Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-11-08
farrr. @araen 8 glollseltoltl.
HOW TO GET THE BOYS TO STAY on
THE FARM.

THE fAItM.
The exodus is not yet arrested. we nave
been doing our best for ten years to make tne
labors of the farm attractive and prohtaoie,
so that the old homestead might at least re-
taip one of the sons, and remain in the fami-
". The labor has not been lost, for no busi
ness in the country has made more substantial
and visible progress during this period. We
have our State and County Fairs well organ
lied and doing good work in al parts OF the
Northern States We have model farms aud
farmers, better drainage, better Implements
better tilIage, and larger crops, in part as a
consequence Of the good seed that has been
sown in these pages. Yet the outflow from
the farm goes on, and about as many boys
are strapping their trunks and saying good
bye to the farm, this fall, as ever. Some few
of the number have their facts turned 10 the
right direction, but many, we know, are max
ing great mistake, and have before them
much less of thrift and happiness than they
could find in the calling Of their fathers. This
restless spirit is owing somewhat, doubtless,
to the general diffusion Of education among
the masses, TO that love Of adventure which
is characteristic Of the Yankee race, and
to the apparent proftableness Of their call
ings.
But with all due allowance for these things,
there are causes still at work upon the farm
that early ALLEVIATE the affections Of the boys,
and drive them to other pursuits. The boys
catch new ideas much morerapidiy than their
fathers, and, with the impulsiveness of youth,
want to test them. They go to the fairs and
see the fine stock, the new tools, the premium
fruits and vegetables. They read the papers,
If they have them at home, and if they have
not. they borrow them. Agricultural papers
are greatly multiplied, and no religious or po- |
Gtical paper quite does its duty without furn-
ishing column or two, weekly, of agricultur-
al matter for its readers. People who read |
at all cannot very well keeptbemselyes in the
dark in regard to the changes that are coming |
over our husbandry. If the father keeps up
with the times, he has agricultural papers and |
books, reads, thinks and practices, he retains
the confidence Of his boys, and can readily
guide them. But if he is man of routine,
and keeps in the ruts, the boys soon become
disgusted with farming They do not want to
break their backs over Tue scythe, when a
moving machine can do the work better, and
at little of the expense. They want ted
ders, horse-rakes, and horse hay forks. They
want subsoil plows, tile drains, ana barn eel
lars. They want blood stock in the stable,
and in the stY. They want to move a little
faster, and to do business on little larger
scale. The boys have the facts and the argu-
ment on their side, and if you want to retain
them upon the farm, you must keep up with
the times, and make farming live business.
The subsoil plow has spoiled the ruts for this
generation.
Another thing, the boys want an interest in
the business, and the sooner you give them
an investment in the farm OF its stock, the
more likely you win be to make farmers of
them. Itis true, the law gives you a right to
the ayaiIs of their labors until they reach their
majority. 1t may be true that these services
are no more than fair compensation for the
expenses of their childhood. The intercourse !
of parents and children should not always be
graduated by the legal scale. You do not
want your son for servant, but for a com
panion, and support inyour declining years.
You want to attach him by affection and inter
est to the soil that he cultiyates. Begin, then,
early to identify his interest with your busi-
ness, as if he was under no obGgationsto to you.
If he fancies stock, give him what he likes,
and let the increase be his. Especially en-
courage him to plant orchards or vineyards Of
the finest varieties Of fruit Teach him to
bud, graft, prune, ripen and market, all the
fruits Of your climate. Furnish him with all
the books, and facilities that he needs to study
and to practice pomology and horticulture.
Ifproperly encouraged, he will take an inter
est in these things very early, and before he
is old enough to think of leaving your roof,
his tastes will be formed, and his course in
life will be determined His heart will 60
down into the soil with the roots every fruit
tree that he plants, and the orchards and
gardens of the old homestead, or of another
close by, will be his paradise, from which
nothing but necessity can drive him.