19 



and failures. Many have not conceived the true relation 

 which exists between the fancy farmer and the practical 

 farmer, who must draw his sustenance from the soil, and 

 whose aim is not solely for the pleasure it attbrds him. 



For instance, you have a farm adjoining his, and the 

 Assessors will tell you that it is more valuable than for- 

 merly, owing to the improved surroundings, consequently 

 your tax increases ; yet your farm is worth no more to you 

 as a means of getting a living. You send your teams to 

 " town," where you have purchased manure for the past 

 ten years, and you receive word that your neighbor, " the 

 fancy farmer," has offered nearly double what you were 

 paying, and is satisfied with six feet for a cord. The men 

 in your employ whom you were paying current wages, 

 have been informed that your neighbor wants help, and 

 will pay five dollars per month more than you are paying 

 them ; consequently they strike for higher wages, or per- 

 haps quit. You fill their places with other men, at a loss 

 of time and money consequent in learning the routine 

 duties to which they must become accustomed. When, lo ! 

 they discover that at six P. M. your neighbor's men are 

 kicking football ; that while your men are doing the milk- 

 ing in the morning, your neighbor's men are not out of bed, 

 for he keeps but a few imported Jerseys, with more pedi- 

 gree than constitution, and as they are kept more for 

 adornment than profit, it is unnecessary to milk them until 

 after breakfast. But if you have money enough left after 

 paying your increased taxes, to buy what little manure he 

 has not secured, and can quell the spirit of disquiet among 

 your men (which will naturally arise), long enough to per- 

 form your work in that thorough manner which has been 



