28 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



ness, because " always taking from the meal 

 chest, and never putting in, will sooner or later 

 come to the bottom." But so long as farmers 

 prefer present apparent gain to future positive 

 profit, so long will they continue to sell their milk 

 at 2 cents per quart. Your correspondent thinks 

 the farmers alone to blame for this low price for 

 milk. True, he is, just as all laborers and pro- 

 ducers are, to blame for the oppression which cap- 

 ital inflicts upon them. Capital has got its heel 

 upon the neck of labor, and so long as men's 

 moral and intellectual energies are cramped and 

 undeveloped by the present over taxation of his 

 physical powers, so long will the laborer bear his 

 burden of oppression. 



You, Mr. Editor, nor your correspondent, are 

 willing t ) say that those engaged in the commerce 

 of milk get more than their share of its value, 

 but you both think the farmer gets too little. In 

 this, few farmers I think will disagree with you. 

 But v\hen you, Mr. Editor, intimate that from the 

 fact that mechanics and other laborers have to 

 pay high prices for farm products, that farmers 

 "get piices high enough as an avex*age on all they 

 sell," I think you put forth a specious argument 

 for the continuance of the low price of milk. For 

 however high " farm products " may be to the 

 consumer, it is notorious amongst farmers, at any 

 rate, tl at for other products as well as milk, the 

 farmer is but poorly paid for the amount of labor 

 and capital expended. Farmers do not get the 

 high prices which the consumer pays ; far, very 

 far from it. The truth is, there are too many 

 stand betweens — by far too many distributors of 

 the products of labor — Labor is burdened with the 

 maintainance of altogether too many non-producers. 

 And until farmers and other laborers have moral 

 and intellectual energy sufficient to lead them to 

 associate together for their mutual defence against 

 the oppression of capital and the maintainance of 

 drones, they must continue to give about three- 

 fifths of their earnings for the support and gratifi- 

 cation of others. Let no one suppose I under- 

 value services of the needed distributor of the pro- 

 ducts of labor — but when three men have to be 

 paid and maintained for services which could as 

 well or better be performed by one, it is time to 

 look about and see where the " pay " is coming 

 from. But there is no good reason why the farm- 

 ers of a town who raise milk to sell, should not 

 associate for the purpose of selling their milk to 

 the consumers, and also for the purpose of selling 

 any other product which may be rendered into a 

 steady business. 



I like the suggestion of your correspondent, 

 and think it is highly expedient that farmers 

 should hold a " convention," and if they cannot 

 do without a "platform,'" make one, only let 

 them be sure to make it large enough that all may 

 stand upon it without any " bolting." 



Yours truly, t. a. s. 



Westboro\ Oct., 1852. 



many of the productions of the farm pass through 

 too many hands before they reach the consumer. 



We reside in a strictly agricultural town, and 

 have seldom found it difficult there to get 25 cents 

 a pound for butter, (and it is bringing now 27) 15 

 to 25 cents a dozen for eggs, 9 to 12 for salt pork, 

 50 to 80 cents a bushel for potatoes, 80 to 100 

 cents a bushel for corn, and other products at 

 equally high rates. We sold last year of our own 

 raising between one and two tons of fresh pork 

 for about 8 cents a pound, and were recently told 

 that in a neighboring agricultural town good salted 

 pork was selling quick at 17 cents a pound. These 

 prices amply sustain our remarks, as quoted 

 by our correspondent. 



The evil to the farmer does not lie in low prices, 

 but in a want of combination and system, such as 

 the merchant and manufacturer put in operation 

 the moment they find their interest demands it. 



Remarks. — We see no reason, from our corres- 

 pondent's remarks, to change our expression at all. 

 If his products pass through three or four hands 

 before they come to the consumer, he must com- 

 bine with his neighbors, and supply the consumer 

 himself. There can be little doubt that the 

 "huckstering" business is carried too far, and that 



HOUSE PLANTS IN WINTER. 



"What is the reason that my plants do not 

 grow so well as Mrs. Jones's. I am sure I take a 

 great deal more pains with them, and water and 

 nurse, and air them, but all will not do ; they are 

 weak, slender, sickly, and some of my best plants 

 have died — while Mrs Jones seems to take very 

 little care of hers, and yet they grow and bloom 

 beautifully !" 



This appeal to us for aid and advice, which has 

 just been made, is not the first complaint of this 

 kind of ill succevSS. The truth is, some plants are 

 actually nursed to death. Care and attention be- 

 stowed on plants, which they do not need, are worse 

 than no care at all. It isVuoysmg just what to do, 

 and doing that, and no more, that gives some per- 

 sons their success. Or, as a late writer remarked, 

 there are two great points to be attended to — 



1. Not to let your plants sufier by neglect ; and 



2. Not to malie them sufier by interference. 

 We would class the requisites for good treat- 

 ment as follows : — 



1. Plenty of light. ' ^ 



2. A due supply of water. 

 . 3. Proper temperature. 



Fresh air, cleanliness, and good soil, ai-e obvi- 

 ously of importance, but are less likely to be ne- 

 glected than the three first named wants, and we 

 shall therefore add a few additional remarks un- 

 der these heads : 



1. Light. — Plants cannotby any possibility have 

 too much of this. The stand should therefore face 

 the window, and be placed as near to it as prtioti- 

 cable ; and the window should be broad, as little 

 obstructed in its light by outside trees as the na- 

 ture of the case will admit. But rapidly growing 

 plants require most light ; hence, such should be 

 placed more directly in front of the window. 



2. Water — This must be given according to 

 circumstances. A plant in nearly a dormant state, 

 needs very little — those in a rapidly growing con- 

 dition require considerable. Too much water will 

 make the latter grow slender, but they will bear 

 a greater supply if in a strong light. It must be 

 reme.mbered as a standing rule, that dormant 

 plants may remain comparatively in the dark, and 

 with little water ; and growing ones should have a 



