New Britain herald., 1917-11-26
COMMUNICATED
THE JOYS OF FARM LITE"
Would Be Known to More Connecti- cut People if the Lure of the
 Cdtv Was TeeSene6

City Was Lessened.
 To the Editor of tho Herald:
 I appreciate the city dweller's point of view. I paid $2 a bushel at the farm for my own potatoes last week. l have a family of children and have to buy three quarts of mdlk a day at fourteen cents 8 quart-new expert ence for a man who has been living in the country. But in spite of this appreciation of the city dweller's point
 of view, I say that good prices, even high prices to the farmers, are an in VeStment in the future of agriculture in this section and therefore favorable and not against the public interest. will grant that there are people who would gladly live in the country if they could. There are many who would like to have q summer home in the suburbs. But whether they want to work in the country-work as far mers have to work-is another uucs- ton. My experience all this summe. trying to persuade people to hire out to work on farms has convinced me that most city men care a great deal more for the high wages and the short hours of the city job than they do for the joys of farm life"
 I will grant, however, that there are some who belong to the othcH class who would gladly live in the country and work in the country especially men with large families to support. That Is the tragedy of 1t. Until farming becomes a moro profit able business than 1t is now few far mers can afford to pay the big wages as compared with ordinary farm wages which a man with large fam
 fly must have to live on even in tn. country. It Is a sadly significant thine that among the most common appli cants for farm jobs these days Is tht
 man with 8 large family to support
 And he Is one of the most difficult tt find 8 job for.
 This discussion has opened up tha' almost overwhelming question, how i adjustment to be made by which moro of the people of the city are goin1 to get back into the country wherf they belong. To my mind 1t Is an in
 evitable adjustment. Tbe only qucs ton is how soon and in what ways i: the adjustment to be accomplished Three ways suggest themselves to m after @ summer of close contact witt this whole problem:
 First, by increased price for farm products which will attract peopl l with some little or more capital int 1 the business. When a more reason.
 able proportion of people are engaged l in agriculture perhaps prices will g. l down again.
 At present there Is room for a gooI 1 deal of improvement. I have not veri l fled the figures but I understand that 1 per cent. of the people of Hartfor;'
 county are engaged in agricultura; pursuits at present.
 l Second. by people now in the cities l hiring out to work on farms. The Hartford county league maintains
 free employment agency for farm la
 bor We have handled about 460 men
 this summer. Of course 1t is very 1 hard for man without any farm eN 1 perience to make good on a farm. But especially in the heart of the season, 1 1t Is possible for an inexperienced man i! to break in gradually by working at | hoeing and corn cutting and now, at | potato digging. But meny men don't 1 want to work on farms. I have talked ! with scores of men this summer who were thorouhly experienced farm | hands now employed at other work,
 who have said, mo more farming for
 mine, too long hours, too hard work. | I've got an easy job" Of course there
 and said I'm tired of the city. I'd
 like to get out. I always save moro | money in the country even on small wages and don't mind hard work"