No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 327 



The thing is to hold to what you liave and nialce it improve and 

 not lose wliat you already have. The hard working farmer (in 

 fair circumstances; not poor, not rich), has a boy he thinks is fairly 

 good. He wants to go to college or start in business; the father 

 has not enough money past him to do this. In consequence, he mort- 

 gages his farm, borrows the money, not for a moment doubting but 

 what his son will pay it back in the near future. The boy gets 

 through, graduates with honor and stands in high society. He falls in 

 love with a beautiful society lady, gets married. He needs more 

 mone}'. ^Vhere does he send for or get it? He sends back to the 

 farm. In consequence the farm is mortgaged, and the rest of the 

 family drudge the rest of their lives to pay oft' the mortgage. 



Better a thousand times let the boy make his own way, and hold to 

 what you have. Many a hard working man earns his dollar a day and 

 gets his check for it every month, but how often does it go for some- 

 thing that is of no good. Better get something useful, that which 

 you can hold on to, 



Benjamin Franklin gives some good advice when he says: "If you 

 would have your business done, go; if not, send." Again, "If you 

 would know the value of money go and try to borrow some; for he 

 who goes a borrowing goes a sorrowing." 



A great many farmers are not satisfied with a few conveniences; 

 but must have all the latest inventions and contrivances used on a 

 farm. Now, this is very good and all right if you have the money, 

 but a man, even in fair circumstances, will find "Sheriff's Sale" notice 

 tacked upon his barn door if he does not watch his pocket book. He 

 I'.ad better hold on to what he has and gather up gradually. 



A farmer may have a good cow, one that pays well for her keeping. 

 Some man comes along that wants a good cow; he oft'er® him a good 

 price for her; he sells and deprives himself of one of the best money 

 makers he has. If you have a good cow, w'hy not hold on to her. 

 The same is true of a good, faithful horse. Too many people are 

 willing to get along with most anything. The farmer has a right to 

 some of the best he can produce. If you have good animals and 

 implementisi, don't sell, merely because you are oftered a fair price, 

 but hold on to them, unless you do not need them. 



But there are somethings that we do not want to hold. For in- 

 stance, that old sheep that has been on the place since before the 

 hard times. The sheep has been offered for sale about 99 times, 

 but as soon as the buyer mounts the pasture fence and alights on 

 the other side, he soon sees his necessity of being on the safe side 

 of the fence, and proceeds to do so with alacrity, telling the farmer 

 he will look elsewhere to purchase. It is known of a man who had 

 several hundred bushels of wheat to sell. When wheat was high he 

 was offered |1.30 a bushel. Would not take that, but later took less 



