The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-01-06

ing. But the country boy finds in the city
opportunities for obtaining knowledge of
men and things in general, from which he
Is declared on the farm, and these help to
fill up and make his life complete. II he
is naturally inclined to evil he can find
it at hand in every shape and more
abundant in cities than in the country; and
the same is true in regard to literature,
the arts and sciences.
Now we hold that the true remedy for
this departure of farmers sons and daugh-
tiers to cities and villages is to make farm
life more attractive to young people. The
country is natures great laboratory and
the place of all others where the study Of
the natural sciences can be most agree
ably and probably pursued; but there
must be teachers before we can expect to
have many scholars. The very branches
of natural science, a knowledge of which
would doubtless be the most beneficial to
the farmer, are the ones most generally
neglected. Time and again our scientific
men have thought the day had arrived
for periodicals devoted entirely to botany,
entomology, microscopy and kindred
branches of natural science, but nearly
every attempt to publish them has been
met with cold indifference or with utter
refusal on the part of our farmers to give
them the least support.
Still we find hundreds and thousands
of farmers sons who have found homes
in our cities, where they come in contact
with museums, cabinets and works on
natural history, becoming either eminent
as naturalists or at least intensely inter-
ested in such subjects. The farmers
sons or daughters will never become in
terested in botany, entomology or any
other branch of natural science by read
ing Baxter's "Saint's Rest" or Millions
Paradise Lost;' and however good
these works are in their way they are not
calculated to lead to the study of the bo-
tanical characteristics of wheat, oats or
any of the thousands of different species
of plants and insects to be found upon
every farm. The boy who acquires a
taste for the natural sciences IS not likely
to quit farming to become a lawyer or
merchant, for he will always find his
country surroundings far more congenial
than those of a city.
Furthermore, the better acquainted a
man becomes with the natural sciences,
the more thorough will be all his opera
tons upon the farm. An intimate knowl-
edge of the workings of nature in one di-
rection throws light upon its operations
in others, for all are but links in one
great chain. If our farmers desire to
keep their Sons and daughters in the coun-
try, let them begin now to create a taste
for studies which can be pursued at home
with profit and pleasure. They should
purchase works and subscribe for period
icals that will throw light upon their
everyday surroundings. One son may
have taste for botany, another for ento-
mology, chemistry or geology; but it
matters little what the preference may be,
so long as it leads to more familiar &C
quaintance with home surroundings, in
which case it should be encouraged with
all the means at command. Not only
should the boys be encouraged to take an
interest in such studies as we have named,
but interesting agricultural works should
also be placed in their hands. The more
they know of the history, rise and progress
of agriculture, the more interesting will
these subjects become. A few dollars
expended annually in this direction will
usually he more than repaid by extra care
and attention to business.-N. Y. Sun.