Litchfield enquirer., 1873-09-25
40 Q R E SS
REV. ". A. H. MURRAY, Before the New England Agricuitur-
 al Society.

al S0Ct0ty.
 Mr. President and Members Of tue NeaO
 Eagldnd Agricu7t,1'al Society, Ladies
 and Gentlemen
 l must acknowledge, before enter up- on my address, my profound sense of the courtesy extended to me by the Society by whose invitation I am here as the speak CT of the day. doubt if many of you can realize how keen is my appreciation of the compliment, or how positive the pleasure with which it fills me. The du- ties and privileges of my public life have brought to me the opportunity to discuss many themes before many audiences, and on many occasions of public and private interest, but I do not recall-apd say it with sincere utterance-that time or place, when and where, I was sensible of so much personal satisfaction as feel to- day standing in this presence, welcomed by the progressive agriculturists of New England as one of their number, and per mitted to counsel with them. Born and bred m the country, grown on its homely but healthy fare, and toughened by it's toll, formed in early life an attachment for it's labors and it's joys beyond what I have ever felt for any other mode of life. Compelled to live in cities, ranked by men as member of another profession, I have never in thought and heart been divorced from agricultural pursuits, and rejoice that Providence has so favored the peTt of my mind and the wish of my heart that 1 am able to stand to-day farmer among farmers, a lover of the earth and student into those causes which underly it's pro- 's 4t
 Pervaded with such feelings, holding that agriculture if rightly followed, is to the mind and heart the most satisfactory pursuit, it is natural that on such occa- sion as this, should think and speak of It's condition and prospects, and have, therefore, selected this line of thought as my theme: - f
 Agriculture, and why young men have deserted 1t. e~r .tssrr ala -r-2- r,=
 It cannot be denied that agriculture in it's relation to the young men of New Eng land has not held and is not now holding its own as against other callings and pur- suits. Even in this audience are hun dreds of men who deserted the industry that their fathers followed and directed their efforts in other directions. And while this would naturally be the case to a certain extent, still it must be admitted that it has been true in so many instances as to almost form rule; so much so that it Is said that the agricultural interests are passing out of the hands of the native. into those of an imported population The subject challenges investigation, and the question which clamors for an answer is, ''Why is agriculture deserted of our young men?"
 One reason why the youth of New Eng land have deserted agriculture to learn other trades and follow other professions. is because agriculture did not pay. =
 do not, agree with those who think that this is the prime reason, for in youths purely monetary considerations seldom sway the judgment or shape the inclinations, and the boys of New Eng land-and I speak as-one of them-are not mercernary beyond the average of hu- man kind. We who are now in middle age are not conscious that we were espec- ially sordid or base in our desires when young. The pleasures which come to the heart from freedom and health, from home associations and the companionship of kindred, were as real and dearly loved by us as they might beto any class of people. The lust for gold was not in our hearts as the ruling motive of life. Our fathers were not misers, nor was man. mon our God. We were not unreasona- ble in our desires for wealth, and if we have gained wealth it has come almost as a surprise to justine result of the fayora- ble condition of the age and country in which we live, rather than because of de- iberate purpose and overweening desire. The young men of New England left the farms on which they were born and which in early life they helped to till, not be- cause they would not yield them vast wealth, but because they would not yield them that reasonable amount of wealth which every man needs for his own de- velopment. and the support of those who would in the course of nature look to them for needed provision. If was not because farming did not mean riches, but because farming meant poverty that our young men in 90 many instances have re- fused to be farmers. Looking upon pow erty as q curse, as it has always been and is to-day the world over, that form of in- dustry which made it inevitable became, naturally and rightfully, hateful to them. Their rebellion was not against the soil, but against that narrow and painful con- dition of life which under it's then method of cultivation was inseparably connected with it. This, as I feel and understand it. is the true analysis and proper state ment of the case.
 Another reason of this desertion, on the part of our young men, of agricultural pursuits is to be found in the fact that agriculture as conducted in the past has not supplied them with either the intel lectual opportunity or stimulus which they cFaved. and crayed too with reason. this as ssa.ssneSs s sEa sHeses'lens n enforcing 2 The laat forty years in this country have