Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-10-23
The Farmers Boy.

10 educate boys SO that they NAV ac-
ouire no dislike Tor the farm is matter
of no little anxiety to many farmers.
In fact. this is one of the knotty prob
lens of farming. 1t is often asserted
that our boys are continually becoming
more and more averse to the farm. As
summing this statement to be true, the
outlook is indeed a gloomy one. In
der such conditions days of utter de-
generacy must be rapidly approa hing
and inevitable ruin waits upon our
country. 1T is singular enough that
this fatal delusion has become SO COM
mon among the farming community.
And yet those who hold SO tenaciousiy
to this idea must be ready to admit
that our native farming population is
increasing. The yexed questions re-
garding the future occupation of the
farmers boy naturally arrange them
selves into two queries: How shall we
keep the bows on the farmp Is it de-
sirable to keep them all on the farm9
The first question demands an indi-
vidual answer to every boy. The pa
rents should know best how to win
their sons into sympathy with the occu-
patton. | have known many young
men who have left the farm when they
became of age, and think know the
reason why some of them left it. Most
of them saw too many hours of
work in the day, and too many
days of work in the year, to make
the farm an attractive home. It was
not the hard work especially. but the
never-ceasIng routine from sunrise TIL
dark, from January till December,
with not pleasant hour for book, a
sport or a rest. They were content to
work in shop, to do a variety of work
requiring hard labor, but where GER
tain hours of each day were their own.
1t is a very injurious notion, enter
tanned by many farmers, that there is
no time on the farm for study Or
pastime. / now recall with pleasure a
few farmers, among whom my father IS
one, who always take delight in hav-
ing the last chore done before sunset.
1t Is also a pleasure to reflect that these
farmers are among the thriftiest l ever
knew. lie was on such farms, where
long incoming was the practice in the
hot days and where a halliday au''one's
own was a frequent gift, that i have
known boys to improve their time in
reading, studyiMg or in working for
themselves. Much useful information,
in fact a good education, combined
WITH COuL6utUlCub, nave hLOWu " U0
obtained in this manner If the pa
rents did not themselves enjoy the pur-
suits of the boys, they did not discour-
worthy. Every boy, too, has d feeling
that he wants something of his own a
garden, q horse, a few sheep, car
rage, a little library, of which he has
full possession.
The importance of encouraging the
boys, of giving them frequent holiday,
of conversing with them as if you were
once boy, of making home attractive
inside and out, in short. of making
them feel as if something depends upon
them, are subjects often enough dis
cussed. But is it necessary that all
farmers boys should become farmers?
OR. is it indeed, the best thing for agri-
culture that they should do so? Leav-
inc out those who have a natural dis
like for the farm, it is evident that
farming itself would be the loser if
none Of its sons followed the law or
science. The farmers boy always car
ries with him sympathy and love for
the farm. Being himself tout OF the
profession he wields a greater infiu-
enee in behalf of agriculture than a.
farmer of equal ability. The rights of
farmers would receive much less atten-
ton than they do, if the occupation had
no friends outside its own community.
An influential man in sympathy with
the farm. be his occupation what it
may. is a wonderful prop to the ag1icul-
tural interests of any country. We
should, in the same manner, expect
more science of direct benefit to the
farmer from scientists bred upon the
farm. Agriculture is so composite in
its nature. its sympathies and resources
are so many and SO varied, that it
draws support from many diverse
sources, and upon the extent to which
it can control these sources depend its
power and its infidence.-L. Il. BaiLeu.
Jy.. i,s american Cultsuator.