206 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



posed, as a matter of course, Dr. Loring did noi 

 advocate the raising of roots entirely. 



Mr. Stoughton, of Gill, wished to know what 

 the average crop of carrots was, as he doubted 

 whether it was over 400 bushels to the acre, and 

 this being the case, it would make a great differ- 

 ence in the profit. In his section tobacco was 

 considered very profitable, and notwithstanding 

 what had been said by a previous speaker, he 

 thought it best for farmers to raise the crop that 

 would put the most money in their pockets. To- 

 bacco would ordinarily yield a ton to the acre 

 ■with the same cultivation as corn, and would bring 

 ^300. He also spoke of the great profit from 

 raising water-melons, but he considered the grass 

 crop of the most importance, and the men who 

 raised this crop he had found to be in the most 

 independent condition. 



Mr. S. M. Allen, of Boston, then spoke of the 

 cost of raising flax, and the value of the crop, 

 and contended that there would be no more trou- 

 ble or expense in preparing the soil than for a 

 crop of wheat, and that it could be raised as cheap- 

 ly as either wheat or oats, at an expense not ex- 

 ceeding $90 per acre, while the value of the crop 

 would be far greater. 



It was announced that the subject for discus- 

 sion at the next meeting would be, "Manures — 

 tJie Jcinds most useful for different crops, and the 

 best mode of application." 



Fm- the New England Farmer. 

 THE TRUE OBJECT OP EABMING. 



The caption of this article may seem to some 

 readers a queer one, if we consider how generally 

 the accumulation of property is known and con- 

 ceded to be the ruling motive of the farmer's life. 

 But, although it is the farmer's chief desire, in 

 copimon with those who follow other pursuits and 

 professions, to "make money," yet, without doubt, 

 it would be far better for him either as a physical, 

 mental, or moral being, to place some other ob- 

 ject or aim high above this in his mind. 



For a few weeks past, I have noticed with 

 pleasure several communications upon the profit 

 and loss of farming. These communications show 

 that there is a waking up among the farmers, and 

 that they have increased desires to know whether 

 they are gliding down the smooth, deceitful stream 

 towards bankruptcy and ruin, or slowly trudging 

 along the highway to competence and ease. The 

 farmer ought siu'cly to know whether he is in a 

 prosperous condition or not, and his efforts to 

 gain in riches are worthy of praise, but should 

 the multiplication of dollars in his pocket, or in 

 the bank, be his strongest motive to action ? 

 Shall the farm be deserted, and alloAved to become 

 a wilderness, simply because the owner cannot 

 have the pleasure of laying his fingers upon as 

 many dollars as he imagines he might do, if en- 

 gaged In some other business ? 



Every farmer ought to make a good living, and 

 that he can do this, and something besides, has 



been proved beyond all doubt. This is more than 

 many mechanics, traders and some professional 

 men can say. Whoever heard of the failure of an 

 honest, intelligent, industrious, economical, ener- 

 getic former, unless by sickness, or unavoidable 

 accidents ? That he often does Isecome involved 

 in debt, is not a proof that he is in poor business, 

 for ten to one the fault is in himself. 



But without discussing the profits of farming 

 any farther at this time, I propose to show some 

 of the objects which the farmer should have in 

 mind besides the acquisition of wealth. 



1 . He should strive to make his farm grow bet- 

 ter in every respect, so that whoever becomes its 

 owner after him, shall find no cause to curse his 

 predecessor. To enrich a farm, requii-es much 

 knowledge, experience, and enterprise ; and the 

 process is slow ; but it is a business which pays, 

 even in the present tense, for the more it is en- 

 riched and cultivated in the right way, the more 

 of course it will produce. 



2. The fai-mer, while subduing and cultivating 

 his farm, should make still greater efforts to im- 

 prove the garden of his mind and heart ; and there 

 is no class of laboring men who have so good op- 

 portunities as the fai'mer for self-improvement. 

 He has one book open before him every day — ^the 

 book of nature. And if his eyes, ears, understand- 

 ing and heart are ever attentive to its teachings, 

 ho will constantly increase in knowledge, wisdom, 

 and goodness. How many guides he can have, if 

 he wishes, to assist him in exploring this vast 

 storehouse of knowledge. Chemistry, botany, ge- 

 ology, natural philosophy, physiology, zoology, 

 ornithology, entomology, pomolog)', horticulture, 

 and if these are not enough to satisfy bis thirst 

 for knowledge, he can take astronomy for a pilot, 

 and, travelling through illimitable regions of space, 

 visit the numberless worlds of light, above, 

 around, and beneath us, and learn something of 

 their laws and character. 



It is not expected that a person who is actively 

 engaged in the labors of the farm, can become a 

 proficient in all, or any one of these studies, or 

 sciences, for each of them are sufficient to occupy, 

 and have occupied some of the greatest intellects 

 of earth for a whole life-time, but he can make a 

 little progress, and get a faint idea, at least, of the 

 Creator's works. Every fai-mer who is worthy of 

 being called such, already possesses some knowl- 

 edge of all, or nearly all, of these sciences ; he 

 cannot successfully cultivate his farm without it, 

 and it is plain that more knowledge would give 

 him greater success, and at the same time enlarge 

 his mind, and perhaps benefit his heart. 



There is one science, that of ^Esthetics, or the 

 science o^ the beautiful, which the farmer has the 

 best of opportunities to study, and revel in to his 

 heart's content. The beautiful like the influence 

 of love in human actions, pervades all the works 

 of nature. The touch of beauty's gentle fingers 

 can everywhere be seen, and vain would be thr 

 task to tell of all her sweet fancies. She, and her 

 charming sister, melody, make the farmer's home 

 their own ; and who will say that their presence 

 is not needed there, or that their influence is 

 unfelt ? 



3. If the farmer has a family, it should be an 

 object of his life so to I'car his children to the stat- 

 ure of men and women that they may be a bless- 

 ing and an honor to the world. There is no place 



