238 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



Good farm laborers are scarce. The fe\Yer tlie laborers we de- 

 pend upon the greater the chances of a paying husbandry. So with 

 the farm; the larger it is, the greater the risk, and vice versa. 



In this connection, there must be considered ia[)ability. It re- 

 quires to-day a wonderfully capable man to make even a hundred 

 acres pay, far aside from OUO acres. To compel GUO acres to return 

 three per cent, on its assessed value in our county refjuires a measure 

 of good management and labor that if it has ever been known among 

 us, is exceptional. 



Kow, I would like it if we could point to the splendid farms of 

 our wealthy neighbors and say that these farms pay handsomely. 

 This for the reason that we would desire to branch out and paint up 

 and shine personally as money getting business men by taking the 

 broad way of venture and faith and enterprise. We want room in 

 which to spread. So do our boys and girls. But whatever I may 

 or may not like, it seems to me, and perhaps to you, that God has 

 placed us just where we ought to be, and I think we certainly should 

 be thankful that it is rather on the farm, if it is small, than in Wall 

 street or the bucket-shop business. It is a good thing, too, I 

 think, that food is plenty and that none of our dependants the 

 world over are starving because of the extortion of the farmer, how- 

 ever the middle fellow may or may not squeeze the poor. The 

 farmer is certainly more free of judgment to come on this score. 



A TLEA FOR BETTER LIVE STOCK IN PENNSYLVANIA. 



By Prof. H. HAY WARD, State College. Pa. 



In the early history of agriculture, the wealth of the husbandman 

 was estimated by the size of his studs, breeds and flocks, while his 

 wealth to-day is nearly always estimated by the amount of land his 

 deeds call for, his live stock being seldom considered. However, 

 according to the last census report, it is safe to say that the value 

 of the live stock in Pennsylvania is a little over 85 million dollars, 

 and I believe it is possible to so improve our stock that the same 

 number of head would be worth 150 million dollars. If there is 

 one thing that the farmers of Pennsylvania need at the present 

 time, it is a higher appreciation of the value of and a more active 

 interest in a better class of live stock than they now own. 



