A celebrated sculptor, when reproached by a friend 
for having made no progress in his work, pointed to 
the statue, and said, “ You mistake ; I have not been 
idle; I have re-touched this part and polished that; I 
have softened this feature, and brought out that mus¬ 
cle ; I have given expression to that lip, and more en¬ 
ergy to this limb.” “Well, well,” said bis fiflend, 
“ these are but trifles “True,” replied the sculptor, 
“ but trifles make perfection , and perfection is no 
trifle !” This is a truth for all time—for all circum¬ 
stances—and eminently applicable to the occupation 
of farming, made up, as it is, of almost innumerable 
operations. Perfection in farming can never be reached 
while neatness and cleanliness are left out, and for 
many things they are perfectly indispensable. The 
manufacture of butter, for example, is conducted very 
much in the same manner every where; but what is 
the reason that full 20 per cent difference is made in 
some markets in the produce of contiguous dairies ? Is 
it the breed of cattle that occasions the difference—or 
the food—or the soil '! No —although these may have 
their influence, the great leading cause is the pekfect 
cleanliness which Che skilful butter-maker main¬ 
tains in every part of the operation—in all her vessels 
—in her milk room—in the cattle-yard—not even per¬ 
mitting the entrance of offensive odors. The cost of the 
labor expended annually in butter-making throughout 
the country can be only estimated by millions, one 
tenth at least of the whole value of which is lost by a 
want, of this great requisite—enough, in the aggregate, 
to buy a thousand beautiful farms yearly. Is not this 
a pretty large “ trifle 2” 
All animals thrive better when kept clean. A want 
of comfort is always a waste of flesh. Large amounts 
of food are yearly expended in restoring what is lost by 
the discomfort of unelcaned floors, unventilated stables, 
by uncurried cows and horses, by unlittered pig-styes; 
and continued losses are occurring by subjecting breed¬ 
ing-animals to offensive odors. We have no doubt that 
a thorough reform in farm-management in the single 
point of cleanliness, through all departments, would 
build an Erie Railroad or dig an enlarged Erie Canal, 
every year. As for the profits on the score of health,, 
derived by farmers and their families, from personal 
ablutions, thorough cleanliness in all the preparations 
of food, and freedom from all miasnri from kitchen 
puddles, foul cellars, and all kindred sources of pol¬ 
luted lung-food,—they cannot be measured by bank¬ 
notes and bullion, although the diseases thus occasion¬ 
ed often consume the last vestige of both. 
Potato Rot in England. —The North British Ag¬ 
riculturist states that at least three-fourths of this 
year’s large potato crop in England had been destroy¬ 
ed by the rot by the 20th of September. That paper 
strongly recommends the same remedies that have been 
found of most avail by our best farmers here, namely, 
the removal of all dirt from the roots, so that they shall 
be perfectly cleans—placing them in rather small mass¬ 
es—and securing a good ventilation of pure air among 
them. 
Farmers’ Clubs. 
As the season when farmers have more leisure than 
at any other time of year is approaching, we wish to 
call attention to the importance of some organized 
system of improvement. There are abundant facili¬ 
ties for becoming thoroughly acquainted with the 
most successful modes of culture in practice, and 
all that is requisite is a sufficient degree of interest 
to call out the farmers, bring together their knowl¬ 
edge, and form a joint-stock company, with the sum 
total of each man’s wisdom for a capital. Every 
farmer has had experience, and claims to have 
derived from it certain rules which guide him in his 
farming ; and yet very few are governed by the same 
rules. A considerable proportion of farmers read more 
or less on agricultural subjects, and obtain in this way 
very much information, which may be made useful to 
their neighbors. The farmer who has not observed a 
single new fact or learned any thing worth communicat¬ 
ing during the past year, must have been very negligent 
or extremely dull, and certainly needs such instruction 
as his more active brethren can give him. Those who 
know most about agriculture, are ready and waiting to 
learn more from the experience of the most humble 
laborer, and all may be alike benefited by making a 
common fund of all the available knowledge, from 
which each may draw as he has occasion. 
There are many advantages to be derived from well 
conducted Farmers’ Clubs. Among the more import¬ 
ant, we mention the following. They serve to create 
an inquiring spirit, and lead the farmer to reflect upon 
and digest his observations and his reading. When 
called upon for an opinion on a subject, the farmer finds 
that he has not thought upon it sufficiently, or that his 
notions are in a crude and unavailable shape, and the 
result is, that he goes home resolved to inform himself 
with regard to the subject before another meeting. Im¬ 
mediately connected with this, is the tendency to accu¬ 
racy in experiment which such associations foster. It 
is not enough that the member of the club satisfy him¬ 
self with an approximate experiment. Ho must bs 
careful at every step, and precise in every detail, in 
order to satisfy all the members of the soundness of his 
conclusion. The member of the club is more than an 
individual farmer ; he is one of an associate body who 
are pledged to each other’s interests, and laboring for 
the greatest good of the greatest number. Ho is a 
publie-spirited man, and soon learns to attach some 
importance to his observations, and to regard himself 
as of some consequence in the agricultural world. Tho 
club operates against that spirit of isolation and seclu 
sion which is quite too prevalent among farmers. It 
calls them together—calls for their views, and gives 
them a dignity and a power they had not in an unor¬ 
ganized condition. It infuses a new purpose into the 
mind of every individual member, namely, that cf 
doing something constantly for his own improvement, 
and the progress of his profession. It leads him to 
read more, and to read more carefully and understand- 
ingly, and if he discharge his duties properly, it assists 
