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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



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plained, its use in cutting off springs, surface 

 drainage explained, together with practical di- 

 rections, levelling, form and depth of drains, 

 filling up the cuttings after the drains are con- 

 structed, stoppage, syphon drains, and every thing 

 that relates to the subject. A capital work — one 

 that ought to be studied by every farmer. The 

 work is illustrated by diagrams of all the forms 

 of drains, and the tools necessary to work with. 



A FEW FACTS FOR FARMERS. 



And it may be as well for a few other classes to 

 learn the same facts ; and fir8t,the great fact that 

 of all trades and occupations, the I'armer's is the 

 only one that never suffers by "hard times," 

 "commercial distress," "great fall of stocks," or 

 any other of the thousand and one terms that tell 

 of ruin to many of the denizens of the city. 



It is a great fact that the farmers, as a class, 

 are now the only class that is prosperous, while 

 all other classes are groaning under the evils of 

 depression in business, and want of employment 

 of those who labor to live, and are dependent 

 upon daily toil for daily bread. 



At this very moment, while the laborers of the 

 city are suffering for food, the farmer is realizing 

 the highest prices he has received for many years 

 for ever}' description of farm produce. Think of 

 whole droves of bullocks selling for over $100 

 each. What a price for beef! It is 11 to Hi 

 cents for every pound of meat in the four quar- 

 ters, and the present week it is even higher than 

 that. 



Sheep, that will dress less than 56 pounds, have 

 sold in droves at $5 and $6 per head. 



Then, we pay live or six cents a pound for flour, 

 and we butter our bread at 28 to 34 cents per 

 pound. Potatoes — that indispensable necessary of 

 an American table — are still dearer than bread or 

 meat for human food. 



In short, it is a fact that every product of 

 American soil is selling at a price more remuner- 

 ating to the laborer than any other laborious em- 

 ployment, and yet the earth lies untilled. 



Thousands and tens of thousands of acres of 

 rich soil, offered for sale at a trifling price, are 

 lying as idle as they were a thousand years ago. 

 Why is it so ? Why do not these laborers raise 

 their own bread and meat ? Why do not farm- 

 ers stick to their trade, and why do not others 

 fall into that occupation 1 



We think we can answer. 



The first grand reason is because there is a 

 most abominably foolish opinion prevailing that 

 any other employment is more respectable than 

 that of a farmer. This false impression is quite 

 as much owing to those engaged in the business 

 as to those who are not. Children are taught 

 from early ages, by mistaken parents, to look for 

 some other means of livelihood than the "dirty 

 business'' of tiieir fathers. 



There is a continual longing to escape from the 

 prison-house of the farm. 



The natural consequence is, that all other oc- 

 cupations are full, and all in them, in their turn, 

 are taught to look with contempt upon the farm- 

 er and his occupation. 



The great evil is a want of pride of caste on the 



part of those who should hold the first rank in so- 

 ciety — land cultivators. It does not follow be- 

 cause a man is a farmer that he should be a fool, 

 or even a laborious drudge. None but a fool 

 need be that. -There is just as much room for 

 leisure, study and improvement on the farm as in 

 the store, office, or mechanic's shop. 



If we could only contrive to elevate the char- 

 acter and standing of all who cultivate American 

 soil, we should have not only a more numerous, 

 but a more happy class of farmers. The diflicul- 

 ty now is, they are ashamed of their calling, and 

 do not try to improve their condition ; and there- 

 fore, sink down into drudges, working like cart- 

 horses for their daily allowance of fodder. 



This is the cause of scarcity of farm labor, and 

 that scarcity produces the present high prices, 

 without producing a corresponding profit to the 

 cultivator. Why? Because he has to pay an 

 extra price to induce labor to flow into that chan- 

 nel. He is in a constant struggle to keep up ap- 

 pearances, and rival his speculating neighbor, 

 who is flourishing upon "borrowed capital," and 

 generally does break whether he ought to or not. 

 His children are bound to be "young ladies and 

 gentlemen" — that is, idle and useless incumbran- 

 ces upon the farm — and to despise their home, 

 instead of loving and clinging to it forever. 



Traced directly home to that cause can be the 

 sad history of niany of those who are suffering 

 famine in the city at this moment. 



There is another cause — another great fact for 

 our farmers — the most of them are as ignorant of 

 the first principles of their business as Hottentots. 

 Thye dig and delve in the same path that their 

 antiquated grandfather trod in the previous cen- 

 tury, without ever thinking whether it is right or 

 wrong. 



Beside our own native ignorance that still per- 

 sists in plowing the surface of land only two 

 inches deep, so that it is drowned at one season 

 and burnt to dust at another, we are constantly 

 importing ship-loads of people more ignorant 

 still than ourselves. With this native and im- 

 ported ignorance, with only about one-half the 

 hands that should be employed upon the farm, 

 we are trying to grow food enough to feed the 

 workers and idlers, and make large annual prof- 

 its to invest in "stock" other than farm-stock. 



With the present high prices, stock in a good 

 farm should be the best stock in the world. That 

 it is not, the fault is in the farmers themselves. 

 There is certainly "a screw loose" in some of the 

 machinery of society that needs a little tighten- 

 ing- 



If it be a fact that the price of cattle which is 

 now prevailing throughout the United States is 

 in consequence of an insufficient number in the 

 country, it is a fact which ought to make every 

 farmer in America blush for shame. 



Out upon the man that cries out upon the hard 

 times and want of money, when he might have 

 fifty bullocks for sale at $100 a head, yet has not 

 one ; perhaps has to buy his own meat. 



We close with a repetition of this one fact, 

 that there is no employment in the world more 

 honorable, more respectable, or more honestly 

 and certainly remunerative, than that of cultiva- 

 tion of the soil. The business only needs improve- 

 ment. — N. Y. Tribune. 



