Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-04-17
WHAT FARMERS NEED MOST.
What Sixty Years Experience Has
Taught a Vermont Farmer.

Il
gestions on how to make farming a sue
cess. Mr.. Moore is fine example Of the
well-to-do farmer, who has prospered by
following along the lines he describes
As soon as read in the Tribune Farmer
sWhat Farmers Need Most" a train of
thought began concerning my own ex-
perience in farming and that of many OF
my friends and neighbors. j have jotted
down part, but so much crowds upon
me find il is hard TO sift out the results
OF all my cogitations. When j began to
think OF "What Farmers Need Most" my
thoughts at once went TO the thrifty and
successful farmers Of my acquaintance;
also to those less fortunate, struggling to
keep the wolf from the door and to pay
the taxes.
Why does Farmer R own such fine
farm and extensive acres, while his broth
er c. tolls in poverty, with his farm
mortgaged for more than the market
value? Farmer L. starts with moth
ing and dies rich. Farmer J. inherits
a fine farm, free from debt, but dies in the
poorhouse or very near its door. One
farmer who owns the finest farm in the
country, well stocked, and has large bank
accounts, began very poor
/ began as a poor, fatherless boy, my
father having died when i was only three
and one half years old, leaving a family OF
six small children. At seventy-two years
OF age l owned, free from debt, one OF the
best farms in my native town, well stocked
and buildings in good repair. When i
determined to 90 to work, at fourteen
years of age, all owned were my clothes,
few boyish trinkets and less than 2
cash. / had a strong constitution, love
for my work and a determination to sue
coed.
After began to earn ! was industrious
and economical. Whenever / needed in
struction / sought advice Of those who
were first or had succeeded in whatever
line | wanted advice. II II was a good
horse or COW or OK | wanted, did not go
to the idle loating man, smoking a black
clay pipe wrong side up, whose clothes
were the worse for wear, whose cattle and
horses were all mortgaged and poor as
aJobis turkey and who never owned a |
rod OF land and never would own one. /
went to those who knew and owned good |
animals. Il always looked to me that II |
the "blind lead the blind it Is always the /
inevitable ditch. / tried to keep out Of
the ditch.
When old enough, ] selected a good, |
intelligent woman, who thoroughly /
understood housekeeping, having been /
was most excellent housekeeper and |
careful, prudent woman. was always |
temperate, and never enjoyed any Injuries /
that were not shared by my family. ! |
always planned for many luxuries every |
year, but never until paid for; and, first OF /
all, had my creditors satisfied and not /
waiting for me, never contracted a debt /
that ! had not already planned one or
more ways to cancel when due. ] always /
met all bills on or before the time due,
paying dollar for dollar, with interest as
agreed. ! always watched the markets
and sold when a fair offer was made. All
my products were prepared with the ut
most care and sold at top prices, always
warranting everything to be exactly as
or better. / made my maple y
sugar far superior to any on the market,
always receiving from 20 to 80 cents
pound, and always had orders for more
than could make because of its superior
quality. NV butter and cheese were OF
first quality. / raised poultry, and never
put any on the market that were not fat
and plump, thus getting more a pound.
never sold a dirty, old or cracked egg.
always had a good garden, with plenty to
snare from early spring until vegeta bles
came again. / lived from the farm, and
lived well. For all the farm did not pro-
duce. the farm was made to produce extra,
TO sell TO pay for that which was bought
cash. and always bought for cash, as a
rule, and always paid for all work as soon
as satisfactorily completed.
Farmers make one great mistake IN not
buying a farm to make it a permanent
home Buy home, II only one acre or
less. and make it a home or homelike.
Many hire or buy with the intention OF
selling and buying better later, when more
money has been earned. No farm VIII
Weld a surplus to such. Ii is the farm you
buy and love that gives to you lavishly.
Build from year TO year. Ii takes years OF
steady, persistent labor TO gain good
farm and make 1t pay Life Is TOO snort !
Tor many changes on the farm. One great
reason Young men do not stay on the farm /
: they do not become interested and love
he farm Why? The farm Is slow, but
sure. The detrimental spirit of restless
ness. the get-rich-quick idea Of young
farmers is the reason they do not succeed ..
ack of intelligent work and planning, un- ,
to plant and patiently work
Tor the harvest.
a. soon as bargained for my farm il
vas nv whole aim to improve and pay for
4. The men OF wealth, who live well ana I
look to the bank; take care I
II that and they are fed and clothed. My 4
irst work was to establish sure ana safe /
arm bank, which have always kept ON a I
mre and safe basis since the first days OF !
nv farm life-the manure heap; that must :
10 seen to and cared for first; then show 4
ne the farm that will not pay. saved ana [
made everything add to the bank; slops, !
Vash-water, weeds, muck, etc.-anything 4
hat would decay-loads and loads thus q
icing made on my farm that my neigh d
,ors wasted or destroyed by burning S
Then they did not see how ! could grow a
uch crops. Besides, the pigs were made :
q preside over the bank, and they never -
vent back on me. Simply by saving and r
planning. ! caused many to marvel at the Il
Of my land. All was ae-
omplished step by step. few extra
teps every day made much manure IN q
ear, and an enormous aggregate in 4 few o
ears. III
never spent my time sitting on the bar {
els and boxes in the corner grocery or at II
he village tavern discussing stocks or 10 a
d 1. but always read good literature and Il
.oted for the one believed to be the best n
nan for the place, without fear or favor. h
have always read the New York Tribune n
very week, which kept me well informed 4
politically and financially, and never JAILED \
3 read my Bible every evening, besides &
eading many other good books and pa G
,ers, and never neglecting any OF my work v
II animals. 5
/ always kept all roofs well shingled and "