Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-01-27
Back to the Land.

own activities. Men and women desire
to choose their occupations. 1t is not
in the nature of things for person to
do the thing which he thinks is the most
important for the general welfare of all
people. There are such sacrificing souls
but, in most instances, the human being
is guided by economic conditions; he
chooses the occupation he likes best and
one which he thinks will return the
largest reward for his service.
Those people who would direct men
and women born on the farms back to
the land and who would keep young
men and women on the farm forget that
the great economic forces and personal
tastes are the guiding factors In direct
ing human endeavor. Men and women
will stay on the farm when they find 1t
as profitable and attractive as occupa.
tions which they may be able to secure
In the city and afford them the same hap
plness and pleasure.
There are those people who bewail
the fact that there has been q constant
flowing of people from the farm to the
city. 1t is unreasonable to expect all
persons born on the farm to remain
there, for some of them are better adapt
cd to occupations of the city than they
are to operating farms. 1t is also un-
reasonable to expect that there will not
be flow of people from the country to
the city when the city offers larger re-
turns for labor and q more attractive
life. There is no law, no regulation, or
no sentiment to change this. The ever
unyielding economic law will, in time,
stop it. When the country boy and girl
find that the farm offers them as large
or larger opportunities than the city
then there will be no great number leav-
ing the farm for the city.
We never had much faith In the "back
to the farm" movement but We do have
faith in the "stsy on the farm" move
ment. In order to accomplish this.
farming must be made more emunera-
tive and attractive. Houses must have
convenisnces found In the city. There
must be opportunities for those who
operate farms to enjoy recreation and
social activities. The sooner We can
make the farm profitable and attractive
with its full share of recreation, the
sooner we will stop the leaving OF the
farm for the city.-Hosrd's Dairymsn.
Upward Pull of a Good Barn.
(By Farmer Vincent)
Good barns help to lower the cost OF
producing many kinds of farm crops.
Few of us realize the handicap of a poor
ly arranged, badly-constructed building
of this kind. The upward pull of good
barn-that is where we need to be
educated.
A good barn will lower the cost of get
ting work done. It takes less time to
get around in convenient barn. Get
ting down hay and straw and taking 1t
to the managers and getting straw to the
drops behind cows and horses may be
materially lessened where mows are
handy to feeding alleys and straw shuteS
handy to the drops.
Stairs that are easy to climb save time
and strength. Some stairs tire Q man
more than the work he does after he is
at the top.
Drops behind the cattle that are wide
enough for q shovel of ordinary width
make the work of cleaning stables lighter
and save money for hired help.
Driveways that run from end to end
OF the stable, so that heavy wagons can
be driven right through, cut down the
expense of hauling In straw and taking
out manure.
Lightning-rods reduce the cost OF pro-
duction for the reason that most relia-
BILE insurance companies do not charge
so much premium as where the building
is not thus protected.
Finally, good barns help to make the
ten per cent profit above cost by making
all kinds of stock more comfortable,
requiring less feed to make milk and
flesh.
The first cos. of a good barn Is but
little If any more than that of poorly
contrived building. But the value of a
barn made right is beyond computation.