454 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



Fur Die New England Farmer. 



FARM WAGES AND LABOR. 



Me, Editor : — An article appeared in the Far- 

 mer of August 25th, over the signature of "E. N.," 

 the writer of which seems to think wages for farm 

 labor are not higli enough yet, compared with other 

 branches of labor. He does not mention the fact 

 that before the mechanic can command $1,50 or $2 

 per diem, he must give some time in learning his 

 trade, and then invest some capital in a set of me- 

 chanic's tools. Here wages on the farm range from 

 $12 to $18 per month, for the term of six or eight 

 months, or $150 to $175 bjf the year. Now it is 

 not difficult to show that the laborer receives a 

 greater net profit at the end of the year, than his 

 employer, M-ith from two to four thousand dollars 

 invested in his form. The farmer who clears.from 

 one to three hundred dollars annually, we think do- 

 ing well, even if he is obliged to expend that sum 

 on his buildings or fences, that they may not be 

 running down. 



How is it with the laborer who clears from $125 

 to $150 per year? "Figures don't he;" therefore 

 by adding in six per cent, he Avill in a few years 

 lay by a sum sufficient to purchase a small farm, 

 and thus have an interest in the soil he cultivates — 

 a situation to be preferred to any jn-omotion he 

 might hope for, from any manufacturing company. 

 This writer says, "There is so much exposure in 

 farming, that young men who commence at the age 

 of twenty-one without any property, and ■with the 

 intention of getting a living by working on a farm, 

 and who have an average fortune, usually end a 

 short life as poor as they began it." A most awful 

 picture, truly. That the most healthy occupation 

 that God ever designed for man should shorten hu- 

 man life, is a new idea. Any young man who be- 

 gins for himself at the age of twenty-one, with ha- 

 bits of industry and economy — two words the im- 

 port of which is not instilled in the minds of our 

 young men, as in the days of Dr. Franklin — can for 

 $12 per month thi-ough the year, clear one hundred 

 dollars ; this sum received annually, and prudently 

 managed, will at the age of forty make him as in- 

 dependent as was Stephen Gii'ard, with his mllhons. 



Maidstown, VL, Aug. 28, 1855. \v. 



soil, the plaster would counteract that tendency, 

 and so the effect of mixing them would be bene- 

 ficial rather than otherwise." 



If we propound the same question to practical 

 farmers, we get contradictory answers. One says 

 he gets good results from both ashes and plaster 

 applied separately, but not equally good, if they 

 are mixed. Another says, it is less labor to apply 

 them together, and the results are quite as good. 

 Both know that they are right ; and the scientific 

 man would be a]3t to think he knoivs that the last 

 only is right. We incline strongly to the ojoinion 

 that ashes and ])laster may be used together with no 

 injury to each other, but with perha]js some little 

 advantage over their separate use ; though it must 

 be confessed that there are strong testimonies to the 

 contrary coming from practical farmers. 



Let the experiment be thoroughly tried. On 

 part of a field apply the ashes and jjlaster in the 

 hill before planting. On another part, the soil 

 being the same and similarly treated in other res- 

 pects, let the ashes be applied in the hill at planting, 

 and the plaster be applied after the first hoeing. If 

 the ground were peculiarl)' warm, it might be well 

 to try a third portion by sowing the ashes broad- 

 cast, and applying the plaster to the hill. Our ex- 

 pectation would he that little or no difference would 

 appear, except that where the ashes were sown 

 broadcast, the crop might not be quite as forward 

 earh' in the season, but later woidd quite equal the 

 other. 



We are the forthest possible from wishing that 

 the practical farmer should bow to the opinions of 

 any one. If agricultural writers and agricultural 

 workers will maintain a little Mholesome watchful- 

 ness and a great deal of kindly respect for each 

 other, the best interests of agriculture will be ad- 

 vanced. — JVash's Farmer. 



ASHES AND PLASTER. 



A subscriber says : — " I Avish to know if there is 

 anything in the nature of ashes or plaster, that causes 

 them to neutralize each other, when used together ? 

 My neighbor says, he knows it is so, and that I shall 

 lose my money and my labor." 



Remarks. — Plaster is sulphate of lime. In the 

 state of ground plaster, as generally used in this 

 coimtry, it consists of 28 lbs. of Hme to 40 lbs. of 

 sulphuric acid, and 1 8 lbs. of water. 



Ashes are made up largely of silicates, mostly 

 insoluble. They contain also carbonates of the 

 alkalis, ])otash and soda, and of the alkahne earths, 

 lime and magnesia, together with a little of various 

 phosphates, a little sulphate of lime (plaster), a Ht- 

 tle soluble silica, and small portions of free alkali. 



In answer to the above question, science would 

 say : " No ; the two cannot neutralize each other ; 

 no decomposition will be eftected by minghng them 

 in the soil ; and so far as the free alkali of the 

 ashes might tend to dissipate the ammonia of the 



Far the Neic England Farmer. 



FARMERS' DISADVANTAGES. 



Mr. Brown : — I do not wish to intrude upon the 

 columns of your valuable journal ; however, as you 

 are always willing to hear from the young and in- 

 experienced, and as you are frequently describing 

 the peculiar advantages of the farmer, and the 

 means which he possesses for enjoyment, I think 

 that a few words upon the disadvantages of a far- 

 mer's life would not come amiss. I refer to the ob- 

 stacles against which a poor "form boy" has to con- 

 tend, in acquiring an education. The farmer in 

 comfortable circumstances can give his sons a lib- 

 eral education. But the boy who is "put out," or 

 who works by the month, is obliged to lal^or four- 

 teen or sixteen hours per diem, during the summer, 

 and he can have but Httle time or disposition to ac- 

 quire information. Moreover, farming has this dis- 

 advantage, it is a very unsociable employment, and 

 when the boy has any leisure, he very naturally de- 

 votes it to finding company with which he can as- 

 sociate. 



And when winter, the time for study, comes, the 

 case is not much better. If he does chores for his 

 board, he is obliged to rise very early, and labor 

 besides until school-time, and frequently later, and 

 getting late to school is a very discouraging tiling 

 for an ambitious boy, and the transition from vig- 

 orous exercise in the keen winter atmosphere to 

 the uncomfortable, poorly-ventilated school-house, 

 is so sudden, that his head aches, a feeling of lassi- 



