St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-07-30
A Paying Propositlon

"A Paying proposition
An exchange tells of the results
which have followed an organized
county movement for securing the
services of an agricultural expert, as
follows:
Three years ago the organized
farmers of De KalD county, illinois,
decided to hire a soil doctor. They
raised $4,000 a year toward his Si,-
600 pay. The county gave the other
$1,000 and loaned an automobile.
The doctor visits two farms
day, sizes up the crops, notices when
the corn or clover or alfalfa isn't
looking tip-top and proceeds to
make a chemical analysis of the soil,
which tells what elements of plant
food are lacking.
Partial results of his work have
just been tabulated. He has cost, TO
date, $4,000. He has added 10
bushels to the average yield of
corn per acre. There are 100000
acres Of corn land in the county,
which means a gain, in this one
crop, Of 100000. Other yields have
also been improved, though the fig
ures are not yet available.
Three years ago the average sell
ing price of land in De Kalb county
was $3.50 an acre. 1t is now $50.
There isn't as much prejudice as
there used to be in that county
against textbook farming"
Perhaps this little experience ex-
plains why the graduates of the best
agricultural colleges are snapped up
as quickly as they get their sheep
skins, and, in some instances, there
are more jobs than men.
Perhaps it explains why the aver
age hrst year earnings of these col
lege-trained specialists in the useful
art of making more things grow on
a given area than grew there before
exceed by several hundred dollars
the average first year earnings of
graduates of our colleges oe law,
medicine, theology, architecture and
mining, mechanical and civil engi-
neering"
The work carried on in the Illi-
nois county, as above described, is
along the line taken up in some of
the counties of Vermont, and the
practical results of which Vermont
ers will be able to study Enosburg
Standard.
Why You Should Succeed
There is a saying among the
der can be Just as brave as any
soldier in the world, and be brave for
Is minutes longer. 1t is often that
last fifteen minutes that win the bat
tie. The beginning Of a task may
be easy; to keep at it will be harder;
ard 20 keep at it till it is really done
is the hardest of all
One of the most pathetic facts in
the world is that so many give. up
before they reach the end.
How can we make ourselves perse-
we're? That is the practical side of
this subject. What can we do to
make sure that we shall not be
among those who drop out of the
race? What can we say to others
that will help them to stay on the
course till the race is run?
The great thing in running a
race or doing a task is to keep ones |
heart on the goal. 1t is important to
watch ones step and to take account
of present circumstances, and be |
careful that each movement is skill |
fully made, but the thing that keeps |
us successfully at the task is the |
pull of the prize at the end.
Another motive that should keep |
us true is the realization that if we |
slip, some one else will go down too. |
mo man liveth to himself" Every |
life is linked with other lives. If |
you persevere others will presevere; |
if you fall, others will fail
[ Christian Herald.
LyndOnviIle's Good Showing
We have heard a good deal about |
the municipal lighting plant in Bur- |
lington, which has proved an ex-
pense proposition for the city. At |
Lyndonville the plan works strong /
ly the other way. After paying in
terest and running expenses the past |
year the Lyndonville plant earned /
nearly $4,000. This is a good |
showing and it is good news to
hear that a part of the profits will |
be used in macadamizing the village
streets. Lyndonville is living up to |
Its reputation as one of the really
towns of Vermont
Brattleboro Reformer.