The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-05-10
THE Farm.
Farmers, Gardeners, Horticuiturists,
Dairy and Stockmen are requested to
urite for this Department.
Manual labor Education.

NAhNo Va "oiH3 10 oPPoAIuhAeJ S"'o Ao'
it, in the presence of his hired men,
has a great advantage over the owner
who may be bungler in gauging
pillow, turning furrow, repairing
horse sowing grass seed, laying drain
tiles, or running a reaper. Prof s. r.
Thompson of New Wilmington, Pa,
named in public address the following
among other Fundamental arts" which
the farmer should understand:
l. Adapting harness to horse. 2.
Hitching up team. 8. Driving team
4. Holding pillow. 5. Setting up and
adjusting mower. 6. Grinding
mower knife. I. Planting tree. 8.
Grating and budding. 8. Judging the
merits Of horses, cows, sheep and other
animals. the list might be readily
doubled.
Manual labor has been thought by
some persons to be degrading. A GER
tain lady once remarked to the writer
with apparent pride, when speaking Of
her son who had charge of high
priced farm, n want you to understand,
sir, that j don't have to work. a
few years later he failed in business by
depending on others. On the other
hand manual skill is sometimes quite
an accomplishment. Many years ago
on the occasion of great public trial
of agricultural implements near Lon
don, when the want of skilled plow-
man embarrassed the trial, the former
Duke Of Richmond stepped forward
adjusted the Implement and turned the
:urrow in skilliul manner. Some.
times readiness in hard labor is quite a
convenience, and the owner who en-
ploys hired men will succeed better if
he can show them personally how to do
piece of work, than to be compelled
to call on one of them to teach the
owner to do it. An amusing illustra.
tion occurred in the writer's early years
when he had charge of nursery, and
many days of work were required to
dress large plantation of trees with
the hoe. Being called away from home
a day he spent little time by way Of
encouragement among his men before
leaving, and took the hoe in hand for q
single row. He took no apparent notice
of their sly winks at one another, ap
parently saying, ''Now let's give him a
sweat" But the owner had done much
more af that kind of work than his
men, and it was no effort to keep even
without apparently noticing their
movements. Pulling out his watch at
the end of the row, he remarked to
them: eve have been just halt an
hour.a row-that will give you sixteen
rows apiece to-day, and we shall get
along nicely with the work, reaching
sixty.four rows-to that tree by the time
I get back *.,They saw how they were
caught, but said nothing, and discover
ed they would have to make brisk work
to get the allotted task completed,
which they preferred to do rather than
make balk.
The physical exercise in learning
how to handle tools gives great advan.
tage to students who arc closely engaged
in mental studies. A distinguished
gentleman of South Carolina stated,
half a century ago, that when closely
engaged, when young man, in Ibis
studies, he acquired more knowledge,
and in better manner, when he gave
ten hours to study and four to bodily
labor each day, than he had previously
done with his entire fourteen hours in
study.
The helplessness of the young man
who is afraid of work, or who affects to
despise it. is not a desirable accom-.
plishment. The one who knows thor
oughly how to help himself, even if he
happens to have no money in his pock
ct, is better off, feels richer, and has
happier days, than the young man with
a hundred thousand dollars coming to
him, but who is compelled continually
to call on servant to supply common
bodily wants. Many instances could
be cited where young men have been
spoiled by the prospect of a great for
tune coming to them, and they either
became drones in the community in
after years, or else speedily ran through
with their means after they obtained
control.
-bIOEA
Ensilage Conclusion.