700 BOARD OF AGEICULTURE. 



Markliam says of the poet— might say of the farmer: 



"He knows the gospel of the trees, 

 The whispered message of the seas; 

 Finds in some beetle in the road 

 A power to lift the human load; 

 Sees in some dried leaf, dried and cui'led. 

 The deeper meaning of the world; 

 Hears through the roar of mortal things 

 God's immortal whisperings." 



For years the complaint has been that the boys were leaving the 

 farm, and now it seems in some localities, there is no one to take the 

 l)oy"s place. One of our country papers recently stated that farmers 

 were fearful that they could not secure needed help for the coming season. 

 In a few days the postmaster of that place received more than a hundred 

 letters from men over the country, who had heard that farmers in that 

 section were in need of help. Some of these letters Avere from Texas, 

 others from Maryland. Dakota, and South Carolina. Most of the writers 

 said they lived in cities and wanted to get back to farm life, which they 

 left to take employment in city sliops. The Indiana Farmer says the act 

 of Congress, 18G2, in the dedication of public lands and the establishment 

 of agi'icultural colleges, and subsequenth' of experiment stations in con- 

 nection therewith, did not come one minute too soon. These colleges and 

 stations have shown the boys that the elements of scientific culture are 

 found in agriculture, and there is enough in it to command their best 

 tliouglit, and fill their brightest pl-omises in life, as well as to awaken 

 a love and taste for nature they had not liefore known. 



They see that farming is a science in all its branches. It may be true 

 that these colleges and stations are rapidly solving the problem of tlie 

 movements from the farms to the city. The total number of farms in this 

 country has increased more tlian 20 per cent, in ten years. Smaller fai-ms 

 and proI)ably better cultivation. This increase in the number of farms, by 

 the way, is most noticeal)le in the far west. Many of the boys and girls in 

 the west ai'e going from the fai'm to the college and from the college back 

 to the farm, bringing Avith them new vim, new interest, and new Ivuowl- 

 edge to be a])plied to tlie piu-suit of farming. Tenant farms have increased 

 about 4€t per cent, in the east wliere the displeased owners have rented 

 tlieir lands, and have gone to town to live. In this part of the country we 

 are glad to say that much of the best blood remains upon the farms, and 

 oiu" farmers are progr(^ssi\e. 



The possibilities of tlic trolley roads in tliis part of the country are oidy 

 partly appreciated, l)ut I believe best appreciated liy our farmers. They 

 say, yes, give us the trolley roads, we will move our fences and get out of 

 the way. These roads will not be confined to the carrying of passengers, 



