40 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



this way ; instead of the inborn love of birthplace, and strength of 

 early association and local attachments, which are found so strongly 

 developed in some peoples, we possess an inborn restlessness. It has 

 been said that the impulse which sent our fathers across the Atlantic 

 has grown with our growth and strengtliened with our strength, and 

 this it is Avhich is pushing us westward still. But this can hardly 

 be deemed a correct statement of the fact. The impulse which 

 brought our fathers here, was a desire to avoid tyrannical fettering 

 of conscience, and improper restraint of that liberty of action and 

 freedom of thought which is the God-given heritage of every man. 

 These we enjoy fully, at the east as fully as at the west. Let us 

 look farther. Is it not rather a spirit of enterprise, an activity, an 

 energy which can only be satisfied by subduing, conquering, achiev- 

 ing something, somewhere ? a spirit which leads to great practical 

 results in every other direction not less than in emigration west- 

 ward ? 



Farmers' sons have left us largely ; why ? The sons see Avhat the 

 father's arm hath wrought — the forests felled, and in their place 

 bounteous harvests. There is tradition of a log-house — possibly the 

 elder sons have some recollections of it — but in its place is now a fine 

 dwelling, filled with all comforts and not a few luxuries. The soil, 

 it is true, having been somewhat imprudently taxed, begins to show 

 signs of giving out ; the crops gradually growing less ; and it seems 

 to require a different mode of treatment — something or other, they 

 don't know exactly what, and to ascertain wdiat, requires patietit 

 labor and study which are not so much to their taste as muscular 

 exertion connected with novel adventure; but notwithstanding which, 

 the old homestead has a large market value compared with what it 

 had on the day when the father went on to it, axe in hand ; great 

 results have been achieved ; and as the tale of Ilobinson Crusoe has 

 turned the face of many a lad seaward, to buffet billows and find a 

 watery grave, so fireside tales send farmers' boys to endure the 

 hardships of a settler's life, and to reap his rewards. Thousands 

 such we have among us, to-day. They will go somewhere; and 

 provided they can find their proper sphere, and an ample scope for 

 pent-up powers, connected with prospect of success, they Avould as 

 lief go east as west. jNIainc is big enough to give every such one a 

 new farm for a long time to come. 



