PLEASANT TALKABOUTFRUIT, FLOWERS AND FARMING.PRELIMINARY.Weunderstand very well that every region must fashion itssystemof agriculture upon the nature of its soil, its climate, etc. Theprinciplesof agriculture may be alike in every zone, but theprocessesdepend upon circumstances. It would be folly for a new country, without commerce, to imitate an old country with an active commerce; it would be folly, where land is cheap, abundant, and naturally fertile, to adopt the habits of those who are stinted in lands, who have a redundant population, and who find a market for even the weeds which are indigenous to the soil. The husbandry of Holland is suited to a wet soil, and of England to a humid atmosphere and a very even annual temperature. But our soil is subject to extreme wet in spring and dryness in summer, to severe cold and intense heat. A farm whose bottom-lands are reinvigorated by yearly inundations, may thrive under an exacting husbandry that would exhaust an upland farm in a few years. Modes of agriculture must be suited to circumstances. Nevertheless, the experiments and discoveries and practices of every land are worth our careful attention. We do not importclothes—butwe docloth, to bemade upto suit our own habits and wants.The two extremes of husbandry are, theadoptionof every novelty and every experiment indiscriminately, and therejectionof every new thing and every improvement, as indiscriminately. Wisdom consists in “proving all things and holding fast that which isgood.” We do not advocate large outlays for expensive machines—for fancy cattle, for every new thing that turns up. But when, after full trial, it is ascertained what are the best farm horses, the best breed of cattle, the best milch cows, the most profitable breed of hogs and sheep, and the most skillful routine of cultivation, we think our farmers ought to profit by the knowledge. It is never a good economy to have poor things when you can just as well have the best. This, then, isOUR CREED.We believe in small farms and thorough cultivation.We believe that soil loves to eat, as well as its owner, and ought, therefore, to be manured.We believe in large crops which leave the land better than they found it—making both the farmer and the farm rich at once.We believe in going to the bottom of things and, therefore, in deep plowing, and enough of it. All the better if with a sub-soil plow.We believe that every farm should own a good farmer.We believe that the best fertilizer of any soil, is a spirit of industry, enterprise, and intelligence—without this, lime and gypsum, bones and green manure, marl and guano will be of little use.We believe in good fences, good barns, good farmhouses, good stock, good orchards, and children enough to gather the fruit.We believe in a clean kitchen, a neat wife in it, a spinning-piano,a clean cupboard, a clean dairy, and a clean conscience.We firmly disbelieve in farmers that will not improve; in farms that grow poorer every year; in starveling cattle; in farmers’ boys turning into clerks and merchants; in farmers’ daughters unwilling to work, and in all farmers ashamed of their vocation, or who drink whisky till honest people are ashamed of them.
Weunderstand very well that every region must fashion itssystemof agriculture upon the nature of its soil, its climate, etc. Theprinciplesof agriculture may be alike in every zone, but theprocessesdepend upon circumstances. It would be folly for a new country, without commerce, to imitate an old country with an active commerce; it would be folly, where land is cheap, abundant, and naturally fertile, to adopt the habits of those who are stinted in lands, who have a redundant population, and who find a market for even the weeds which are indigenous to the soil. The husbandry of Holland is suited to a wet soil, and of England to a humid atmosphere and a very even annual temperature. But our soil is subject to extreme wet in spring and dryness in summer, to severe cold and intense heat. A farm whose bottom-lands are reinvigorated by yearly inundations, may thrive under an exacting husbandry that would exhaust an upland farm in a few years. Modes of agriculture must be suited to circumstances. Nevertheless, the experiments and discoveries and practices of every land are worth our careful attention. We do not importclothes—butwe docloth, to bemade upto suit our own habits and wants.
The two extremes of husbandry are, theadoptionof every novelty and every experiment indiscriminately, and therejectionof every new thing and every improvement, as indiscriminately. Wisdom consists in “proving all things and holding fast that which isgood.” We do not advocate large outlays for expensive machines—for fancy cattle, for every new thing that turns up. But when, after full trial, it is ascertained what are the best farm horses, the best breed of cattle, the best milch cows, the most profitable breed of hogs and sheep, and the most skillful routine of cultivation, we think our farmers ought to profit by the knowledge. It is never a good economy to have poor things when you can just as well have the best. This, then, is
OUR CREED.
We believe in small farms and thorough cultivation.
We believe that soil loves to eat, as well as its owner, and ought, therefore, to be manured.
We believe in large crops which leave the land better than they found it—making both the farmer and the farm rich at once.
We believe in going to the bottom of things and, therefore, in deep plowing, and enough of it. All the better if with a sub-soil plow.
We believe that every farm should own a good farmer.
We believe that the best fertilizer of any soil, is a spirit of industry, enterprise, and intelligence—without this, lime and gypsum, bones and green manure, marl and guano will be of little use.
We believe in good fences, good barns, good farmhouses, good stock, good orchards, and children enough to gather the fruit.
We believe in a clean kitchen, a neat wife in it, a spinning-piano,a clean cupboard, a clean dairy, and a clean conscience.
We firmly disbelieve in farmers that will not improve; in farms that grow poorer every year; in starveling cattle; in farmers’ boys turning into clerks and merchants; in farmers’ daughters unwilling to work, and in all farmers ashamed of their vocation, or who drink whisky till honest people are ashamed of them.