Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-04-26
AMONG THE FARMERS.
"sPEED THE PLow."

tended for this department to HENRY ID
HAMMOND, Agricultural Editor OXFORD Dem
ocrat. Paris, Ne.
The Agricultural Outlook.
1T NEVER APPEARED BRIGHTER.
This is what as farmers we are all in
terested in, whether we farm one acre or
one thousand. The present we are all
familiar with. How we shall best adapt
ourselves to future conditions is the
question. think that it is safe to say
that there will be much improvement
along all lines-educational, social and
material-to such a degree that those
engaged in agriculture will not regret it,
and many who are not will be induced
to enter the field.
First, as to the educational phase of it.
Along this line there seems to be a wide
spead awakening extending from the
common school TO the agricultural col
lege. Thirty years ago scientific tram
\ ing for the farmer was considered fool
ishness by most farmers, and for the
few who felt the need of it there was no
place to get it. All this has changed.
rhe importance, / may say the necessity,
of scientific training is manifest by the
number of students entering the agri-
cultural colleges, and the demand for
their services after graduation. l know
of no field that offers larger induce
ments, either financially or otherwise,
than await the well-equipped man IN
agriculture. Let none imagine that
four-years' course in agriculture will
fully equip them. Far from it. Put four
years practical work on the farm with
it, and then you will begin to realize
how little you know about agriculture.
But the eight years need not neces-
sarily be wasted ones; they afford the
experience you must have to be useful on
farm and all the financial gain you can
get out out of them. At the end OF this
time, if you are enthusiastic In your
work, you will not think more highly OF
yourself than you ought to think, II you
advertise yourself as farm superintend-
ent. Speaking in general way, great
harm has come TO the agricultural col
leges, and students as well, from recon-
mending young graduates as farm super
iutendents, based on nothing more than
a four years course in agriculture. All
this is very efficient, but is far from be-
ing sufficient. Scientific training must
go hand in hand with practical expert
euce, and the first can be better omit
ted than the last. Together they 60
to make the complete man along any
line. As farmers, it is our privilege to
get as much enjoyment out OF seeing
our crops grow as in counting the money
that comes from them after they are
grown.
Socially, the farmer is no longer iso-
lated. The general introduction of the
telephone and the rural free delivery
brings him in touch with all his neigh
bors and with the city as well. He may
have the morning paper to read while
digesting the MONDAY meal, aud life
not so strenuous as TO preventit. What
more could he have II he were living in
the city? He need not lack fund of in
formation regarding his calling. refer
to the many agricultural journals, low
in price, and TO the results OF expert
ment-station work. Ii is not possible
for the average farmer to make careful
ly. .conducie ed and continued experiments
along any line of work that will settle
any matter upon which there is differ
ence of opinion. One experiment settles
nothing, more than one swallow makes
summer As farmers, We are too hasty
TO conclude that what We have tried
once, in a careless way, is conclusive
evidence. Far from it. Only many
carefully y-conducted experiments settle
ANYTHING in agriculture, because so
many factors enter into the question;
differences of climate, soil, rainfall, To-
cality, mark cts, etc, all have to be taken
account of What is good practice in
one locality is the opposite in another.
As farmer have had fifty-6ve or more
years experience, yet new problems con-
front me every day, calling for depart
ure from the old ways. And this on
the same farm which should know all
about, if such a thing were possible.
Financially, not in many years has the
agricultural outlook been more hopeful.
Consumption has overtaken production.
As long as the opposite condition pre-
vailed, the prices of farm products were
unremunerative. Aside from unexpect-
ed calamity, over which we have no con-
troll, the farmer who cannot improve his
financial condition with the present
prices of farm products is at fault some
where, and the trouble lies more often
In the Management than in the farm. 10
the would-be millionaire l say, DO not
give agriculture a thought, except as
something to play with. You could
probably amuse yourself in that way as
pleasantly as in any other. To say the
least, the conditions would be healthful,
and without health the millionaire Is
poor indeed-compared TO the poor man
with it in abundance" To the man
satisfied with all he needs, do not say
all he wants, agriculture offers good
opportunity for getting as much enjoy
ment out Of this life as any other calling,
provided one is by nature fitted for it.
Success comes only to those adapted to
their business. 1t has always been
mystery to me why any young man
should leave a prosperous farm with
everything at hand to do with, where he
was much needed, to seek position IN a
grocery store or similar calling, putting
in fourteen hours daily labor, delivering
five to .fifty-cent packages; exchanging
the life of freeman to be servant OF
servants.
/ feel so optimistic in regard to agri-
culture that advise you, il you need a
farm. to buy one while they are cheap.
The only cheap ones are in the east. In
the west they are selling for all they are
worth or more. Statistics show that the
value of farm products per acre OF i'm
proved lands, in New York State, is the
largest of any state in the union. fet
even that is not one-half OF what u
should be, being sl5.73, against sl2.4S
in Illinois and Sl2.22 in Iowa. The pres
emit prices for farm lands in New York
are the best value for the money any
where in the east, considering the home
markets available in every part OF the
state and the great city Of New YORK.
that swallows up everything, no matter
| how good or how poor. The markets l
have mentioned will in the future more
and more benefit the farmer living near
them. The nearer the farmer can get to
the consumer with his products, the
more he will realize from them. II
there is long line of transportation and
the commissionman between him and
the consumer, from one-fourth to one
| half of the retail price OF his product IL
| lost rs far as he is concerned.
| In purchasing a farm, two things