Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-11-17
The Farmer Feeds Them All.

present three very pertinent reasons
why every man should be vitaly inter
ested in Agriculture: /. Everything
above the ground comes out of the
ground either as mineral or plant
growth. The material for every build
ing, bridge or structure OF any and
every kind is product of the soil pri'
msrlly. The Creator put everything
that ministers to mans welfare in the
land of possibility and mans part is to
transfer il to the land of reality. The
price of utility is the human touch. Be-
fore man can eat potatoes, corn or wheat
someone must grow the same. When
the tiller of the soil realizes that he is
simply cooperating with Jehovah as he
farms, then much of the so called drudg-
cry becomes Joy and reverence. This
attitude Of the mind brings the tiller OF
the aoil to his task with a buoyancy and
energy that makes him cCnqueror at
once.
2. The price of living depends upon
the quantity and quality of farm prod
ucts. II potatoes are plentiful then the
price is low; if they are scarce then the
price is high. OF course inferior'ty OF
product and dishonesty in handling may
work hardship on both producer and
consumer. Still We cannot get away
from the fact that that scarcity of any of
the necessities of life causes the price to
soar and an overproduction brings the
price down. Unequal distribution also
affects prices.
8, The amount of money the tiller of
the soil will have TO spend with the gro
Ger and dry goods dealer depends on
how much he is able to realize from his
crop. The average farmer is rather
liberal In his use of money. Would 1t
not be "a righteous act" on the part OF
all of us if we could take deeper inter
est in the welfare of the farm and the
farming community? There are vast
fortunes in the soil. New Hampshire
has thousands and thousands Of dollars
for those who will discover how to OBJ
tain the money from the soil and will
meet the conditions. The old method
of farming with the hoe and wheelbar-
row will not do. Hired help is almost
out of the question, but farm machinery
is possible and practical. See what ad-
vsncement has been made by our more
aggressive farmers. The introduction
of new machinery was freighted with
much ridicule at first, and in some cases
the machines proved impractical, but
there are machines which will do the
work of eight or ten men and more and
can be used on our New England farms.
New Euglaud's advantage for fruit
growing cannot be emphasized too
strongly. The trouble seems to be to
arouse Rip Van Wrinkle. Tell the
young man who is looking for an oppor-
tunity that the best one is right here at
his own door. Give the rocks, stumps,
etc, a good dose of dynamite. Put IL
drain bitches where there is too much
moisture and install irrigating plants
where there is danger of drouth, learn
W bat intense cultivation will do. Be
alive and wide awake. Do not leap In
the dark, but remember that there Is
little chance for failure il we will find
what nature has for us to do. Every
line of business is more or less depend
ent upon every other line. But the soil
is the source of all things, and We must
give the soil a more intelligent consider
stion.-W. j. Sanborn in New England
Homestead.