Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1901-11-28
FARMER AND PLANTER.
DOES FARMING PAY7
Z Quession Oftea AskeA-The A.
swer Depends vpes the Man
asa His Methods.

This question is often asked, and
most frequently answered in the neg
ative- Yet while IL can not be denied
that there j. little prospect of the
farmer merging into a millionaire by
the pure tiIling of the soil. on the
other hand he j. not. with moderate
economy and industry. liable TO be
forced into the condition of the
tramp. But il i not the purpose of
this article to discuss the financial
aspect Of the question. there is one
still broader too frequently over
looked.
In what other occupation has one
more liberty In what can he. with
the same amount invested. enjoy more
Injuries True. he must make hay
while the sun shines; but IL he wants
day of TO go fishing he Is at liber-
- 20 go without consulting anyone
Even milking time is no more ex-
acting and certainly not 50 prolonged
a the Office hours Of professional life
This idea Of independence came 20 me
with peculiar force recently a. the re-
suit OF a mechanics observations He
had for a time under his employ
band Of farmers. neighbors. bent on
working in their normal manner
This man had all his life been aeeus-
toned 10 the steady grinding Of COM
Fades in the trade. men who knew
their business and attended 20 IL
strictly during working hours To
him these farmers were the greatest
story teliers he ever met Vet they
we're not accustomed 70 the servituds
accompanying a trade and simply
worked n they had worked all their
lives. Interpreting ~ociabiliiy with
III labor. and not fully approaching
the fact that for the time they were
or should b. under a master.
\ common plea against farming i
the lack OF social and literary at-
vanfages- The horses az the farmers
disposal would tickle the tOwnsm3n
receiving a goodly salary. and the
steady trend toward a system of good
roads for both b-ast and bicycle
promises in the near future 70 reduce
this objection 10 a minimum The
farm telephone and rural delivery of
mail are rich in possibilities. And as
for the literary advantages. those
who have left the farm for the town
too often regret that they have less
time for reading than when perform
ing the manifold duties OF which we
hear - much.
On every side there Is the whole
some stimulus toward improvement.
The buildings. grounds. fences. fertili-
~ Of soil. these are but few of the
many ways that point 10 improve
ment. But still more advantageous
TO those who realize the true nobility
OF farming are the opportunities for
procuring. maintaining. and improv,
ing the best Of whatever is raised,
IL poultry. bees. fruit. cattle or boyfiN
strip the enthusiast oa~any subject
of his hobby aEff-you have materially
euE-a-fsT his enjoyment. In IL be
| lives. and through IL. IL he be OF the
genuine stuff. he is Oftimes public
benefactor. The personal satisfaction
/ Of having raised the best of some
thing i too great to be measured by
mere dollars and cents The incentive
TO higher. nobler living. to developing
the best at hand finds its highest op-
portuDity for exemplifeation in the
life of the farmer: and more and
more each year is he being educated
10 grasp his opportunity.-Bessie L.
| Putnam. in Agricultural EpitOmist