Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-12-24
miscellaneous. q
Farmeys' Bows,

In answer To the question "HOw did yO
| do it!' he said. "On. that was easy enough
When he was sixteen years old took hin
| into partnership with me IN the manage
ment OF the farm. put my capital ayains
his work. and the arrangement has prove
quite satisfactory all round"
How many old men there are scattere
over the hills OF New England who, i
their declining years, are now signing be
cause they have not a boy left t. help ru
the old farm. and who. il they had adopt
ed the course of our considerable friend il
the management OF his boy. would hav
had no trouble Of that kind now 1t seem
as il farmers are different in this respec
from men engaged in other occupations
Ii merchant or manufacturer has son
grown up. it seems t. be his ambition t,
keep the business in the family. and a
soon as boy is out of school, II he is an,
way promising. the sign over the doo
comes out with '& Son" at the end of it
and the books are changed from Brown OF
Smith to Brown & Son. or smith & Son.
Now. business men have found that this
Is the way to make their boys take interest
IN their occupation. 1t is not unusual tC
find firms where the family name with "S
Sons attached has gone down through
several generations without change.
Ii this system works well among busi-
ness men, why should it not on the farm
Ii would certainly oblIge farmers to man.
age their business in Il more business like
manner. Once year. at least, IL would
be necessary to take an account of stock,
practice that ought to be adopted on ev-
cry firm. just as much as in "A factory OF r
store. We do not know enough about Qua
own business. We grumble and complain
that farming does not pay very well, bu;
we cannot tell just how well 1t does pay,
nor just which branches of it pay and
which do not. Our boys are ambitious.
and II they are lacking in experience. it
may be they have more enterprise than
their fathers. We. all of us. find il easy
TO settle into ruts that We ourselves have
made; and !; - not impossible that there
are better roads to travel in, and that our
boys will be the first to discover them. We
believe there are thousands of farmers
boys who are now considering the great
question ''what to do tor Il living" who.
II ihey could be encouraged by having an
interest in the management aud iucnme of
their fathers farms. would gladly remain
on the old homestead. comfort to their
parents i'll their declining years. and II
credit TO the town in which they may re-
side.
We do not believe in the too common
fashion among farmers ot sending OFF the
oldest boy TO college, the next to a store
another To L trade, and so on. and heepii y
the Youngest ut home, only because he is
the youngest nor do we believe 1t the best
way for fathers and sons to work along
year after year without any definite bar
gain, or settlement for Ser, ices rendered
There Is as much need of farmers doing
tlIclr business in Il business like manner AS
Tor men engaged i'll any other occupation.
Boys should early acquire the habit oil
keeping Al account OF their income and
expenses, and. that they may do so, fathers
should see To it that there is some way
for having All income. We have
gwen tins subject Il great deal of thought
and have watched the many different ways
their sons. .''""n farmers ano
We have seen a son grow up as Il "boy
on a farm, come To the age OF twenty-onc,
marry aiid iive ten years afterwards as Il
boy on Il farm, without any bargain or set
tiement having ever been made We have.
also seen father give up the whole man
agtment OF large farm TO all inexpetieuc
Ell son, while he looked careiessIy on and
saw both farm and boy 20 down to de-
structIou. for he want OF u mutual under
between III IN. And we have
seen scores OF men in advanced lite give
their iarIns away by deed To their sons and
lake oack a HE lease. only to spend the re-
lhalnder OF their lives under circumstances
extremely unpleasant, to both parties
AS farmers, we are too unbusness- like in
The management of our affairs, and in our
business relations with our sons. Boy,
should early be encouraged to use their
Judgment IN buying and selling farm pro-
luce or stock. We could point to many a
farmer who has always done all the trad
ny required on the farm without consult
ns his boys In the least; and we have seen
'uch boys, grown To be young men, left
II sad and pitful condition by the .udd II
ieath OF the father. Boys should be taught
% take the responsibilities OF lite by de-
.rees and not have them thrust upon them
Ill ut Cnce.
We can understand the necessity of
egal age at which Il boy shall be recog-
iized as being competent tu manage his
'wn affairs. and twenty-one may be as
rear the right time as amy that could be
lXed by law, but we think farmers more
han others are apt to observe this law to :
he disadvantage and discomfort Of both
themselves and their boys. The law that
lXes upon twenty-One years as the mnori- |
y OF person is designed more for the |
protection OF children whose parents are |
deceased than tor the government of child |
Ell by their parents while living. Every |
deserving person knows that boys vary |
realty III their growth and development |
ome are as mature at sixteen as others |
re at twenty. and that management is |
est. between father and son, which seeks !
he best interest and welfare OF each Ii |
oys are ambitious and enterpTisin., they ,
hould have some opportunity to exercise
nj cultivate these qualities of character
ihlle they are partially under parents
Outrol.
We think farmers are too apt to consider
ne unpaid labor OF their boys all clear
ain. They do, certainly, often manage
ieir farming in manner that would ruin
lem, if they paid their boys the wages
ley would earn as hired men.
There are many good hearted, free to
'ork boys who earn as much for their
'thers, between the ages OF sixteen and
venty-ope. as the average OF men that
'ould be hired. When laying plaus for
le management Of your farming affairs,
Dnsult your boys and, if possible, make
iem feel both AN interest and a RESPONSE.
liity IN the success OF those plans. II you
ave stock or produce to sell, fix a price
n it. so that. ii buyer comes in your abb
.nce. it may be sold by the boys.
We know of one old farmer hO has had
0 trouble in keeping his boys at home,
no said to them several years ago. Now
oys, II you will stay at home. we will all
ave good livin. from the farm. viii
ut in. as my part Of the capital the farm
nd stock and what labor am able to per-
rm. and you shall pnt in your labor and
our best Judgment for your part; you
lall keep a strict account of all the busi
ess transactions and at the end OF each
ear we will strike balance and divide
e net gain or loss equally between u.s.
his old gentleman has had no trouble in
.eping his boys at home with him. They
ke the best papers, buy the best tools and
Use such crops rs will bring the best re-
rms; aud they are looked upon by all the
,ighbOrs as verv successful farmers, One
more OF the sons are now married, but
perfectly are their affiirs managed that
eir increasing numbers have caused no
sturbance or check to their success. One
Vantage they possess over most of their
.igf bOrs is In the fact that each one is
lily competent TO either buy or sell any
ticle, can do any part OF the work at
'me or abroad. and labOrers employ I'd
ork equally we'll under the direction OF
ther, while on many farms if the ..boss-
aWav all hands mivht ahonf 10 rpa1I ha |