1856. NEW ENGLAND F.-VJIMER. SVt 



by upwards of from seven hundred weight to three 

 tons per acre ; and considerably more, on compar- 

 ison of the clear produce, after deducting the weight 



died February 24, 1856. Being the oldest of his 

 father's fiimily, his services were required at home 

 at so early an age that even the scanty advantages 



of sets, in both cases. In these instances, I sup- 1 of the district school of those days were in his case 

 posed the rankness of the vegetation, from the considerably abridged. Probably reading, writing, 

 whole tubers, to be the cause of the diminished 'spelling and arithmetic were the only branches to 

 crop ; for the stems were unable to sujiport them- which he paid any attention at school. Atlases, or 

 selves, and were blown about, laid, and broken by maps, of any kind were not introduced until many 

 the wind." M. I years after his leaving school, and he has told his 



■ I children that he was indebted to the books he 



For the yew England Farmer, j bought for them, for his first lesson in geography. 

 LUTHER CARLTON. \^'^! twenty-one years of age, Mr. Carlton 



worked out uy the month tor about live years. — 



Mr. Editor : — Believing the plan which you an- 1 Farm wages were then much lower than at pres- 

 nounccd a few weeks since of publishing brief bi- i ent, while somethings that a young man has to 

 ographical sketches of "men distinguished for their buy were much higher. Aside from one year that 

 ability and influence in matters pertaining to agri- 1 he worked for his father and received a pair of 

 culture," will prove to be one of the most valuable 'steers worth forty dollars, his wages probably aver- 

 features of your excellent journal, I have written | aged less than ten dollars a month, and he paid as 

 for publication the following notice of the life of|highas fifty cents a yard for cotton cloth for his 

 this individual, although I have too much regard | shirts. Yet the savings of these years, insignifi- 

 for his well-known modesty, to claim for him a cant as so small a sum is apt to appear to young 

 rank among the "distinguished," in the ordinary 'men, proved the foundation of a competence that 

 sense of that word. Born in the neighborhood in many fail to secure with much larger wages and 

 which he lived and died, he passed the quiet and \ more favorable opporturnities. 

 undistinguished life of a country farmer. And it is j Two or three years after his marriage, he as- 

 for this reason, that his example in many respects sumed the maintenance of his wife's parents, and 

 may be of greater value to those who are struggling! moved on to their farm. This undertaking so of- 

 with the obstacles and discouragements that he en- ten attended by more or less of family jealousy and 

 countered, than it would be had his course been ^ trouble, was performed to the entire satisfaction 

 marked by those rare events, or those uncommon! both of the old people and of their children and 

 qualities, which, falling to the lot of the few, make, grandchildren, who at the death of his father-in- 

 them prominent, distinguished, famous. The great' law, the late Dea. Nathaniel Pratt, numbered for- 

 and the glaring, the uncommon and the rare, have ty-six, including great-grandchildren, most of 

 long been the exclusive subjects of the biographer. 'whom resided but a short distance from the old 

 And were it to be announced to-day that the real ' homestead, to which they were perhaps more than 

 object of biography is to excite dissatisfaction with | ordinarily attached. As one of the number, I feel 

 thebusinessof farming and the occupations of every- it but justice to add that our frequent visits to our 

 day-life, and to teach the young to look to trade, , grand-parents were as pleasant and cordial after 

 speculation, politics, Hterature and war as the only; the transfer of the property as before. This fact, 

 avenues to wealth and honor, would our books on 1 which might be regarded as strictly a family or per- 

 that subject need any alteration or revision? — { sonal matter, is alluded to with the impression that 

 Would not their examples be directly to the point ? i it may afford a valuable suggestion to all who are or 

 But if biography is to teach the philosophy of com- may be placed in similar circumstances. "New 

 mon life by examples that shall afford hope and en- j lords, new laws," is an old adage. And it is but 

 couragement to the multitude who find its trials 'natural for those situated as Mr. Carlton was, to feel 

 and difficulties disheartening, then there must be 'that others ought to respect such a change of own- 

 a radical change. Napoleon made the Life of Al- 1 ership as took place in this case, while those rela- 

 exander his constant companion; the merchant can itives, on the other hand, who have been accus- 

 do the same with the Diary and Correspondence of'tomed from their infancy to regard the old place as 

 Amos Lawrence ; and the politician may do well, j a home, find it difficult to respect the rights of a 

 perhaps, to study the history of Talleyrand ; — but i new occupant. 



whose biography aflbrds a model for the young | At the time Mr. C. took possession of the old 

 farmer.'* Where shall he find examples applicable [ farm, it had become so run out as to produce, the 

 to his sphere, and possible with his means? It -first year, little more hay than would feed the stock 

 cannot be doubted that perseverance, tact, skill, i that he had bound himself to keep for the exclu- 

 generalship, and all the nobler traits of human na-isive use of the old people, and from the want of 

 ture, are as often displayed on the farm as in the necessary farm-buildings, he lost four young cattle 

 camp, the cabinet or the counting-house. Let it, the first winter. The estate was somewhat in debt, 

 then, become a part of the duty of agricultural pa-|and money so scarce that he Avas obliged to pay 12 

 pers to furnish these examples; and until the at- 'per cent, for some he had to borrow to meet his 

 tractions of style and manner which good writers] taxes and other pressing demands. It was a dark 

 have the power of throwing around the subjects of dav, and fortune seemed against him. A piece of 

 their pen can be secured, something may be done 'cloth that his wife had made for a cloak for herself 

 by those of less humble claims, by presenting the '■ was sold to a young man who wanted a wedding- 

 example of good and faithful men, to encourage to suit, and paid for with a note which proved worth- 

 perseverance in the duties of common Hfe, and to, less, when oftered to the merchant to whose ac- 

 contentment with the character of a citizen and '. count it was intended to apply. Under the circum- 

 neighbor. stances this was a heavy loss, and he often spoke of 



The subject of this notice was born in Reading, I its taking him four years to outgrow the loss of fif- 

 Windsor County, Vermont, January 21, 1792, and| teen dollars! The next web that was manufac- 



