Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1902-03-25


GOOD SUGGESTIONS.
At a recent meeting of the Central
New York Farmers Club the subject OF
farm waste brought out a very sterling
discussion. One of the best Drained
farmers summed up the discussion by
saying that each one seemed able To see
where his neighbor wasted, but not to
discover the leakages at home. A short
and able paper enumerated rs some OF
common wastes CD running hobbies.
One orchardist is unable ever to accu-
mulate profits because he CRAFTS his trees
over to every highly praised novelty.
Another planted one hundred and fifty
Astrachan apple trees. They were hard
ly in bearing before others had so many
more in bearing that the price was
down, and the Astrachan market glutted.
Another invested everything in hops,
and neglected his other crops. The hops
ate him up, and the prices went down,
while he was sold out by the auctioneer.
| (2) Lack of care in cultivating the friend
ship of helpful birds. Too many guns,
and boys allowed to shoot for fun. The
farmer should protect his friends, and
see that they feel at home with him.
The gardener and fruit grower should be
interested in the toads, and not allow
one to be injured. The common skunk
is an invaluable aid in the hop field in
destroying the grub that eats the root.
To the strawberry grower the same ami
NAL is often quite useful. In other
words. farmer should know his friends
from his foes, and not be carried away by
his prejudices. (3) Bad wells. Not less
than a dozen homes have been broken
up in this county each year by typhoid
| Ifever-traceable TO bad water, as a rule.
Not one farmer in ten has first-class
well, that can be relied upon in years of
drouth. The result is low water, and
when the rains come, surface water finds
its way into the well, with pOisons that
may breed either malaria or typhoid
fever. (4) observation-disclosures long
word, but one that tells volumes. One
third of the farmers, at the least esti-
mate, are never on time. They are not
quite ready To start at the first chance;
always taking second chances or third
chances. A fourth chance means total
t1llure.
second chance means out at the elbow,
always worried, always fretted and
double work-nOt half as much done as
ought to be, and no pleasure in doing
that which is done. First chances are
the ouly ones that give satisfaction,
progress and comfort. Some people
seem born with no sense of time; it is
with them always put off. This is even
most true of farmers wives. To-mor-
row is the one day they know anything
about. (5) The fact was strongly en-
phasized that the majority of farmers
are making themselves poor by keeping
low grade stock. Ii was asserted that a
good deal more than half the cows of
New York State do not pay for their
keeping. In fact, no COW pays unless OF
high grade quality and fed on scientific
principles. Our dairying still remains
in state of stupid wastefulness. Not
one farmer in twenty, probably not one
in fifty, keeps an accurate record OF ms
crops or of the returns from his animals,
SO that he can know whether he is max
ing or losing. (6) The lack of repairs,
and repairs on time, is point rarely
considered by farmers. The waste from
this source is enormous. Every farmer
should have shop for home repairs,
and should train himself and his chill
dren TO comprehend the use of the lathe
and other tools necessary for such work.
In many cases a forge should be had on
the farm. At all events let there be a
well furnished workshop, not only to
construct, but to keep in perfect repair
wagons, tools and buildings.
Another farmer at the same gathering
summarized the points necessary to sue
cessful farming as follows: W The
farmer must comprehend the value OF
time-not to overwork, but to be on
hand to the moment, and compel his
men to observe the same rule. (2) He
must take an interest in his work and
make it interesting. There are two ways
of working. One is to dig and hoe and
grub, and groan and complain; the other
is TO make work full of thought, and
find out the possible interest involved in
everything done. (3) The farmer must
not know it all. These all wise men
learn only by severe experience, and
generally are all their lives about it. ~
A farmer who undertakes to get the
market by underselling other people and
breaking down his neighbors will be
sure to break himself down. (5) Deal
Justly in measure and in quality. Grade
your fruit thoroughly, and have no lies
hid in the half bushel. (6) Broaden
home life, so that the country home
shall not be one whit behind the city
home in interest. ca Don't spend your
time cursing other trades, but help
yourself. Oleomargarine and the trusts
are not half so bad as laziness and brawl-
ing. No man ever built himself up by
pulling his neighbors down. (S) Guilt
vate the beautiful as well as the useful,
and make your animals share with your
self. Barns and outhouses should not
be terrible TO the senses. Let them be
grown over with grapevines and shaded
with apple trees. No man has such a
good chance for creating the beautiful
and surrounding himself with the at
tractive as the farmer. There is no ex-
cuse for filth and rubbish surrounding a
home because that home is out of sight
of the crowd. Every farmer should him
self be a crowd, and his family should
be of more importance than a city full
/ Naw Ynrlr Trihuna