56 VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



WHAT THE FARMER SHOULD DO FOR HIMSELF, 



Address at Guilford, Feb. 8, by Col. J. H. Brigham, Assistant 

 Secretary Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 



No class has contributed more to the comfort, happiness 

 and prosperity of the whole people than the farmers. By their 

 industry and perseverence they have cleared away the forests, 

 drained the swamps, and turned the wilderness of America into 

 a paradise, inhabited by the richest, strongest nation in the 

 world. There is no country where the fruits of honest toil are 

 more generally shared than in the United States of America. 

 The annual product of the farms of our country is estimated to 

 be worth $3, 500, 000,000 — an amount of wealth which no mind 

 can comprehend. We not only clothe and feed our people 

 better than any people in the world, but we send abroad annual- 

 ly, a surplus sufficient to pay whatever balance there may be 

 against us. Every legimate industry is dependent upon the 

 success of the farmers. Manufacturers, merchants, profession- 

 al men, transportation companies and the masses of labor all 

 prosper when the farmers have been successful in their labors, 

 and all suffer when partial failure makes hard times on the 

 farm. The farmer has borne his share and more of the burdens 

 of taxation ; he has ever nobly responded to the call of his 

 country in peace or in war. Whenever storm-clouds have 

 gathered and our institutions have been threatened, the country 

 has turned with confidence to the conservative, law-abiding, 

 home-loving farmer, and every draft upon his patriotism has 

 been honored. 



Whilst the farmer will continue to contribute to the general 

 welfare, it seems to me that it is very important that he should 

 give some special attention to his own interest. In other words, 

 he must learn to help himself. Must adopt business methods 

 upon the farm. Must produce what the consumers want, and 

 are willing to pay for. Must go to extremes in a few lines and 

 neglect others. He must secure equal protection under 

 the law an equal distribution of the burdens of taxation, a fair 

 share of the honors distributed among our people and a fair 

 share of the wealth produced by his intelligent efforts. 



These desirable conditions will not come about by chance, 

 It will require painstaking, persevering effort on the part of the 

 farmer ; it will be necessary for him to make available his pow- 

 er for the accomplishment of these ends. In other words, the 

 farmers must learn to get together. They must organise asso* 



