Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1877 — Fanning as a Vocation. [ARTICLE]

Fanning as a Vocation.

Take a young man with a good constitution, moderate strength, with fair mental abilities—properly educated—morally, intellectually ind physically, and with an inheritance of SIO,OOO. He invests s7,ooo—stock, implements, etc.-Mhe other SB,OOO at interest, well secured. He commences farming at twenty-one years of age, and invests S2OO each year above a comfortable support from bis farm—compound the interest every six months, if you choose, but say yearly, make your calculation, and at fifty years old (still in the prime of life) he is certainly rich. We gave SIO,OOO to start on; give the merchant the same, and fifty per cent, fall short of wealth or fail! Let ua start the same for-men at twenty one years of age without any money—it is his misfortune' (but not disgrace) to have to hire as a farm-hand—we take it for granted such a man would make the best possible farm-hand, and would get the highest wages. By strict economy lie would invest $l5O of hisVages each year. (Such “strict economy” would, be very hard to practice in these fast days of luxury, fashion, extravagance and impatience of wealth; but it oan be done, and there are hundreds of thousands who would be happier if they practiced it.) Now let us see how long before he could buy a farm. In ten years he will have accumulated, at compound interest, $2,887.50, so that when ho has seen fifty winters he is an independent farmer, and may be esteemed one of the country’s best citizens. There is no class of business men which enjoys near so many privileges as the farmer; although he has been so constantly from youth up in the practice of the many privileges that he often does not appreciate- them. - An established farmer, with a moderate income besides his farm, has more privi leges and comforts than one of any other class of business with many times his wealth. He need not labor unless he chooses—he can leave his business for a

Journey of a few days many times in the year; he has his horses and carriage to iride when and where he wishes; his surroundings afford him all the comforts of life; Ml table is loaded with the beet the country affords; he can receive and entertain hiß friends at almost all times; he has a good library at profitable books and time to read them. Now, let us ask, is there any other business man, who has to labor at or conduct his profession, who has a tithe of the privileges of the farmer? The lawer must be at kb office to see to his cases and relieve the minds of distressed clients, who at any time may step in. The doctor is sorry to leave his friends, who get to see him so seldom, but he has some patients several miles away who greatly need his skill, and be never has an hour, night or day, he can call his own. The merchant hurries through his meals to get to the store, where he nas only time to occasionally smile on his friends, and utter a few words of kindness; and, if a townsman, perhaps not out of the city for years. These same comparisons pretty much hold good with nearly all vocations. — Cor. Rural World.