1869. 



NEW EXGLAKD FARMER. 



289 



For the Nexo England Farmer, 

 A KUN-DOWN FARM IMPROVBD. 



AGUICULTURAL PAPERS, FAIRS AND FARMERS* 

 CLUBS, — WHAT THEY DID. 



As helping to answer the queries whether 

 ••book farming" pays, whether fairs do any 

 good and whether it is worth the while to sus- 

 tain Farmers' Clubs, 1 submit the following 

 personal history, at the riak of a charge of 

 egoti^ra. 



In June, 1853, I returned after an absence 

 of nine years at the "West," and came in pos- 

 session of the homestead which my father had 

 occupied about tifcy years. With the first i-ea- 

 son's crops [ was able to winter one cow, two 

 yearling colts, one horse and one mare a part 

 of the winter, by buying 100 bushels of oats ; 

 and raising fL>r the family about ten bushels of 

 wheat, twenty bushels of corn, twenty-five 

 buf hels of potatoes, ten bushels of apples, and 

 some garden sauce, with nothing whatever to 

 sell, but a part of a veal calf! Being myself 

 a mechanic, without agricultural taste or 

 knowledge, and fully occupied in my shop, 

 hired help took care of the farm the first five 

 years. 



About 1858 I received a gentle hint from a 

 brother in Wisconsin, not to let the old home- 

 stead "run down!" and supposing the sugges- 

 tion w£t^ not entirely original with him, it 

 took, and I immediately began to be interested 

 in farming, out of regard to the family honor, 

 or some other reason. 



The next season, finding the farming 

 •'didn''t pay," as heretofore practiced, I com- 

 menced taking an agricultural paper, the 

 Country Gentleman, and began inquiring of 

 my neighbors how I had better do with this 

 and that piece of land, and thinking a good 

 deal upon the subject while engaged in my 

 shop. 



Reading and thinking soon led me to acting, 

 and more lime was spent in looking over the 

 farm, planning improvements and seeing that 

 labor was judiciously applied. Soon my agri- 

 cultural reading was increased by the addition 

 of the New England Fakmer, monthly, and 

 my farming interest was stimulated still more. 

 I began to be more saving of manure and 

 everything that would aid in producing crops, 

 while much satisfaction was experienced in 

 seeing that crops were improving. Another 

 paper the Weatern Rural, making three, was 

 now subscribed for ; mechanical business be- 

 gan to lose its interest, the Scientific Ameri- 

 can was stopped ; the fairs which I had at- 

 tended several years as a mechanic, now be- 

 gan to have an increased interest to me as a 

 farmer, as I examined the agricultural speci- 

 mens on exhibition, and listened to the even- 

 ing discussions among farmers. 



In 1861, I began to think about trying to 

 get up a Farmer's Club, but could not over- 

 come the obstacles till February, 18G2, when 

 one was organized, which by its success till 



this time has contributed not a little to the 

 benefit of my farming. 



Three agricultural papers not proving 

 enough, the Mirror and Farmer, Rvral Amer- 

 ican, and New England Homestead were 

 added, which with six other regular pcriodi- 

 cils, most of which have agricultural reading, 

 have each contributed somewhat to the im- 

 provement of the old homestead, until ii now 

 produces annually fiom three to four times the 

 value it did eight or ten >e;irsago; having 

 increased in productivem^ss almost in exact 

 ratio to the annual increase of the number of 

 agricultural papers taken, and consecjuent in- 

 crease in agricultural reading, writing and 

 talkinGC ! 



Instead of being able *o spare and ell off 

 the. premises only a part of a veal calf, and 

 perhaps a few eggs annually, as during the 

 first years, we were abh; some four years ago, 

 to dispose of farm pro' eeds to the amount of 

 about five hundred dollars, with a constant 

 increase since, un il the past year it has 

 amounted to about twice that sum. 



So much for the means of agricultural grace 

 alluded to, and which are within the reach of 

 hundreds of farmers who will plod on the old 

 beaten track their Huhers trod, complaining 

 that '^farmAng donH pay since the soil has got 

 so worn out." 



Brother farmers, you are mistaken. The 

 soil is not worn out, and never will wear out, 

 if you treat it civilly, until the "elements 

 melt with fervent heat." If you make use of 

 the same f-kill, tact, energy, wide-awake-ful- 

 ness and industry, which ensures success in 

 any and every oth.^r kind of business, yuu will 

 find farming will "pay" better than all of them 

 put together, while you experience daily and 

 constantly a kind and degrer> o{ independence 

 that no other calling affurds. R. N. 



Randolph, Vt., March, 1868. 



For the AVw England Farmer, 

 A MINISTER'S GARDEN. 



Some few months since I gave, through the 

 columns of the Farmer, somewhat in general, 

 my experience in relation to the condition of 

 the various gardens that had fallen to my lot 

 to subdue and cultivate. I now propose to 

 speak somewhat in detail of one that 1 had the 

 care of fjur years, to show what advantage 

 can be derived from the careful and thorough 

 culture of a garden. 



I do this more for the encouragement of 

 professional men, than of farmers ; for in many- 

 instances their incomes are inadequate to meet 

 their own necessary expenses and those of 

 their families. Especially it is so with many 

 of our country clergymen, and belonging to 

 that class, I write for their benefit. 



The garden of which I now propose to say 

 a few words in its behalf, was about five rods 

 long by two and one-half broad, of a moist, 

 clayey soil; hard to cultivate, but capable. 



