The Magnolia gazette., 1884-10-30
The Farmers Boy.

10 edu ate boys so that they may 40.
cuire no dislike Tor the farm IS mattet
of no little anxiety to many farmers
In fact, this is one Of the knotty probl
1, ms of farming. 1t is often asserted
that our boys are continually becoming
more and more aTerse 10 the farm. As,s
suming tn statement to be true thal
outlook is indeed gloomy one. n
der such conditions days Of utter De-
generacy must he rapidly approa hnr
and inevitable ru II waits upon out
country. 1t is singular enough Thai
this atal delusion has become so em.
mon among the farming commnnB&
And yet those Who hold so tenacously1
to this idea must be ready to admit
that cur native farming population i
increasing. The VeXed questions re-
garding the uture occupation Of hes
farmers boy naturally arrange them
selves into two ueries How shall we|
keep the boys on the farm? Is it de-
srable to keep them all on the farm
The hrst question demands an indi-
vidual answer 10 every boy. The pa-|
rents should know best how to wA|
their sons INTO sympa hy with the occu-|
patton. | have known many yOung|
men who have left the farm when then
became Of age, and think | know ths|
rea on why some of them left it. Mosl
of them saw too many hours dl
work III the day. and too many
days of work in the year, to maSa
the farm an attractive home. 1t was
not the hard work especially, but the
never-ceasing routine from sunrise TIL
dark, from January till DocembeT-
with not a pleasant hour for book q
sport or rest. They were content 70
work in shop, TO do variety Of wore
requiring hard labor, but where Ger
tain hours OF each day were their own
1t is a cry injurious notion, enter
tanned by many farmers, that there =
| no time on the farm for study q
pastime. / now recall with pleasure
few farmers, among whom my father
one, who always take delight in haVi
ing the last chore done before sulse'
II Is also a pleasure to reflect that thss
farmers are among the thriftiest eVei
knew. 1t was on such farms, where
long incoming was the practice in lls
hot DAYS and where halliday all''one
own was fire Iuent gift, that ! ha,'
known boys to improve their time y
reading. studying or in working 10
themselves. Much useful intormallOl
in fact good education, combine
with contentment. / have known tor
obtained in this manner. If the u
rents did not themselves ENJOY the pul
suits of the boys, they did not discoul
age them if their efforts were prail!s'
worthy. Every boy, too, has a feelln
that he wants something of his own :
garden, horse, few sheep, G3
riage, little library, OF which he n
full possession.
The Importance of encouraging Y
boys, of giving them frequent hollda
of conversing with them as II you W. w,
once boy, of making home attraea.
inside and out, in short. OF MAXI
them feel rs if something depends up,
them, are subjects often enough q
cussed. But is it necessary that
farmers boys should become farmer
Or, is il indeed, the best thing for az
culture that they should do soF ~
ing out those who have q natural a q
like for the farm, it is evident =
farm NO itself would be the loser
none OF its sons followed the law
science. The farmers boy always 9,
ries with him sympathy and love
the fam. Being himself "out OF !
profession he wislds a greater I'M
ence in behalf of agriculture tlan my.
farmer of equal ability. The rights
farmers would receive much less a'Ie !,
ton than they do, if the occupation !, Z
no friends outside its own communl' ~
An influential man in sympathy
the farm, be his occupation wnas
may, is a wonderful prop to the assiiV
tural interests of any country
should, in the same manner. esp'
more science of direet beneht y
farmer from scientists bred upon
farm. Agriculture is SO compos,.o 's,'r,
its nature, its sympathies and resSut' % !.
are so many and so varied, snas a
draws support from many ulss W
sources, and upon the extent 70 WI VA
it can control these sources aepsuI5
power and its influence. ~. II. D"''
| ", III .4mericaig CAltiralof