The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-05-08
Encourage the Bows.

Encourage the Bows.
The man who tied wisp of grass to a
pole, and when he wanted to travel, carried
it within tantalizing distance of the nose of
the donkey on which he rode, was a true
philosopher. He understood human nature
as we'll as "sott solder Coaxing is as
much more potent than driving, as the In
fuence of the smiling sun is greater than
that of the boisterous wind mOlasses catches
more flies than vinegar. The case of the
donkey is not without a human parallel
Many people, and especially boys. are dis
oouraged from useful etfrt by being snubbed
Their plans are thwarted, and they are forced
into channels of labor that they visit not of.
A cistasteful work that brings the operator
no pleasant anticipations, is work without
heart. Where there is no heart or hope.
there is little pleasure or treasure. True
success depends upon ones love OF his work,
and the heartiness with which ne engages
in it.
Of late years the complaint has been COM
mon that New England boys are deserting
the homesteads. They get away from home
leave their birthplace to strangers. Boys.
like trees. often do better for transplanting,
but 1t generally makes the old nursery look
deSolate. Tne population of many farming
towns decreases with every decade. and not
few once prosperous and ti0urishing vii
lagos have thus gone into decline and decay,
to the great discontinue of real estate own
erS. Is there no remedy for these things
One remedy may be found in our heading
Encourage the boys. Give them something
that they can call their own. Aid them If
necessary in their projects. Let them feel
the stimulus of gain; see that they have II
fair foot hold. Make home and farm at
tractive, and our word for it there will h.
less desire TO emigrate, and higher regard
for home institutions. This treating Young
people harshly, hedging up every path OF am
bltlon, making them feel that they are with
out honor in their own town, and telling them
to shirk for themselves as their fathers did
before them, is bad policy and sooner or Ia
ter reacts upon those who practice il. There
would be less hearth and homestead deSola-
ton IN the country to-day, if the en,erpriS-
ing sons and boys were properly encouraged.
\ case in point has lately come under our
observation. A farmers lad in his teens
was getting uneasy and wanted more indie
pendence. He wanted something OF hi>
own, something TO use or save without b,g-
ging for it. His father. willing to encourage
gave him the use of an old garden spot, on
condition that he should not neglect the
more important farm work. The lad am-
bilious and buOyant, at once commenced th-
work of Improvement. Early and late he
was at his task. and many hours of leisure
and play were thus devoted to profitable la
Dor. y cord AMI half of manure was cart
ed on to his % square rods of alluvium. and
as soon as the frost would admit plowed un-
der. On the 9th of April last. the whole
was sown with early peas in drills. nearly
peck of seed being used. The season w $
wet and eminently favorable to the pea oru9.
The total yield was IL bushels in the p ii.
all of which were marketed by young FL
| bridge, for that was the boys name, at a
gross result of $50. The picking commenc-
ed the last week in June and terminated the
Sd of July. No sooner was the ground
clear, than preparations were made for an
other crop. Another cord and half Of
manure was applied, and The land fitted for
tobacco. On the 9th of July the plants
were set and on the 10th of September cut
and housed. The growth was fine rather
than rank. and of desirable quality. The
yield was 2lO pounds, which readily brough
IL cents, or total of $50. 20. The grand
total result of these % rods for one season
was therefore $3.50, or at the rate of about
$500 per acre. All OF tie labor hired for
this result was 81 in picking the peas The
rest was done mornings and nights by this
lad, with occasionally the aid of his father
With the money thus obtained the voung
man has clothed himself and paid his tuition
all winter in one of our select schools, and
Is thus laying good foundation for the fu-
ture.
We respectfully submit that this is model
farming, and worthy of imitation. Here is
sermon in nutshell A whole summers
work in five minutes. Actions speak louder
than words. and the more simple the act the
more eloquent the appeal. That is true elo-
quence, whether of word or deed, which
most effects or persuades. A great deal is
said and written nowadays agr;culturallv.
that has no practical value. Beautiful spec
uiatlons and ingenious theories may tickle
the cuticle, but plain, unvarnished truth
reaches the heart. ANY one can see that the
above statement goes to the right spot and
shows the profit of high cultivation. Let
the wise and prudent give the bows a chance
and they them selves learn sumethino neu-
Springfield Republican.