264 The Farm on the Flats. [May, 



" I don't intend to plow my meadows," said Mr. Loul coldly. 



" Oh, very well, every man must have his ov/n way about his 

 own work." 



As it is probable that the reader is satisfied with the specimens 

 he has seen of Mr. Lord's farming, we will " leave him alone in 

 his glory," and go home with Mr. Chambers. 



Mr. Chambers drove on homewards, doubting in his own mind 

 whether the country would derive as much benefit as was supposed, 

 from the fact that numbers of the mercantile and professional 

 classes were hastening to become practical farmers. As soon as he 

 got " his work out of the way," he went to talk the subject over 

 with his friend Ripley. Mr. Ripley thought the golden age 

 would return, provided all men would turn farmers, and the state 

 would found a college for their education. He was not, (as may 

 well be supposed,) a farmer himselfj that is, a practical, every 

 day farmer. He had money enough at interest to support him, 

 and besides had a dozen acres of excellent land, on which he 

 tried experiments, and from which, in spite of his experiments, 

 he often took heavy crops. 



" Well," said Mr. Chambers, " I have seen a fact to-day that 

 supports my reasonings. I was along by the farm on the flats 

 to-day, and it is managed pretty much as I should expect from 

 the hands it is in." 



" Farming is new business to Mr. Lord, and he can't expect 

 to succeed all at once." 



" He will succeed in spoiling the best farm in town, I guess. 

 But what else could be expected? Take a man that has never 

 seen a farm till he is forty years old, and how can he know any 

 thing about what ought to be done? And then such men almost 

 always know too much to be told any thing. You may depend 

 upon it, it is only a damage to the country when men who are 

 not brought up to it, go to farming. It don't make any calling 

 more respectable to have an incapable man enter it, whoever he 

 may be." 



" Such cases," said Mr. Ripley, " only prove what I have al- 

 ways insisted on, that the state should lound and support institu- 

 tions, in which men shall be taught the knowledge necessary to 

 skilful agriculture," 



" I doubt whether such men as Lord would be found in the 

 schools if they were as thick as blackberries. But I will talk 

 with you about a college to teach farming. You would have it 

 founded at the expense of the state?" 



" Yes. The farmers pay all the taxes, and there is no reason 

 why a part of the money raised from them should not be ex- 

 pended for their benefit." 



" I agree with you there; that is, that the taxes should be ex- 



