Fancy Farming

These so-called fancy farmers, says a writer in the Sdentific Farmer, buy a suburban or more remote farm.l-ring to it of their wealth, remodel the old house or build anew, tear down or improye the old barns, and build from designs of a city architect who understands more of harmonies than uses, stock with improved breeds of cattle, the latest style of implements in endless variety, and the most expensive novel ties from the seed stores, and spend, perhaps without hope, certainiy without prospect, of adequate returns. Wherever fancy farms abound, there may be observed continuous improvement in their vicinity. They serve to change the habits of life of the farmer and his family. ïhe old inconveniens methods of housekeeping give place to a more convenient system. The water from the well is brought to the house, instead of being fetched in a pail from a distant well or spring ; the wood-püe is placed under a shed or into a compact pile, instead of being heaped in the door-yard ; the surroundings to the buildings are "slicked up"; flowers appear, perhaps, in the door-yard ; the cattle are better fed, the fences better repalred, new crops and new markets are sought, and expenditures are increased as the income grows larger and is deriyed from more varied sources. All this comes from the influence of the example of the ünely but expensively maintained farm.whereon neither expense nor income is much considered, and which, judged from a business stand-point, must be considered a failure; judged from influences on others, is to be looked upon as a puhlie benefaction. There is too prevalent a feeling of jealousy towards the fancy farmei and too little appreciation of the beneflts which may be and are derived from his presence. It is to this leisure class of farmers that agriculture must look for that progress which results from unrest, abundance of means, and a strong enthusiasm towards a pursuit. This man can experiment, when the poorer man cannot afford to depart (rom the beaten rut until better results from a departure become deinonatrated. This class encourage inventor and dealers by furnishing opportunities for the trial of new things Which promise well.and when through costly failure an improvement is secured, the working farmer can secure the perfected article. This class import foreign cattle and test their adaptiition to our needs. They introduce new fruitfl and hnproved vegetables, which, if found deserving, soon tind distribution throughout the neiahborhood. They extend a knowledge of the arts of culture, and tend to distribute a practical knowledge of hotbeds and f orced crops ; and in addition to these more obvious benefits, contribule largely, through taxation, to the ublfe necessities, and relieve in this way the bui dons on others.