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Education in the line of being careful in everything, is what should be inculcated in the training of boys and girls for the farm. Too much carelessness abounds. Proper care of live stock is one of the things that is shamefully neglected in Pennsylvania. To produce a good flow of milk and manufacture a gilt-edged article of butter, farmer's cows should be kept as clean as horses, curried and brushed over daily.

This can be done and should be done, if one wants to make the farm pay. Not only should the dairy cows be kept clean, but all live stock around the farm should receive its proportionate amount of care and attention. The swine, the sheep pen, and chicken roost demand daily inspection. Doing this will pay the average farmer. The leaks on the farm are too great, suffered mostly by the average farmer. Each year in the State of New Jersey (of course not in l'ennsylvania), there is said to be a leakage in the barnyard of $1,500,000, and the farmers are said to turn right around and buy commercial fertilizers to the value of $1,800,000. This, of course, will apply to Pennsylvania, comparatively speaking, which operates seriously against the average farmer. Farmers should guard the manure pile (if there be such) more carefully and thus prevent the valuable liquor from escaping which means a loss of so very many dollars.

Speaking of that which pays the average farmer, is to keep all implements and farm machinery sheltered snuggly; having a place for everything and everything in its place. This pays. Oil the harness regularly and well and not let it get hard and crack, thus suffering a loss. See that all implements and machinery are cleaned off nicely after being used before being placed away. The mold boards of the plows should be oiled to prevent them from rusting, so that when they are taken out to plow in the spring of the year, they will do their work so nicely, thus avoiding any breaking of the ten commandments. It does not pay the average farmer to work with dull tools. Keep the corn hoes sharp as well as the mower knives and all machinery tightened up and looked over, thus avoiding losing bolts, valuable time, &c., &c.

Be sure to live within your income. The average farmer sometimes buys that which he might avoid. An old couple who had prospered from small beginnings, were asked how they got along so well, when the following reply was made: "You see most people be 'allus' thinking of what they want, while me and John be 'allus' thinking about what we can do without." Friends there is a great truth in this. Let not then our wants be our master, but keep them rather in subjection. Don't mind what your neighbor buys, if you cannot just afford it, let alone and bear him or her no envy.

That which pays the average farmer (and every body) is strict honesty in all dealings. It is said that the baled hay market in France was ruined by persons placing stones and heavy material in the centre of the bales of hay. The barrel of apples or the basket of peaches when opened up should be a fair sample of the contents of the whole barrel or basket.

That which pays the average farmer is more practical thought thrown into his business. Read more and work less. Read agricultural papers. Be sociable. Converse freely with your neighbor and give him the benefit of your experience and no doubt he will in return give you his experience, which will be worth to you perhaps many dollars in an indirect way. As we have already said, carelessness upon the farm tells quickly, but no quicker than carelessness will tell on the merchant. Let the merchant become careless in business and his trade will soon fly away, giving work to either assignee or sheriff.

Be prompt and fulfill all your engagements.

Again, we must lessen the cost of production by more careful farming and thorough cultivation of the soil and feeding liberally the same. It will pay many farmers to do away with many inside fences and thus gain from eight to fifteen feet of the best soil on the farm. Plow very carefully and not deep if the land is poor. Experiment what you can, but do not experiment yourself poor by too much experimenting.

Raise crops and not weeds.

Raise good stock and less scrubs.

Raise less arguments and apply more thought.

Plant in season and not out of season. God has so arranged a plan that no one ought to be guilty of planting out of season. The sower or planter has a latitude of time ranging from ten to fifteen days in which to sow grain or plant corn and if one does not avail himself of planting or sowing within this period, let him blame, not the times, not legislation, not unfavorable seasons, if he fails to secure crops, but blame himself and be content with his failure.

Let care and economy be always the farmers watchword and he will always raise crops, have something to sell and be happy.

Prices are always pretty nearly right when one has plenty to sell, but always very much wrong and out of joint to the farmer who has nothing to place upon the market.

Careful adherance to the foregoing suggestions is what will beyond doubt pay the average farmer.

That which pays the average farmer, lastly, is a close watch in keeping up the fertility of the farm. It will matter not so much what method of farming is practiced, whether stock raising, mixed farming, the dairy, fruit or grain crops, only so that the mind of the

farmer be ever centered and kept clear upon the key that unlocks the door of success, which is the fertility of the land. Something of course must be sold off the farm, but not to such an extent that will in the least reduce the ability of the land to produce crops. Remember that the greatest economy is that of extravagance with the land which means a liberal hand in the supplying of plant food. Every farmer should make a study of his own environments, produce and raise that which he can find ready sale for. Be exceedingly neat, careful and prompt in the business management of the farm and you cannot help but succeed. The farmer follows the most healthful and the most honorable of all avocations of life.

No occupation is so congenial to the health of man than is that of agriculture. The air the farmer breathes is sweetened by the gentle dews from heaven and ere the meridian of life be reached he can, with care, bask in the sunshine of prosperity and plenty.

INDEX OF AUTHORS.

B.

Page.

BABCOCK, MRS. E. N., Address of welcome to Farmers' Institute,
BAILEY, ANNIE M., American farming and the home,
BEAVER, GEORGE E., The cost of a pound of butter for the diversified

167

......

284

farmer,

304

BOAL, R. N. H., Address of welcome to Farmers' Institute,
BOAL, MISS RACHEL, The farm child,

168

202

BOUCHER, MRS. MARY, How to make the country home attractive,
BUCHANAN, MRS. M. M., The inside of the farmer's home,

259

261

C.

CANNING, FRANCIS, A few suggestions on the culture of "flowering

begonias,"

157

CARL, MRS. SUSAN, Sociability in the rural districts,
COLLINGWOOD, H. W., How New York eats fruit,

173

118

CONARD, DR. M. E., Report on live stock to State Board of Agriculture,
CONRATH, MRS. LOTTIE, The farmer's daughter and her education,..
COREY, MRS. FRANCES, Education of the farmer's daughter,
COREY, MINNIE S., Education for the farmer,

46

176

210

221

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ERNEY, LILLY J., The importance of good reading for the farmer and

his family,

267

( 315 )

...

F.

FIFE, MRS. BELLA E., Social life in rural districts,
FOX, CYRUS T., Report of Pomologist,

......

G.

GARDNER, JOHN G., Hillside pasture,

Hardy perennial phloxes,

GARRAHAN, M., Soil fertility and how to obtain it most economically,

H.

Page.
253

50

156

161

139

HARRIS, PHILIP, The growing of raspberries for profit,

123

HARRIS, L. C., Fruit growing,

229

HIESTER, GABRIEL, Some of the hindrances to fruit culture in Penn-

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HURLEY, JOSEPH, how to care for evergreens, after they are received
from the nurseryman; how to plant them; how to care for them after
planting,

154

J.

JONES, W. H., Sanitary conditions and care of live stock,

236

K.

KEIPER, ELMA B., Making a home in the country,
KRAUSS, NORA, Sociability in country life,

192

273

L.

LAWRENCE, MRS. MINNIE, Woman's share on the farm,
LAWRENCE, MRS. ELLEN, Are hens a source of profit on the farm,
LE SUER, FRED., The dairy cow,

169

234

305

LIGHTNER, W. SCOTT, Shall we feed the soil or feed the crop that feeds
the soil,

291

LONSDALE, EDWIN, Report on floriculture to State Board of Agricul-
ture,

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