42 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



the successful agriculturist must know his business, and as the average farm 

 must be managed on the mixed principle, largely, he must not only know 

 how to till propeily the different kinds of soil found on average farms, but 

 how to propagate and care for the various kinds of stock, in their various 

 stages of maturity, as well as to cultivate fruits, grain and vegetables, and 

 all of these in proportions to suit circumstances, are necessary. Another 

 requisite is careful bu}ing and t^areful selling. Disregard in these will as 

 surely take the profits from a farmer as from a merchant, liaise all the 

 stock you can feed well, and if more is needed, purchase good substantial 

 animals, remembeiing that f.incy prices are not for the average farmer, and 

 in selling do not forget that the buyers' business is to purchase as cheaply as 

 he can» The averjige farm is situated, in this portion of the State, perhaps 

 three miles from market, store and shop. This distance is traveled by team, 

 man and conveyance many times in a year, and perhaps a third of those 

 times for want of forethought, and that too in busy times. How often have 

 we heard the remark, " Oh, 1 forgot it when I was down this morning," or, 

 "I didn't think to take tiiat along and have it fixed," or, "Oh, 1 might 

 have known we couldn't get along with that work without those bolts and 

 nails," and not only heard, hut used the same langu;ige. How many half 

 days and whole days has that "Didn't think" cost us in a year. It was 

 clean cash out of the profits; the difference often between success and 

 failure. That mowing nnichine or reaper was not taken to the shop for 

 repairs until needed, then the shop was crowded with work and you had to 

 wait just at a time when it cost jierhaps the price of a yearling. There need 

 be no waste time on the farm, notwithstanding the rainy and stormy days if 

 those occasions are provided for as they should be. 



The household part of farming is by no means unimportant. Some women 

 can spend more money tlian a man can earn, and then not live well, dress 

 well, or be happy. Others have leisure for ])leasure, and are also a very 

 great help in saving a dollar, which some one has said is worth two earned. 

 Kecreation and visiting are necessary and right, but the average farmer has 

 no business to entertain as though he were a millionaire. A friendship that 

 cannot be gained and retained except by letting business run to rack, and by 

 sumptuous meals is not worth the having. 



Need 1 speak of the careful selection of seeds and of thorough tillage? Is 

 not the statement within bounds when I say that enou h has been lost to 

 the State of Michigan, from poor seeds alone, in the last twenty years to 

 have built all her railroads? It is often poor practice to refuse to hire good 

 help at a reasonable rate when needed, but if hired only to do your part of 

 the work, it is not economy. True thrift is to put the spare dollars where 

 they will grow, or bring back the equivalent of a good interest. 



The money that you spend for some book that you never read, and no one 

 ever will, is dead money, it will never grow. Good books and good papers, 

 especially those relating to our business, and papers furnishing reliable local 

 and general news are necessary, and no intelligent, thrifty farmer can be 

 without at least some of them. 



When you spend money for things that are not useful in some way, that 

 money is dead, as far as you are concerned. There is a great deal of dead 

 money in houses that are as large again as they should be, and much in 

 yards that are neither ornamental nor useful. Energy and push are grand 

 if rightly used, but energy must be wisely controlled, and push must be in 

 the right direction, else both energy and push lead only to destruction. 



