The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-11-06

!, as he loves the children whom he
has watched from infancy.
Better fruit and better vegetables
have been introduced on the farm,
and not only is it apleasure to watch
their growth and to taste them when
mature, but they car be converted
into cash as quickly as gathered, and
the farmer or farmers son need not
go for weeks or perhaps months at a
time without Il coin to Chink against
another, as farmers used to do who
had but little to sell until after the
harvest of the late fall. Now if he
manages rightly the farmer will
have crops to harvest almost every
week from the thawing of the ground
in the spring until snow covers it
again.
The farmers life is less solitary as
he grows more interested in his
business. He desires to keep up
with the modern improvements, and
to do this he visits other farmers to
see what they are doing and how
they do it. He must meet with them
at the Grange or the Farmers Club
or the Institutes to talk it over with
them, and exchange experiences in
such work as they have been doing.
Nor is he cOntented with being linn
tied to the wisdom of his w coun-
ty or State. A good newspaper
brings him hints and suggestions
and new ideas from other States, and
perhaps from foreign countries. He
knows that in every State there are
men studying, Investigating and ex-
p~erimenting to gain knowledge that
may be useful to him or to other
farmers.
With all this, the farmers home
has become more attractive. He has
not checked the march of improve
ment at its threshold. Here are de-
vices to Tighten labor as we'll as in
the field. In the house and around
it are things that are are ornamental
as we'll as useful. The bleak, bare
house, without Shade around it or a
flower, excepting the wild flowers of
the field, is not often seen now, and
many little changes have taken place
to render it a home instead of a mere
habitation and dwelling place.
We have spoken of the farmer of
to-day as he should be, and as many
of them are. The young man who
visits such a farm, and sees how
pleasant the places may be, and how
much there is TO interest n in the
work of every season., can scarcely
contrast the shop, the factory or the
counting Don with it without feel
ing that the farm is place of liberty
and enjoyment, which makes the
others seem like prisons, from which
are barred out the bright sunshine
and the balmy breezes laden with
the fragrance of fruit and flowers
and the song of birds.
Nor 7 pleasant homes and pleas
ant surroundings all that farm life
offer to the young man today.
The work of progress has begun, and
who shall say thatit is to be checked?
To n who strives to excel in any
of agriculture, there seems
be as much room at the top" as
any Of the professions. To origi-
nate OF introduce a new and better
breed of animals or fowls, or variety
Ot fruit or vegetables, or some new
method OF increasing production of
-essening labor, may give both fame
md wealth to the farmer, as it al
ready has done for some.
We know not why one with am
oltlon, energy and perseverance,
should not now have as much to
hope for and expect as those in other
of life. The farmer today is
not a peasant, crushed by toll nor
an ignorant man, fit companion only
the beast of burden. He may
boast himself the equal of any other
man, not only in what he does for
world, but what he is in the
Whate 'erbetide, whate'er befall'
1t is the farmer feedeth all.
-,o,- T-JA;-,A1,