The Elbert County tribune., 1916-03-10

CBy MATTHEW s DUDGEoN OF Wis
oonsin Free Library Commission.)
"EN years ago-twenty years
ago-ati the alert, energetic
farm boys were leaving the
farm for the city. They did
this because they wanted to make
money, because they wanted to see
life. II they stayed on the farm, they
were not only sure to be lonely and to
be In unattractive surroundings. but
they were sure to be poor But times
have changed
Today, If you go through fairly
prosperous farming community, you
will find the telephone in nearly every
farmhouse and daily delivery of mail
bringing the daily newspapers to
every door. You will find many farm
houses better fitted up with con-
veniences and comforts than are the
homes OF the average city laborer.
Because there are better roads and
better horses and better buggies and
more automobiles, you will find that
the farmer and his family are no long.
er imprisoned in the farmhouse, hut
move about and have as much social
life and as great an opportunity to
meet each other as do the city man
and his family. Many a farm boy
who is ten miles in the country, with
his automobile, can and frequently
does, reach town in less time than II
takes the average man in the big city
to reach his business from his city or
suburban home. The boy who stays
nand oh
to lonesome. cheerless existence.
Prices Going Higher.
Never before has the American farm
boy had 80 promising financial pros
pect as he has at the present time.
Profits are surer than they ever were
and they bid fair to increase. Prices
are high and they are going higher.
American consumers are demanding
more and better farm products and
stand ready to pay better prices. They
are going more directly to the farm
for what they want and the farmer IL
getting a bigger share of what they
pay. The war and the disturbances
that have grown out OF 1t have inter-
rupted. IL they have not permanently
cut off. the channels of trade for for
eign farm products, SO that the Amer
ican farmer is likely in the future to
have open to him the markets of the
world as they never before have been.
Skill and experience in handling
soils, in rotating crops, in selecting
seeds, and in planting and tending.
is rendering a total failure of any
crop unusual and unlikely. But as
up-to-date farming is now carried on,
the failure of a single crop is no long
er the disaster which It formerly was.
No one is now a one-crop farmer. To-
days successful farmer has not only
variety of crops which constitutes
reserve resources when the yield or
the price of single crop fails him,
but he now gets revenues from a
score of sources, from his corn and
oats and wheat and potatoes as of
| old, but also from his truck garden,
from his orchard and small fruit, from
his fat hogs and cattle, from his
purebred stock animals sold at fancy
prices. from his dairy products. and
even from his poultry.
Big Financial Returns.
In fact. the farmer who formerly
was considered a plodder working at
one thing, with one idea and one re-
source, is now getting to be a re-
sourceful business man, al admins
traitor, an alert student OF the mar
ket and finance. well-read profession
al man who understands the science
of his profession.
The boy who stays on the farm to
become successful farmer is enter
ing into an occupation where brains.
intelligence and study, energy and
alertness are getting as large finan-
cial returns as they are in any hu-
man activity. Moreover. he is enter
ing into an occupation where work
ing and living conditions are moro
universally attractive and healthful
than are the surroundings of any group
OF workers In the world. What more
can he hope for II he goes to the