THE BUSINESS SIDE OF FARMING. 239 



Itequiescat in pace. But the farmer who has mingled enough 

 with his townspeople to know that there are others in the 

 world who know at least as much as he does, has a sufficient 

 foundation for his business salvation. There are as good 

 men in your town as you are ; possibly better, brighter, 

 keener, and better educated, and withal fully as honest. 

 Therefore put away mistrust, which should only belong to 

 the savage, in whose mind it is always a leading character- 

 istic, and receive and nurture in its place confidence, which 

 is the woof that holds together the web of business. He 

 must learn the value of integrity of character, — that those 

 who are engaged in business with him may have a confi- 

 dence in return. And this little point also, — that none but 

 honest goods should receive honest prices. He must learn 

 that breeding has at last told upon the human race and that 

 brain power is now more potent than brawn, and has taken 

 the lead of it, for the successful farmers of every section, as 

 well as those of other callings, are the brain workers. Hav- 

 ing learned these fundamental facts, cultivate energy and 

 activity, and learn to value time. These are the grand 

 essentials, which, if closely followed up, will give a positive- 

 ness to a man's character that brings him to success by its 

 own inherent force. 



Two neighbors, having learned these points, can easily 

 co-operate. The old-fashioned system of " changing work" 

 was a good one, and can to-day be carried to other things. 

 Expensive farm machinery can be owned in common. Stock 

 for breeding purposes on neighboring farms need not be 

 duplicated, but made a subject of joint ownership, thereby 

 securing a far better animal, and lessening the expense, both 

 of purchase and of keeping. A one-hundred dollar bull 

 will do far more towards improving the stock of a neighbor- 

 hood than two fifty dollar ones will, not to speak of the 

 time spent in the care of an extra beast, which is consider- 

 able in the course of a year. This is practical co-operation, 

 and here and there we find it carried out successfully. Go 

 a step higher, — form partnerships. Some of the most suc- 

 cessful farmers of my acquaintance have made their money 

 in this way. Extend the system further ; let it embrace the 

 dairies of all the farms of a section ; for if two can work 



