68 



fered gift of valuable land from the senators; for said be "I havs 

 already more than I can properlj' cultivate. " His farm consisted of 

 two and a half acres. Although ' oiu* farmer may not so closely 

 Hmit his boundaries for fear of violating the tenth commandment, 

 would it not be better in the generality of cases (especially for 

 those beginning), to work smaller space, throwing extra capital and 

 yearly gains into its cultivation, until its fertiht}' and returns are 

 of the best. Then if the spirit moves, and your neighbors are will- 

 ing, enlarge. I think the general management and results of large 

 farms will jirove this. Of course, there are exceptions, for as in 

 finance, in manufactures, in mercantile life, some men with the will, 

 talents and training, will progress in extent and control of business, 

 far ahead of their fellows, so it is in agiicultre. 



Special culture is another improvement. In this age of mental 

 activity and progi-ess, of rush and struggle for superiority, success 

 crowns only him who concentrates every energy to the accomphsh- 

 ment of some one fixed piu-pose. The old "Jack-at-all-trades" is 

 left far in the rear. Choose some one branch of agriculture, suited 

 to your taste and position, then "fight it out on that line" if it takes, 

 — more than Grant's summer — a lifetime. Is- it stock raising, is it 

 dairy farming, fruit culture, or market gardei'ing ? take which you 

 please at the end of a hfe's most careful study and observation, anj"^ 

 Httle boy inquisitive for information, may ask you questions vital iii 

 their connection with your business, which you cannot answer, 

 The more men Hampshire county can show engaged in such sj)ecial 

 culture, the higher will be her agricultural influence and standing. 

 The breeding of pure blood stock, judging fi-om your annual 

 shows, offers ample field for improvement to special farmers in this 

 county particularly tempting, by reason of easy access to thorough- 

 bred animals at the State farm, whose superior quahties ought to 

 he stamped upon all our herds. A name among farmers cannot 

 l>e acquired in any shorter way than as a reliable breeder of pure 

 stock, and as to money, kno wing ones in this field have long reaped 

 rich rewards, and the harvest is yet comparatively untouched. 



The greatest improvement however, may be made in the mental 



culture and professional training of the farmers themselves. la 



the doing away with old-time prejudices, in accepting the proflGered 



aid of mechanics and science, with minds properly prepared to put it 



nto practical use. K we wander upon the hills, back from the riv^- 



owns, we find marks and tracks speaking as plainly of bygone ages. 



