148 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



farm labor, one complaint that there are so few privileges in the 

 country ; one glowing description of the beauties and privileges 

 of city life, have been ripe seeds planted in the mind of many a 

 boy that have sprung up and made him restless on the farm, and 

 carried him to the city to be icorthless there. Then let mothers be 

 careful how they speak disparagingly of that occupation that has 

 furnished many, yea, most of the brightest examples of manhood : 

 an occupation that affords the widest field of research for knowl- 

 edge among nature's choicest gems. Oh, the depths of knowledge 

 yet to be unlocked in agricultural science ! Oh, the beauties of 

 nature yet to be developed by research into the principles and 

 laws that govern the mineral, the vegetable and animal kingdoms! 



Another benefit of farm labor above most others is the great 

 variety of manual labors to be performed. The position of the 

 body being so often changed, and a, different set of muscles 

 brought into exercise, that relief is afforded to all, while all are 

 brought into exercise. 



A knowledge and use of the best agricultural machinery is 

 another means of keeping boys on the farm as well as carrying on 

 the farm with the least expenditure of manual labor. The impres- 

 sion, whether true or false, is current that farm labor is the hardest 

 as well as the lowest of all occupations. Now, very much of the 

 heaviest labor on the farm may be performed by the improved 

 machinery of the present day, and boys take pleasure and pride 

 in working that machinery. It also enables the farmer »to do 

 up his work more promptly in the season of it, and raise better 

 crops and secure them in better condition. 



A little time spent in setting out ornamental and shade trees — 

 tastefully arranging and embellishing farm buildings — encouraging 

 boys to cultivate a plot of ground as their own in their own way, 

 and the girls to have their plots of flowers will serve very essen- 

 tially to make home and its farm-house the most desirable place 

 on earth, and labor becomes a pleasant duty rather than an irk- 

 some task. 



Another and most important consideration in favor of farm labor 

 is to be found in the health and prolonged life of those engaged 

 therein. The pure air and out-door exercise of the farm tend 

 greatly to preserve health and render the constitution vigorous. 

 It has been found by careful observation for a long term of years, 

 that the average age of farmers in a given locality is about sixteen 

 per cent, greater than in other occupations, that of mechanics 



