THE FARM OF THE FIRST MINISTER. 37 



tlemen, who have nobly expatriated themselves for the sake of 

 digging our sewer ditches, should be allowed to add a few 

 black bivalves to the luxuries of their native cuisine. The pres- 

 ent proprietor prefers rather to adopt the legend once displayed 

 over the open door-way of the late Mr. Hart's inviting saloon, 

 " Live and let live !" 



CONCLUSIONS FROM AN EXPERIENCE OF FORTY YEARS. 



An experience of forty years and more has convinced the 

 present owner of the First Minister's Farm that success in 

 farming is attainable only on certain conditions, among which 

 are these : 



1. The farmer's heart must be in his business. He will fail 

 to do his best if it is not. 



2. He must possess a fair amount of broad common sense. 

 This comes not from the schools, but is the gift of God. 



3. He must get the most he can from every resource of his 

 farm : from his stock, from his fields and low meadows ; from 

 his pastures and his woods. 



4. He must make free use of courage, enterprise, energy and 

 industry. Without these he cannot successfully meet the sharp 

 competition he will encounter on every hand. 



5. He must remember that brute power is cheaper than 

 human power, and overcome the high price of labor by the use 

 of animals and machinery, whenever and wherever he profita- 

 bly can. The time may not be far away when steam and elec- 

 tricitv will come to his aid. The ensilage used at the N. H. 

 Asylum for the Insane was all cut by electric power the 

 present (1895) season. 



6. He must so manage as to have appropriate employment 

 twelve months in each year. If he does little or nothing in 

 winter, when everyone engaged in other occupations is at 

 work, he will not get rich by farming. 



7. He must possess a fair knowledge of the principles of ag- 

 ricultural science. Without this he will make costly mistakes. 



8. He must understand the practical application of these 

 principles in all their details. If he does not, it will be as vain 

 for him to anticipate success as to expect good digestion and 

 peace of mind when his wife does n't know how to cook. 



