The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-05-31
EAlE TO TIE LAND
(AFRED 1IacKAY)

ne replied: John Is the brightest o.
my boys. the most industrious, anx-
ious to work and quick TO learn. I'm
going to make a farmer OF him. sam
had rather talk than work. an 5 fond
Of telling all he 80 .1uch that
he inagines, I'm going to make
lawyer OF him.
Thomas is the LATEST one Of my
boys-in fact too lazy to get into
any trouble. I'm going TO make
preacher of him.
This story may be little hard On
the other professions, but it illustrates
the contention which will some day
be generally acknowledged; namely;
that farming requires the greatest
industry, keenest intellect, and most
scientific training OF all the profes-
sions.
One of the most striking features of
the last census is the record of de-
creasing population in agricultural cen
tiers and increasing population in the
great cities.
The tide of settlement which for
many years had been flowing toward
the unoccupied lands of the country
has now turned and is now flowing to-
ward the large cities. The result is
of course easily forseen. The number
OF consumers of food products is con-
stantly growing greater, the number
of producers smaller. This would be
cause for alarm were it not for the
fact that there have been established
in this country a number of agricultu-
raj colleges and experiment stations
I'm which the principles of scientific ag-
riculture are taught, and farm life
made more attractive.
Methods of checking the depletion
of the soil and of the recovering ex-
hausted fields have now been we'll de-
veloped and are practically applied.
Moreover, improvements in farm ma
chinery have rendered the labor of
the farmer more productive. believe
it may be said with a fair degree of
accuracy that days skilled labor on
the farm at the present time produce
3es twice as much food as it did fifty
years ago, and although the country
districts have been to a certain ex-
tent depopulated and the cities over
populated, the supply of the products
of the soil in the way of food and
clothing has more than kept pace with
the increase in population. Yet the GU
rious condition has arisen that while
the consumer in the city pays great
deal more for what he gets and wears
than he did a few decades ago, the
farmer in the country gets little, If
any more for his products.
The result of this condition of af
fairs is, that while in many respects
the cost of living on the farm has
been increased through the desire OF
the farmer to give his children bet
ter education and to be the possessol
of more luxuries of life, he has not
been securing a corresponding in
price Of farm labor has greatly in
creased. In the old days a good hand
would work on the farm by the veal
for twelve or thirteen dollars month
and his board. This, too, meant rea
work; for the farm hand was expect
ed to be up early in the morning t.
help feed and care for the stock, ant
perhaps with the milking, and will
only short intermissions for meals
his work went on till dark, no matte
how long the day.
This condition was the cause 70
the expression Twelve dollars 1
month, and no picture shows maxi
Jack leave the farm"
At the present time the laborer i
not expected to start work until sev
en- O'Clock. He takes an hour for dir
-ner and knocks off at six. At tn
same time he is not satisfied wit
seventy-five cents or dollar, but mus
have a dollar and quarter for ordir
airy labor, while at harvest his wage
rise to two dollars or more per day
Paying cash for lab oris burden t
the farmer which is we'll nigh into
cradle. If the farmer does his ow
work he must either have very sma
farm or very large family of boy
and girls, who, moreover, are likel
to leave him as soon as they reac
their majority. 1t is not strang'
therefore. that the cry, Back to tn
Land!" fails to appeal to the boy an
the man in the city.
Why does the boy-not the lazy DO.
but the boy of Industrious habits, leay
the farm in the first place? Becaus
OF his desire for greater opportunit,
He sees in the city a greater futul
for himself than he can possibly e.
pect on the farm, and he will continu
to go Just as long as city life Offer