Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1913-04-08
BACK TO THE FARM.

During the past few years we have
heard much of the above cry anC
there is general attempt on the part
of modern psychologists to develop a
movement which shall have for It's
aim the making of farm life more at
tractive, and that the movement
shall not be from the country to the
city. but rather from the city to the
country. The basic principle of this
teaching is that all prosperity must
emanate from the farm-that there
can be no lasting stability for any
country which has not behind it a
prosperous an intelligent agricultu-
tural community. So our farmers are
read essays on how to make farm life
more attractive for thier sons and
daughters: these theoretical advisers
are trying to map out a course for
the farmer. and are generally hand
ling subject with which they are not
familiar. A very large per centage
of the successful business and profess
sional men of this country began
their life on the farm. But they left
it and sought their life's labor in
other fields because their tastes and
inclinations called in that direction.
not because they were merely dissat-
isfed with life on the farm. and it ap-
pears to us, that all the theori Is in
Christendom couldn't have changed
their views nor altered their deter
mination. 1t mattered not to them
whether their home on the farm was
equipped with all the modern conven-
fences which we are told should be
there to keep the children at home.
These things are all right and emf
nently preferable to the former make
shifts. if we can afford them. but they
are not what keeps the boy on the
farm. Nothing will keep him there if
he doesn't want to stay, and to com
pei him to remain and become a tiller
of the soil when his tastes lie in other
directions, would be to make a mighty
poor farmer out of HIM.
But. there is another side of it.
Sooner or later, to the city dweller
comes the time in his life when he
longs again for the farm. When he
yearns for the smell of the soil and
the sight of growing crops and wide
stretches of fertile fields. In response
to this desire many retire to the farm
and take up tasks for which their
their training has entirely untitled
them The time has long since past
when all that was necessary was to
pillow the land, SOW the seed and reap
the harvest. trusting to God and a
good season to return n bounttul pro
duction. The modern farmer has
learned that he must use modern
methods if he hopes to take from the
soil all that it is willing to give him.
if he is 10 make the success of his av-
ocation that is possible The man
from the city who buys a piece of
land and starts in on the Soil-tilling
game. knows little about it, He may
have been raised on a farm. but he
finds that the systems that prevailed
30 or 40 wears ago. are not the ones
that make for success today. He must
know something of the soil, and he
familiar with the different compost
tionS that enter into 1t. and what
crops will thrive best on this field and
which viii do best on that. In short
he must use science and common
sense in his work, just as the success /
full farmer does today. A little cap
ital soon vaniSheS when an average
city man undertakes to make living
in agriculture or any Of its branches.
unless he has exceptional knowledge
and staying qualities. He needs to be .
prepared by a study of conditions in
their true light
Farmers already established and
successful can see from the many ex-
perimentS going on around them that
general labors on the soil are often
far less successful than they might
be. Ii Is not difficult 20 own a farm
the United States. Probably II Is I.
more true Of this country than anv .
other. All that Is necessary Is the t
money to make the first payment. but /
it requires definite knowledge 90 inn
prove the opportunity. Farm demon .
sirations and agricultural courses are /
doing much TO show the wideawake
.iller Of the soil how 10 better his con
iition. and Il Is those who are taking
advantage Of every suggestion. and
rho welcome the demonstration and
he college course as a means whereby
be fertility Of their acres may he IN
ressed. the value Of their farms
and their Own prosperity
nore firmly established. and who see
bat farming Is the best vocation IN