Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-02-05
He ERALD.
Boys on the Farm.

q meeting "a tuo v ef UT W Aostu Vi
Agriculture. We second so grand an
appeal for the encouragement and
help of couatry Toys:
'The ineffciency of hired help has
caused farmers much perplexity, and
the difficulty is pot growing any less
although wages are much higher
proportonsteIy than the products OF
the farm, still good help is scarcer
every year. How often We hear the
remark: Il must sell my farm. My
boys are not contented to stay with
me, and | can get 40 bired help that
is worth anything. 1t is true that
there are those among farmers's boys
who are not adapted to farm labor
The whole inclination of their mind
ID toward some other occupation, and
it ls we'll for the interests Of classes
that this is go Many of our best
mechanics, business men. and mem
bers Of The different professions were
farmers boys, and they carried with
them into their business and profess
sions habits of industry and true
honesty, inherited from their ances-
tors and developed by their judicious
training on the New England home
stead. Bat large class of young
men annually leave the farm for
some other occupation, to the great
ietriment cf their own interests as
we'll as of the interests of our farming
communities. What is the remedy
is question often asked. and as Of
ten answered in many different ways.
Progress has been the watchword
of our nation. We boast of the
rapid advancement made in arts and
sciences, and manufactures and facili.
ties for trade, and in the means of
education and culture and, when
We compare our system of farming
with that practiced when our fathers
were boys, we can but feel degree
Of satisfaction in the Improvement
made In the manner and means of
tiIling the soil. Although it has not
been possible TO induce many TO leave
the beaten track of their fathers, and
branch out into new experiments
and modes of cultivation, yet q few
have done so, with profit TO them
selves and TO the communities 10
which they live. True, we have
formed farmers clubs and agricul-
tura societies, we have legisated
npor il, made land grants and estab-
iished agricultural colleges but all
these nave failed to influence the
minds of the great mass of our farm
or boys in favor Of agricultural pur-
suits. This must be done, il done at
all, hy home culture.
"B2yz generally have the poorer
tools 70 work with. We do not take
pains to furnish them with those
that are suited TO their age and
strength. They have to nse worn
scythe. a clumsy fork, a hoe that has
been thrown aside "a unit for use,
and then are often censured because
they have not done more work
and then, with chores ia the house,
Al we'll as ont of doors, they usually
work more hours than the men, while
they should not work 40 many
fhey are often sent to do disagree
able jobs alone-picki0g up stones,
clearing the fields of brush. or pulling
up weeds IN the potatoes. All this
Is necessary TO be done but we
should work with them Boys like
company, and if We send them to do
,his work while we go to the village,
il will create in them dislike for this
work. We give them too few play
days. Their very nature demands
an occasional release from work, and
day for enjoyment in their own way
even though il be harder for them
man work. 1hore must be relaxa-
tion for them oftener than we give it.
81 know @ man, the owner of q
good farm, and large surplus IN
nited States bonds and bank stock,
that has two boys who do most
II the work, and if they have Foarth
81 July and Thanksgiving TO them.
selves they are very Fortunate Now
this man cultivates his farm we'll,
raises good stock, and prides himself
on his good management. He will
add to his gains every year, but he
will loose his boys. The constant tire
some labor has become hateful to
them, and they declare they will
never be farmers. Without doubt,
his is the case with large share of
he boys living on farms. BY our
management, we have preiudiced
them against the best of all occupa.
lions while we might have made it
80 pleasant and instructive that very
many would have chosen it as their
life work.
Perhaps no one thing has more to
do with moul1ing the mind and
character of the young than good
reading 1t has truly been said that
heso are perilous times Tor Young
America The vast amount of sensa-
lional reading that is now scattered
broadcast over our land will tell for
evil upon the future lives Of orr
youth, unless we counteract its in
fuence We must pre-oocupy their
minds, give them access to the best
Of books and periodicals, and they
wilt have less taste for dime novels
and story papers.
And, five wOnId make agriculture
attractive to them, take the best agri
cultural papers. They will soon be
comparing the theories in the papers
with the actual practice on the farm:
will become interested in expert
ments, in the growth of stock, and
the raising of crops. They will be-
come thinkers and managers, and
will cultivate the mind and the soil
\ serious fault in the education OF
our boys at home and at school is
that we fail 10 make them think for
themselves We have tried to put in
knowledge where We should have