The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-04-17
Stay on the Farm.
BY e. j. REED.

There has long been a custom
among farmers to pride themselves
on educating their boys and girls for
something besides the farm. In fact.
the custom has become SO fixed that
whenever a boy seems to possess
more than ordinary intelligence,
thoughtless people say that he is too
smart to be farmer. You have OBJ
served that when boy prepares to
go away to school this question goes
the rounds of the community: What
is he preparing himself for and what
is there in 1t for him?"
Tell me the occupation in which a
man may use more education than
can farmer every day upon the
farm? What other occupation per-
mits the use of so many different
courses of studies or offers so many
pleasurable - profitable expert
ments? Almost any line of study
aan be made profitable in agriculture.
-hough, to be sure, some are more
valuable than others. No matter
how much we think we know about
farming, there is still locked up In
every part of the old farm secrets
that will one by one reveal them
selves to us while we live.
Farming is a profitable business.
This Is often disputed, but IL you or
your neighbors aren't making any
money whose fault is 1t? Are you
doing the best you know how? Look
about you>and see IL there are not a
great many little leaks which might
be stopped. Are you attending your
crops to the limits? Have you good
animals and only as many as you can
feed? These questions and others
will crowd you mind IL you will re-
fleet a moment. We admit that farm
ing is not extremely profitable with all
farmers, and this condition prompts
us to take advantage of the oppor.
tunity of encouraging the farmers to
educate their boys into more thrifty
standard of farmers than their faith.
ers have been. When agriculture is
pushed to the limit, as all others pro-
fessions are, 1t will be seen that farm
ing yields among the largest of net
incomes.
Again, the profits are sure. I'm.
favorable conditions of climate will
sometimes cut crops short, yet there
are fluctuations in all lines. His pro.
ducts never go out of style, but the
demand may be increased by produc.
ing only the best. Whenever finan-
cial or political affairs are such as to
cause distress among factories and
mines, the farmer, though his income
may be largely cut off, always has
plenty to eat and to wear.
That farm life is the most health.
full is conceded by all. Far away
from the filth and the rubbish of the
city with its impure water, teeming
with microbes, and the germs of dis
ease present in every breath of air,
the country boy may expand his
lungs and inhale the air of freedom,
healthful and inspiring. Those of all
other employments covct the inde-
pendence of the farmer. He goes to
work when he pleases and quits when
he gets ready. He crowds his work
or delays it to take advantage of holi-
days, which are the town peoples
busy days. Thus he works to suit
the occasion, the weather or his
pleasure; yet the farmer boy does not
appreciate these opportunities until
he has tried some position where he
is subject to the will of others, and
where there are no off days.
One more suggestion, which I will
offer, is that the surroundings in the
country encourage right living and
happiness in this world and a prepa-
ration for the next-the most impor-
tant of all considerations, yet the
least considered.
If it seem that boy has calling
for some other line of work, he might
do well to leave the farm; but II not,
we would encourage him to look up
on the bright side of farm life rs he
looks only upon the bright side Of
his would-be profession.