Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-03-28
Nice Idea, but Impractical.
CAN'T MAKE ABANDONED FARMS SUP
PORT THE CITY POOR.

Imagine for a moment what II con-
templates. The taking of families from
the squalor and filth of tenement
street, with large family living in two
rooms, and placing them on the ground
floor of a commodions house, with pure
air, green fields and an abundance Of
milk and vegetables in sight. What
more could be desired? This to be sc-
complished by the forming of syndi-
up large tracts OF land, thus preventing
their being turned into game preserves
and making IL possible for families in
the congested portions of our great
cities to become useful citizens. A
splendid idea! | do not know that it
could be improved upon. am not sur
prised that men having no practical ex-
perience in agriculture should be car
ried away with it. There is just one
serious objection TO it, however-it can
not be applied. In other words. ii is
not practical. An idea that is not prac-
tical is of very little use.
There are many things that laboring
man can engage in that an experience OF
from a week 10 a month will make him
expert enough TO command the highest
wage connected with it-uot as a fore
man, but as helper. Not so in sgri-
culture. It takes years of experience,
and men of exceptional ability, TO be
come expert enough along this line IT,
support and educate family and at tn,
same time increase the fertility of the
land. The unoccupied farms were large
L. -, IS
practical experience as farmers, yet they
failed to do the desirable things have
indicated-that is, to support and edu
cate their families and MAINTAIN the fer
tility of the soil This is the reason the
farms are abandoned. Speaking in a
general way, if men of experience have
failed, what are We TO expect from those
without any?
There appears to be a notion with
many that poor, rundown farm can be
put on a paying basis in two or three
years with proper management. But
this is life work. The writer's farm
has been in the family for more than
100 years, and no one in charge during
all these years failed to have the better
ment of it in mind; yet it is far from be-
ing brought up TO its full producing
capacity. On the other hand, fertile
soil will bear the worst kind of treat
ment for many years and not be serious
ly injured. The hardest treatment any
soil can have is through cultivation, no
fertility returned, and everything grown
sold. The outcome of this kind of agri
culture must be abandoned farms. All
those who are induced to try their hand
with one of these abandoned farms as a
support for their families, and fail, will
return to the city bringing an evil report
with them, thus iDjuring the cause they
were supposed to advance. | cannot
emphasize too strongly the importance
of practical experience in making agri
culture successful.
There are only two classes to whom
can heartily recommend the abandoned
farm. Those with practical experience
and an Unborn liking for the soil and all
that pertains TO il, and those who have
.plenty of ideas and money to correspond,
who, in case their ideas fail to bring
forth the results desired, will not be
seriously injured. II not able to show
how it should be done, they can show
how not to do it, which often is fully as
important. Many times in conversation
with men of means, who thought they
would enjoy agriculture, | have noted
that they had a number of up-to-date
notions about ii which my practical ex-
perieuce taught me were, il tried, almost
sure to miscarry. did not try to dis
courage them in the least, for the reason
that the carrying out of their plans
would give employment to those in need
of it, which | look upon as oae form OF
practical charity, and the experiences Of
the theorist would cost them no more
than il would be worth, as they do not
feel the need of other peoples expert
ence.
In conclusion, / may say that there
are few who succeed in any department
of life, and fewer in agriculture than in
any other, for the reason that the long
experience necessary 10 success is pos
sible to few. After fifty years practical
experience as farmer, how much there
still is that do not know about agricul-
turei New problems confront me every
year. l am in doubt what to do in re-
gard to them. feel that it is only pas;
experience that keeps the large family,
dependent on the farm for support, from
u
can report good average progress hnan-
cially and otherwise. should consider
man one of unusual ability, with a
family, and no practical experience, who,
placed on one of the best so-called aban-
doned farms, rent free for five years,
could maintain his family and leave the
farm at the expiration OF the time In as
good condition as he found it. This
would imply some as there
would be deterioration in many respects.
This may not be rosy view. But l
wish 10 emphasize the fact that prac-
tical experience in agriculture counts for
more than in any other calling. With
out it, and nothing to rely on but the
farm, failure is almost sure to follow.
With it, no calling offers a greater op-
portunity for the real enjoyment OF life
Our aim should not be 50 much to in
duce people to leave the city and come
| 70 the country to live as TO retain those
we have in the country. The great
trouble with most people is that they are
not making the best of the opportunities
over which they have control. NO one
in this free country, where every one
has the opportunity to try for the best
things, with health and youth needs any
ones sympathy may say, does nor
| deserve it. Ii would be casting out
| pearls before swine to offer ii. City or
country is all the same to them. The
only place they do not care to be is
where they are, not realizing the force
of the old adage-"A rolling stone
gathers no moss. Jared Van Wagenen,
Sr.. in Country Gentleman.