The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-08-04
GETTING THE BEST OUT
OF LIFE ON THE FARM
(By 7. F. Peck, Commissioner Of
Agricultural


/ (By 7. F. Peck, Commissioner O.
Agricultural
In travelling through the country
did you ever notice how much more
attractive the landscape at a dis
lance looked than that in your i'm
mediate vicinity? The coloring was
more tremendously blended. Thai
near you exposed the erosions of the
soil, the unsightly, unsYmmetricaI
trees, rough boulders, the thorns and
rubbish. The unsightly things that
mar the view at close range are OBJ
seured by distance. In daily life we
4 view our immediate surroundings in
the same way. We see all the OBJ
stacles, all the handicaps; our inn
agination picture some other Sec
lions OF the country as free from
what we encounter, but when we
reach the pictured Ell Dorado we find
it, too, has its scars and its handi-
caps. Young men on the farm inn
agine from their glimpses of the
cities, the gay windows, the NOV
ing picture shows, the different
forms of entertainment and amuse-
ment that their cup of happiness
would be full if they could live in
the city. It is only after thew 90
there and undertake to get a foot
hold that they get glimpse of the
other side Of the picture. Positions
are not always easy to secure and
living is expensive. They find more
demands for money, and to secure it
means long hours of Just as laborious
toll as on the farm. They find Chat
the people with leisure and money
to enjoy the things that lured them
to the city are either the rich or
the transient visitor, such as thew
had been on their occasional visits
to the city; that most of the people
OF the city were hard at work TO
meet the demands for living there
While the farmers work is hard. he
has time when he can get away 10
hunt or fish, to go for a visit to the
city; he can enjoy the sights, take n
the picture shows, enjoy his visit To
the city and return to his farm and
see that his crops have been growing
right along. When the man who
labors for wages stops work his
wages stop, but his expenses go right
along.
know that much has not been
done that could and should be done to
make home life more attractive to
the boys and girls on the farm, and
know that neglecting to do it has
robbed the farm of thousands Thar
would be there today if it had been
done. know, too, that in view If
the increasing demand for food nro-
duets of the farm, it is imperative
mat the farm must be made at
.ractive to the boys and girls. This
IS necessary for the city dweIlers al
Well as the country. We are intar-
dependent and should Cooperate in
ne solution Of the problems that are
me. foundations of our national Iife
md prosperity. am Glad that
,9arlcatures of the country rube" and
nayseed farmers" are less freouent
a our papers. We must dignity
armlng to the place it rightfullv be-
ongs-the foundation for all nros-
'erlty. No farmer has cause TO he
ashamed of his vocation. He shonid
'e proud of it. We can not expect
'thers to respect us or our vocation
we are ashamed of it. Instead Of
oelng ashamed Of it, let US learn ali
We can OF its possibilities and in.
diligently make the most of those
possibilities. When intelligentlv and
practiced, we will have
. cause to regret or be ashamed Of
icing farmer. i0u -
PRIMARILY agriculture was the on1u
ocatlon. Farmers needed more con-
as civilization advanced
ma to provide them other yocationt
we're developed. No matter how 70,
y ADVANCE in the arts and sciences
igrlcaulture will retain it's Mace u
ne fundamental of all industrial az.
iVlty' while it is the oldest voca-
ION known to man, it is classed With
ne newer sciences, and we have nro
'ressed far enough in the science n
eallze that its possibilities for ro
earch and development are nrac
lceialliy unlimited. While agriculture
1lil reward the illiterate worker >
wing for his labor, no vocation Of
ers a broader field to the ne ne ~
nth well rounded education for tba
uIl use of his qualifications ''o
we are rapidly increasing in nonu-
ation. The resources Of the country
re being developed by an increasins
roportlon of our population and
ney must be fed by our agricultnra si
Iasses, insuring a certain market fo,
nelr product. AS to the profit -
ne farmer for his product that ds
ends upon the cooperative effort
n the part Of the farmers market
10 their product. One lesson AZ
armers have been slow in learninos
that they must apply nractiosi
uslness methods in marketing 1 tbeiy
roaucts, as well as industry IN nro-
uclng. When that lesson is learned p,U
"a practiced the farmer will come me
Ito his own. ""i come
HARnEQ TIL NJ