Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-02-06
THE FARMER BOY OF 1900.

THE FARMER BOY OF 1900.
The farmer boy who opens his eyes OF
the dawn OF the year 1900 will see {
country altogether different from thai
which greeted his grandfather OF Z
hundred years ago. Then the farming
part of the United States WAS small In.
deed, comprising only u narrow strip ol
land along the shores Of the Atlantic
and not only thst-that man who de
pended upon the tilling Of the soil for 4
livelihood had = sorry time Of IL, beins
obliged TO work around no end oi
stumps and rocks, and winning all hs
had by the hardest toll. In the way Of
machinery he had very little. Hi.
plough WAS OF the rudest imaginable
construction. About all he could raise
anyway WAS corn and some few vegeta
bles. He WAS obliged TO depend on the
game he found In the forests and stream:
TO supplement the products Of the soil
Neighbors were few and scattered
widely.
A hundred years ago almost the only
team the farmer had was yoke Of oxen
No one but the wealthy could own q
span OF horses. Now oxen are TO bt
seen nowhere save In the districts most
remote from the towns aud villages
Even the horse is being replaced by
steam or electricity. The carriage pro-
PEELED by steam or electricity is no un-
common sight even upon our country
roads.
Now our farming lands stretch away
scross the continent, three thousand
miles to the Pacific. The broad prsiries
OF the West teem with cattle and sheep,
and the farmer must have most improv-
ed machinery, and plenty OF IL, 70 do the
work upon his farm. Steam gang
ploughs take the place Of horses, and
hsrvesters which reap, thresh and put
into bags the grain he raises make the
old fashioned cradle and threshing ma
chine turn pale with envy. Instead OF
sitting by the light Of the candle Of tai
low, our modern farmer eats his supper
by the blaze Of the kerosene lamp, or,
even better still, the glare Of gsslight.
His wife does her cooking At q range
which Is marvel Of beauty and con-
venience, and makes the dresses and
other garments which are not purchased
ready made with sewing machine which
had not been dreamed OF a century ago.
Schools, churches, libraries, academies,
colleges, and other educational agencies
are st his very door. Neighbors are
within n stones throw. Mills, factories
and shops OF sll kinds stand ready TO take
his raw material and convert Ii into
cash. Railways, steamship lines and
electric lines bring him into close CON-
municstion with the city. He can 90 10
sleep In New York aud wake up In
Chicago. Less than six days will put
him across the Atlantic. Printing
presses have brought the best newspa-
pers OF the world 10 bis table.
So the farmer boy OF 1900 must know
things which would have seemed i'm
possible 10 the lad Of the early century.
He must De able 10 hold the modern
plough, 10 run u reaper, TO ride the now
er, 10 manage sn engine and ali the farm
appliances which inventive genius has
placed within his reach; 10 treat his
horse and cow when i'll, 10 try y law
suit, 10 sit In the jury box inteliigently
10 help In making the laws or his town,
county ana state; 10 keep u small army
of hands profitably employed, 10 market
the products of the fsrm successfully, 70
address public meetings on any Of the
subjects uppermost In the minds Of the
people whenever called upon, TO shoe hi,
own horses, make his own wagons and
tools, and finally 10 do the work which
formerly required the united efforts Of a
score of men In dozen different profess
sions. Very many sided must be the
farmer boy Of 1900.
What, 10 view OF his opportunities and
his privileges, should De the courage OF
the youth of the present. Should he feel
IL y ourden that his lot Is cast In the
country; should he be ~ all inclined 10
think that young men in other lines OF
business have an undue advantage OF
him, and be anxious and watching for =
chance to slip ava, from the farm and
allow himself 10 be swallowed up by
that octopus, the city:
The boy Who looks at the matter In
this light fails absolutely OF rising 70
the grandeur of his calling. There never
WAS = time when IL meant more 10 be 4
farmer than now. The old-time senti-
ment that the farmer is rather inferior
10 men in other professions, and there
fore y being 10 be avoided, has long
since passed away. Now we know that
the brightest and the best men Of the
world have come from the country. As
students they reach well up 10 mel
everywhere. IL we wish 10 ind lad
who is really "up" in all that Is going
on In the world to-day We seek him In
the country.
Que of the leading magazines OF the
day recently said:
If you have farm, keep il; II not,
get one; for the time Is coming when
the population Of this country will oe
divided into monopolists, dependents
and farmers; ana the farmer will be the
most independent of all men, and will be
the saving power Of our institutions"
Upon this We have only one criticism
10 make. The farmer now Is the mos,
independent Of all men, and he Is the
saving power Of our institutions to-day
Ii Is true that upon the farmer more
than upon the farm must, after all, de
pend the future of the Nation. Oui
farmers must be true men In every spot
and place. But the point we had In
mind is that We ought 10 cling closely to
the farm, and do all we can 10 inspire
our boys 10 do the same. Not all men
can be farmers We cannot II We would
keep all the boys with US; but we should
stop driving them away by our spirit OF
finding fault with the farm and every
thing upon it. Speak well Of the farm
Hold It's privileges high. Study its
good and encourage the boys 10 help you
make it better this year than it was last
The farmer boy Of 1900 may De q power
for good. He will be II he rises 10 hi;
privileges.-Ne~ York Tribune.
COWS AND CALVES.
Some writers and farmers recommend
that the COW be dried up at least si1
weeks or TWO months previous TO fresh
ening. This Is an old idea, and whether
or not it will be borne out by more re
cent Developments Is an interesting ques
ton. From personal experience 1 nave
not very much use for the COW that mus'
20 dry so long before calving. IL doei
not seem at all necessary, either for th'
COW or the dairy produce. Advanced
feeding has made long periods OF dry
ness unnecessary.
The fact that COW will give milk uI
10 time Of freshening and requires TO b'
MIXED does not Of necessity imply thai
the milk should be taken into the dairy
The prime factor In owning the COW thal
will milk from calf to calf, or nearly 90
a ro, an roueh fhe length of period ma II