Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-02-13

Some Observations.
There is an erroneous impression
abroad in certain quarters that the
farmer has all the long, cold winter il
which to loaf and to swap yarns with his
neighbOrs at the mill and smithy and the
village store. 1t is conceded that the
agriculturist leads pretty strenuous
life in the summer months, but after the
wheat is sown, the corn husked and the
fodder In the shock, some people seem
to believe that there is little to do till
spring, save to eat mince pies and
doughnuts. There may be farmers who
find long season of leisure when the
birds are flown, the SHOWS piled high,
and
"when milk comes frozen home In pail"
but they are, most likely, the ones who
in the spring are obliged to borrow
money to pay the interest on the mort.
gage.
Every month brings its duties to
every man, whether farmer or shop
keeper, blacksmith or preacher. There
is no real season of inactivity, and
divine wisdom has wisely decreed that
there shall not be. However, though
we must work, we may vary our lab0rs
and thus prove the contention of that
philosopher who says that a "change OF
occupation, and not sheer idleness, Is
rest"
February affords some leisure for
tinkering around the barn. There are
many little repairs which may be made,
stitches in time that save carpenter 3
bill; and much that may be done for the
comfort of the stock, which will not
only be pleasing to good Mr.. Angel, of
Humane Society fame, but which will
add dollars to the income as we'll.
The cows, especially, need looking
after at this season in portions of the
country where the weather is rigorous.
Those farmers who provide drink for
their cattle in their stalls do wisely, and
those who have not 30 provided make
mistake when they compel their cows
to drink freely of ice-cold water. It is q
little more trouble to temper the drink
with An addition of warm water, but the
difference may readily be seen in the
milk pail. The great trouble with the
old-fashioned barns in the East and
North is that they were apparently con-
structed with the idea that warmth is
secured by the exclusion of light and
ventilation. But the last two are essen
tial to the health of the herd; and when
a generous stream of sunshine can be
turned upon the cattle part of the day,
the sanitary conditions are ideal.
February is also an excellent season
for the overhauling of implements, har-
ness, etc. The first have of course long
ago been collected from the fields and
safely stored from the weather. In the
course of a dozen years the average
farmer will have collected pretty large
assortment of utensils, and If he makes
a careful inventory he is lucky if he does
not find few things that set him won
deriug how it was that the slick-tOngued
agent found him such an easy mark.
Often in making this inventory farmer
will come upon articles which have since
been duplicated, or have for some other
reason lost their value to the owner.
These things should be set aside and
marked for sale, and the next vendue in
the neighborhood should find them in
new hands. A good deal of money is lost
in the course of few years by keeping y
lot of things that are not needed. Prun-
ing in the implement house is quite as
essential as pruning in the orchard.
But one of the most important Feb
ruary works is the holding of institutes.
These schools for farmers are becoming
more numerous and of higher grade.
They have largely ceased to be mere
entertainments, and have become more
and more clearinghouse for the bright
est thoughts of the best farmers.
The wise farmer is an experimenter.
The man who has made up his mind
that his grandfather did not know the
last word in farming, is the one who is
likely to strike out ON independent lines
and discover things for himself. l have
attended a good many farmers insti-
tutes, some of them poor, and few OF
them very poor, but / never failed to
carry away from even the poorest, some
valuable fact.
The institute, however, is a meeting
of which may be said, According as
you put in will you draw out" The
farmer who is thinking man is sure to
know something which if told will bene-
fit his neighbor, and such man need
have no fear that he will not be able to
express himself clearly. 1t is only those
who have nothing to say that find great
difficulty in saying it.-William W. Polk
in Farm Journal.