Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-11-14
The Farmers Boy.

10 euuf ate boys so that they may &C
quire no dislike Tor the farm is q matter
Of no little anxiety to many farmers.
In fact, this is n 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.
suming this statement to be true the
outlook is indeed q 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 ,atal deiusion has become 50 com
mon among the farming community.
And yet those who hold so %tcnaciously
to this idea u be ready to admit
that our native farming population is
increasing. The vexed questions re-
garding the future occupation of the
farmers boy naturally arrange them
selves into two Queries: How shall we
keep the boys OF the farm? Is it de-
sirable to keep them all on the farm
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. l have known many Young
men who have left the farm when they
became OF age, and l think + know the
rea>on 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 m~ke
the farm an attractive home. 1t was
not the hard work especially. but tae
neyer-ceasing routine from sunrise tslt
dark, from January. till December,
with lot a pleasant hour for a book, q
sport or q rest. They We're content to
work in a shop, to do a variety of work
requiring hard labor, but where GER
tain hours OF each day were their OWE.
1t is very injurious notion, enter
tanned by many farmers, that there is
no time on the farm for study or
pastime. Inow recall with pleasure a
few farmers, among whom my father IS
one, who always take a delight in hav-
ing the last chore done before sunset.
1t Is also a pleasure to reflect that these
farmers are among the thriftiest I ever
knew. 1t was on such farms, where a
long incoming was the practice in the
hot days and where u halliday all"one's
own was a fire uent gift, that l have
known boys to improve their time in
reading, studying or in working for
themselves. Much useful information,
in fact q good education, combined
with contcntment, l have known to be
obtained in this manner. Ii the pa
rents did not themselves enjoy the pur-
suits OF the boys, they did not discour-
age them if their efforts were praise
worthy. Every boy, too, has q feeling
that he wants something of his own u
Ea,den, a horse, q few sheep, a ear
riaye, a little library, of which he has
iull possession.
The Importance of encouraging the
bo;s. of giving them a frequent holiday,
OF conversing with them as if you were
once II boy, Of making home attractive
inside and out, in short. of making
them feol as if something depends upon
them, are subjects often enough dis
cussed. But is it necessary that all
~far1aers' boys should become farmers;
OK, is it indeed, the best thing for ngri-
culture that they should do sol? Levy.
ing out those who have u natural dis
like for the farm, it is evident that
farm ng itself would be the loser il
none of its sons followed the law OF
science. The farmers boy always gar
RES with him sympathy and love fol
the ia nj. Being himself ''out of tho
profession" he wlelds a greater intlu
enc in behalf OF agriculture than !:
farmer OF equal ability. Ihs rights O.
farmers would receive much less atten.
ton Than they do, if the occupation hae
nc friends outside its own community.
An influential man in sympathy will
the farm, be his occupation what Il
may. is Il wonderful prop to the aglicul
tural interests or any country. VIZ
should, in the same manner, oSo"c
more science OF dire t benefit to tho
farmer from scientists bred upon the
farm. Agriculture is SO composite il
its nature, its sympathics and resource.
are so many and SO varied, that i
draws SUPPORT from many diverse
sources, and upon the extcut to which
it can control these sources depend rk
power auu its niluence.-L. II. Baiseu
JT.. la A1Ae,tcuU CuL!lraior.