First make a Living.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 59, 11 February 1885, Page 4

First make a Living.

The Texas b'amw hits the nail squarely when it asserts tljat "in< growing crops the leading and first purpose should he to make a living v This should; be the first object m all pursuits. A man must make a, living before he can make extra money, hence it 'is a point of the utmost importance for farmers to grow their own family supplies without having to . buy them. If he raises nearly everything needed for home consumption he is independent and with a variety of small •crops he is absolutely protected against a total failure. The farmer whose first object is to make a living on his farm, works for himself and family, while the all-cotton man works for ; speculators and gamblers,, and they always beat him. Banks may fail, stocks may vanish into thin air and panics may bring desolation and ruin to the merchant,' mechanic and speculator, but the farmer who farms for a Jiving is safe. He has no debts, no mortgages it 6 disturb his rest. His food is at home, his barns are his storehouse. The man who farms for a living works by the rule of good common sense ; the farmer who tries to make money before he makes, a living works by the rule of some, other kind of sense. A little more common sense nvked with ordinary industry w ill make farmers the most prosperons and happy people m the state. Farmers Have worked long enough for speculators and Shylocks; let them turn their attention to home, wife, children, and country." We have more I than once expressed Just the same views as the above on the subject of farming .m New Zealand, ij'oo many colonials who say they cftnt make a , decent living at farming have never tried to do it. They worry. themselves to death, and get sold up trying .to ;get rich , quickly. A farm is a good nag that will carry you .and your family well along the road that . leads to easy competence, so long as .you don't push it to ,harci with ; the whip and spurs or borrowed capital, If you do that, hoping to make a pile by a few lucky speculative strokes, the chances are vouwill come a itinancfal cropper very soon, or perhaps drag on a miserable ; existance for years, a slave of the soil for the benefit of: some bank or mortgagee. To every New Zealand farmer we say, " Make your farm keep you ; don't let yourself slide into . the. wretched position of violent straggling to keep your farm. If; it comes to that, rather let it go j and start .afresh on a: new sy stem > and a new fatm 4