Year: 1868

ENCOURAGE THE BOYS.


There are advantages, says the q Rural
American, which would accrue to farm
ers in general, If they would encourage
their sons to follow in their footsters and
become tillers of the soil instead of by a
seeming lack of interest in their welfare
they drive them into selecting other occu-
pations for their future support. The
young folks growing up upon the farm
should be furnished with a stimalous to
excite them to industry, intoxicating in
them habits of thrift aud regularity. In
thus stimulating the boys to habits of in
dustry on the farm, they will not only be
greatly benefited themselves, but they
will become interested in all the operations
pertaining to the farm, while they will
give up the habit, to which too many of
our youth whose lot has been cast in the
country are prone-that Of dreaming
of easier ways of getting through
life than that of following in the good old
footsteps Of their fathers, who have, by
steady and industrious tillage Of the soil,
achieved a good living, and in most cases
a competency,


A great many farmers fall into the er-
ror of trying to qualify their sens to fill
one of the "professions." The different
professions" are now filed to ovcrhowing
and when there is one vacancy hundreds
stand ready fully qualified to fill it. This
should not be it would be far better in
the end for any f&y.me:: to set apart por-
ton of his land, say an acre, if not more,
and give it to his boys, with permission to
cultivate on it what they may see fit, thcy
to receive the bonodt arising from the sales
Of the produce or crop gathered therefrom.
If such q plan were put in practice and
fully carried oat, the results accruing from
it, and the habits of industry inculcated
in their minds, ard the general improve
mcnt which they would naturally make,
would be valuable through life, and their
~own condition and that of the family would
be greatly benefited thereby, iGcreased
moroeeness ard dissatisfaction, habit in
to which many a farmers's son is apt to
fall


We would advise not only setting apart
a certain piece of land for their own use
and benefit, but would go further, and
give the boys some of the farm animals to
rear up and be considered as their own
property by 80 doing a feeling of inter-
est will be awakened in their minds that
will help them to keep the farm, and also
the animals in better order than they are
in the habit of doing generally.





If any who have sons of 10 or II years
Of age would each year give them GER
tain number Of choice apple trees, half a
dozen of the best varieties for instance,
helping, them to set them out, and adding
the same number to their stock each year
by the time their children grow up to
manhood the profits arising from the sale
of the fruit would, in many cases, go far
in supporting family.


If farmer desires to have his CONS re-
main conteutd at home he should see by
the practice of some one Of the methods
above spoken of, or by better means if any
there are, that they are interested during
their younger years in the duties pertain
ing to the farm. See to it that they have
good English education, furnish them
with sound works on natural history and
natural science, and by so doing they will
be far more benefited, in the generality
Of cases, than if they were sent to distant
schools or colleges,