such a meeting is being held somewhere in the state, and addresses by certain gentlemen of this and other states. Many successful farmer leaves pressing home work to attend these meetings and tell his less success ful brethren how they may become his rivals in business, how to build up their land make the consumers of their pro- ducts happier and their towns and the state richer.
 Ought not these men to have help ing hand not only from the press, but from every man patriotic enough to feel an interest in the welfare of the little yellow spot on the may?"
 R. s. AMMAN.