1 86 , AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



We cannot tell. Relatively, as we all know, the farm popula- 

 tion is rapidly declining in numbers. Now only a little more 

 than half of our population is called rural. Nearly one-half of 

 that is now called urban. If we should include with the urbani 

 what might properly be included, many large villages, the cen- 

 sus of rural population would be very much diminished. We 

 are in positive danger of losing in so large a measure the great 

 source of physical and mental strength, the great source from 

 which we have derived our leaders. 



I rejoice in all the evidences that we find on every hand, that 

 we see here in this hall, that are disclosed to us when we open 

 a newspaper, in the increasing number of agricultural courses 

 in the public schools, I rejoice in all these, and yet are there 

 not some losses against which we should guard ? The very hard- 

 ships, the very toils and difficulties developed something in 

 us of incomparable value to our country. When I was a boy, 

 everybody of ten years of age and upwards was up at 5 o'clock 

 in the cold winter mornings, and busy with chores, and in the 

 summer everybody was up at 4 o'clock in the morning. I know 

 these things from actual experience, and they were hardships. 

 Then the absence of those and tools and appliances which rep- 

 resent so much ingenuity and save so much toil, the absence 

 of these had some advantages for the farm boy of 50. 40 or 

 even 30 years ago, for they were obhged to rely upon their own 

 resources, they were obliged to cultivate persistence, well- 

 directed, thoughtful effort that we are in danger of losing in 

 these really better days. Let us keep all that we have, and in 

 some way take care that we lose none of these precious ele- 

 ments of physical and mental strength, the power to do and 

 achieve. Such power as was manifested by the boys and men 

 of our country during the Civil war, whenever it was neces- 

 sary for some active brain to discover some method of building 

 a bridge or cutting a way through the forest, they welcomed 

 the farmer who was equal to the emergency. 



Let us hope that our colleges and our schools will develop the 

 practical side of our lives, and powers of our boys and our 

 girls. I was exceedingly interested in the account in the 

 response to the address of welcome of what has been achieved 

 by the boys and girls of our country. There is a tendency to 

 the easy life. Ten years ago I rode through one of the best 



