46 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan, 



behind the brow of the opjjosite bank ; but theii- 

 increased yelling, now stationary behind the hill, 

 told us that the tiger had met his doom, and that 

 their strong arms and jaws were tearing him 

 limb from hmb. As the evening was far advanced, 

 and we Avere still some miles from home, we did 

 not cross the river to be in at the death ; but next 

 morning, a few bones and scattered fragments 

 of flesh and skin showed Avhat had been the tiger's 

 fate. On our return home we were told by some 

 Dutch gentlemen that such hunts are not uncom- 

 mon when a tiger is rash enough to attack the 

 young baboons, Avliich often happens^ All these 

 creatures for miles around assemble and pursue 

 their enemy with relentless fuiy to his death. 

 Sometimes the chase lasts for days ; but it invari- 

 ably closes with the destruction of the tiger — a 

 striking instance that the idea of retributive jus- 

 tice is not confined to man alone." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 IS FAKMING PROFIT ABLE? 



This question has been so often asked and an- 

 swered, that perhaps your readers will turn away 

 from this article in disgust. But I do not think 

 the subject is yet exhausted. Other men than far- 

 mers are entitled to have an opinion respecting it. 

 Any man of common intelHgence, especially if he 

 is acquainted with the general condition of far- 

 mers, and the details of farm life, may form as 

 correct an opinion on the subject as the farmer 

 laimself. By the term "profit," perhaps, we are 

 apt to refer too exclusively to pecuniary results. 

 The great pursuit of man is said to be happiness. 

 But is it wise to measure the amount of happiness 

 by the amount of money which men acquire ? 



Do observation and experience prove that the 

 former is necessarily or uniformly in proportion to 

 the latter ? Although a certain amount of wealth 

 undoubtedly contributes to our happiness, yet 

 other elements must be taken into the account. 

 Health, longevity and independence, certainty, 

 freedom from exhausting care and anxiety, and va- 

 rious other circumstances must be considered in 

 estimating the profitableness of any business. 

 In the first place, I tliink it will not be doubted 

 that farmers, as a body, enjoy a greater measure 

 of health than any other class of men. They are 

 stronger and more robust, and retain their strength 

 and vigor to a greater age than other men. They 

 live longer on an average than any other class of 

 men, which proves not only that their course of 

 life is conducive to health, but that their labor is 

 of a less exhausting charactei". Labor in the 

 open air is always more healthy than labor in 

 the shop, the counting-room or the study. Many 

 other men who live and labor in the open au', as 

 the hunter and the sailor, are subject to greater 

 vicissitudes, exposures and dangers than the far- 

 mer, which often exhaust their health and cut 

 short their lives. The circumstances under wliich 

 the farmer labors in the spring, the songs of the 

 birds, the fragrance and beauty of the flowers, the 

 vigorous growth of the spring crops, and in the 

 summer and autumn, the consciousness that he is 

 reaping the reward of his labor, all tend to pro- 

 mote cheerfulness, hope and satisfaction. 



The farmer's life is more uniform than that of 

 most other men, and when the labors of the day 



are ended, he sleeps quietly in his bed, secure from 

 danger and the inclemencies of the weather. He 

 is not subject, like the traveller and the sailor, to 

 changes of climate and temperature. He is ac- 

 customed to the climate in which he lives. His 

 diet is plain and substantial. It is rare that he is 

 required to make tmusual efforts, or, like the sol- 

 dier on the march or in battle, to make extraordi- 

 nary drafts upon his strength and powers of en- 

 durance. Hence, as might be expected, statistics 

 show that the farmer lives to a greater age than 

 most other men. 



Farming is safer than any other business. The 

 navigator, the fisherman, the trader pay large sums 

 for insurance. Indeed, so great are their risks 

 that they cannot afibrd to carry on their business 

 without insurance. But the farmer can atford to 

 be his own underwriter. With reasonable skill 

 and diligence, he is sure of the ordinary results of 

 his business. It has been stated, on good authori- 

 ty, that ninety out of a hundred who engage in 

 trade in our cities fail in their business. On the 

 the other hand, observing fanners have estimat- 

 ed that not more than five per cent, of those 

 engaged in farming ever fail. Many of our 

 young men enter upon the business of farming 

 heavily in debt. If they take the homestead, 

 they have to pay legacies to their brothers and 

 sisters. If they purchase a farm, they j^ay a part, 

 and take the balance on credit. Yet in most cases 

 they work out of debt, and in a feAV years OAvn 

 their forms free of incumbrance. Is not here suf- 

 ficient proof of the safety and certamty of the busi- 

 ness of farpiing ? 



I am acquainted with a farmer less than forty 

 years old, who is very apt to complain of the un- 

 profitableness of farming. Now let us look at the 

 facts in his case. 



He inherited less than $2000, and manied a 

 wife Avho had about $2000. He purchased a farm 

 for $2000. Built a house which cost, say $1800. 

 Built a bam which cost as much more. Here was 

 an outlay of $5,600. He has now his house well 

 furnished, 16 cows worth $25 each, a yoke of ox- 

 en worth $100, two horses worth $100, a carriage 

 worth $100, a good stock of wagons, carts and 

 other farm implements, worth say $300 — making 

 his farm stock worth $1000. He has dug ditches, 

 laid walls, reclaimed swamp lands, and in various 

 ways improved his farm, until it is now worth, say 

 $8000. He has paid liis debts and is now free 

 from incumbrance. Here is a man who has dou- 

 bled the value of his property, has an excellent 

 wile and four promising chikben — ^has maintained 

 himself and his family well — has a permanent busi- 

 ness, knows the capabilities of his farm, and is an- 

 nually increasing his products. He has become 

 skilful in his business, has good health, and the 

 respect and confidence of lus neighbors, and he is 

 not yet forty years old ! Has not this man's busi- 

 ness been profitable ? And when he compares the 

 results he has achieved with those acliieved by 

 men in other vocations around him, has he any 

 x'eason to grumble at his want of success ? 



The farmer is more independent of fashion than 

 others. He can live and dress as he pleases, while 

 the minister, the doctor, the lawyer and the mei"- 

 chant must dress and live in a more expensive 

 manner, or they will at once lose caste in the com- 

 munity. They must expend more money in visit- 

 ing and receiving company, in travelling, in sus- 



