FACTS FOR FARMERS.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 178, 28 June 1873, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS.

This is the true policy iv times like these. Improve your land. Live ccpnomically — that is, live well and work hard. Wait and, work. Keep upyour dourage..: Things toon find theirllevol. A man that can wort need bob few hard, timei. To him times will soon be better. To the lazy And shiftless times are always hard — always will be and always should be. A man who has good health, good appetite, good digestion, iwd no inclination to work, should be served like a lazy horse— put on a tread power and then take the break off. Ttiere are a good many people who seem to think that the bottom has tumbled out of farming. They forget that many millions of active, industrious, well-to-do people must have and will have plenty to eat. And as long as people eat there will be a demand for everything the farmer can raise. What the farmer lias to consider individually it, how can he best compete with his brother farmers? How can he raise wheat, corn, potatoes, beef, pork, mutton, cheese, butter, wool, &c, aa cheap ss he can ? Or how can he raise a better article ? How I can improve my land — make it cleaner and richer, and get it into high condition. When prices are high, it is. the good farmers who make money. A young man wishes to know how and where he can learn to be a farmer. We reply that farming is an art which can be learned only by practice. A young man must learn to be a farmer with plough and harrow, and manure-fork, mower, reaper, and constant hard work and close observation. He cannot learn it in an office, nor in a study, nor by books, nor without all these. He may by plodding industrj become a good labourer, but it must be by hard-work, and studying what others have done, and what it ia possible for him to do, and the nature of the materials he works with, that he must become a true farmer. It is most probable that a young man would learn more by hiring with a good farmer until he learns to handle tools and stock properly, and thoroughly understands the routine of farm work j. and it matters little in what locality he works if he only secures an employer who knows his business, and carries on mixed farming in which stock and dairy hare a share. If it is nol possible for him to do this, or undesirable, and he would rather be his own teacher, let him procure a farm mostly in grass, stock it with a few sheep, and hogs, and a pair of mares, and the first year raise only a crop of corn, and oat 6 for hay. In the meantime he should go around amongst hit neighbors and ser what they do, and not be ashamed to ask for information, nor to show that he knows less than they, and thus learn his business from them, nor be disheartened by first failures, but persevere until success comes. There is nothing in the practice Of farming very difficult to learn, and a man will be able to overcome difficulties in course- of time.

Extraordinary Corn-husking Match. — A novel and interesting match agaiust time came off recently at a | farm a short distance from Mudgee ; the proprietor, Henry Gawthorne, and hia brother-in-law, Thomas Randall, of Market-lane, backing themselves to husk 160' bushels of corn in twelve hours Pursuant to agreement, the men came to the post at 8 a.m., with the betting at 10 to 1 on time. A good start was effected, -both husking at the rat* of twelve cobs- per minute, which pace was kept np for over an hour, when they settled down to a good steady ten, keeping that up till 1 p>.m, when, after the inevitable nobbier, they had lunch. At twenty minutes past one o'clock both were at the post again, ami without spurting, commenced steady work. They had grown so much into favour during the forenoon, that although there were a great many spectators present, the longest odds to be had was 3to 1 ; everything went on- well till about 4 p.m., when it was evident the pace began to tell, the fingers of Randall were so badly chafed, that the ruby oozed, and tipped the husks- with, not gold, bat blood. Gawthorne's digits remained unimpaired, but his face grew pale by degrees, and suspiciously white, whilst whispered conjectures were heard as to whether the men could stay when at 6 p.m. feed was announced. I think both were glad to pet out of harness, but after the sponge, nobbier, and tea, they came to the post at 6.20, looking all over winners, going off at a pace quite equal to the start. Betting had so much altered that it was difficult to get even money on. Some idea of the quickness of manipulation may be gathered from the fact that each man had to pick up, tearoff the husk, and throw out of his way 7500 cobs of corn during the day, whilst two men were kept continually employed clearing away, the refuse. At 8 p.m., twelve hours had expired, and the- men had more than completed their task, husking 151 14-60tbs bushels by weight (not counting more than a bushel that lay scattered over the floor) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., including time for two meals, &c — a feat never before accomplished in the Australian colonies. — Western Jfost.