Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-03

] ing and the wiser utilization of our opportunities for profit. I guess not! We're not now getting half the in, comes we might, could and should have if we were keener traders. Our acres are not now returning half the profits they might. could and should return if We were better managers | No, indeed: l have no criticism for use of our opportunities and our capacities
 But, after all has been said along that line, the fact remains that man is more than a maehine,-even though it be a money making machine Uncle Ike had great truth securely by the tail when he denied that he kept cows, for the reason that his cows kept him. He recognized that the higher order should always pre- cede the lower.
 Cows and farms are useful to their owners when they conduce to the con venience, comfort and profit of those owners. But they're neither useful aim and object of life. Then they're simply bullying snuisanees. Emerson once wrote that Things are in the saddle and ride mankind" Perhaps; nevertheless, that isn't the natural nor the proper relation of the two. It | Hoskins big Percheron bringing out the saddle and putting 1t on Hoskins' shoulders preparatory to mounting the old gentleman for a days work Yet something of that sort Is happen ing on too many farms. to too many farmers. Instead of using horses for their own comfort. they're sacrificing comfort to the supposed needs of their horses. Instead of letting their cows keep them, they're breaking their own backs to keep cows Instead of treat ing the farm as a means toward their own growth. they're stunting their own lives to keep up the farm.
 They are putting the cart before the farm.
 They are putting the cart before the horse, in that they are accepting as ends of life things which should be simply means for life.
 Neighbor Hoskins, for example, after taking a ride in my rubber tired carriage some years ago. admit than a steel-tired wagon. But he felt sure that it was "a leetle harder on the hoss." And so, when he had, himself, to buy a new carriage, he stuck to steel tires, because they would be. he thought a trifer easier on the horse. You observe that he put the comparative comfort of the beast between the thills ahead of his own on the cushions. Instead of mak- ing the horse and the carriage sub sidary to his own use. he sacrificed himself for the lower animal
 That's the kind of thing I can't see any sense in. If I'm to choose be- tween a carriage which rides easier for me and one which draws easier for the horse, then Mir. Horse will have to do Che extra pulling. I'm not keeping the horse but for my ser vice, and. whenever it is mere choice between his ease and my com- fort, he will be considered second. as he ought to be.
 The analogy holds good in all branches of farming. l don't think there are any great number of farm CTS who are coining their own blood to support their farms. but some are. More than would be suspected at first thought, are working hard them selves to support bunch of cows as pensioners. l know of some who spend more time and money on their horses than those horses ever save them of their time or money.
 Whats the use? As Josh Billings said, it's better not to know so awful much than it is to know a lot that isn't so. It's better to have ten cows that are paying their own way and paying you wages. too, than to have twenty cows. half of which are costing more to keep than the other half bring in
 Why should we live for the sake of farming? Wouldn't it be more sensi- ble to farm for the sake of living?
 THE FARMER.