LECTURES AND ESSAYS READ AT INSTITUTES. 237 



wealthy or influential friends. Many men who have been obscure in their 

 origin and birth hare been great and glorious in death. In reading the lives 

 of eminent men who have greatly distinguished themselves, we find that nine 

 out of every ten passed their youth and early manhood in fierce battles with 

 poverty, privations, and liardships. This early drill has given them self- 

 reliance. Thrown on their own resources they learn to shift for themselves. 

 Pythagoras said, ''ability and necessity dwell near each other." Ben. John- 

 son followed his avocation with a trowel in his hand and a book in his pocket. 

 Hugh Miller, the great geologist, was a poor stone-cutter. Benj. Franklin, 

 the philosopher, was a poor printer boy. Demosthenes was the son of a cut- 

 ler. Homer was the son of a small farmer. Abraham Lincoln was a poor rail- 

 splitter, and General Grant, a tanner and an ox driver. Many, very 

 many more poor boys have, by courage, integrity, and perseverance, started at 

 the lowest round and climbed high the ladder of usefulness and fame. "Some 

 succeed by great talent," some by high connections, some by muscle, but the 

 greatest majority by starting in life without a shilling. 



FARM ECONOMY. 



BY rKO?ESSOR SAMUEL JOHNSON. 



Our English word economy is derived from the Greek words oikos — a house, 

 and nomos — a law or rule. Primarily, it means the law of the house ; the 

 regulation and management of the family. But use has given this, as well as 

 numberless words in our language, a far wider scope aud signification. As 

 applied to the farm, it means a discrete, a wise application of capital, of 

 labor, of the implements of labor, so that everything shall be used to the best 

 advantage, without waste, and so that the expenditure of work, in any direc- 

 tion, shall fairly promise the largest recompense in the products of the land, 

 the development of the worker, and the permanent improvement and beauti- 

 fying of a home. 



ECONOMY IS NOT PARSIMONY. 



Economy plans, labors, scatters abroad with such wisdom and system that 

 the things desirable are increased, while parsimony withholds in such a way as 

 tends to penury. Without proper, rigid economy in all the operations of the 

 farm (and you will please bear in mind my distinction between parsimony and 

 economy) there cannot be success. As the farmer is rightly economical, so 

 are the balances on the right side of his ledger. In no otlier avocation is 

 there more need of a systematic, thorough application of sound, economical 

 principles, than in the varied labors of the farm. 



Farm economy, then, embraces the right use of labor, time, capital, that 

 each of these factors may be so utilized as to produce the most favorable 

 returns. The operations of the farm are so multipled in extent, so diverse in 

 character, and the results so contingent upon natural phenomena, upon which 

 we cannot depend with absolute certainty, as to make the solution of the prob- 

 lem how we can best economize in our labors and plans, exceedingly difficult. 

 Neither is it easy to lay down general principles, or rules, that shall be of 



