122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Since then, my sales have been less, and so have the ex- 

 penses. 



I have mostly used wood for fuel, and, with but two 

 exceptions, I have had at least one year's supply ahead in 

 my wood-house. I cut it up and put it under cover green, 

 to season there, and, thus served, two cords are worth fully as 

 much as three cords burnt green, or left out over the year. 

 If this be so (and I think there is not a doubt about it : I am 

 as well satisfied of that as of any fact that I do know), then 

 it is a matter worthy of consideration, as the saving of one 

 third of the fuel used in one's lifetime is of importance. 



Such savings or leaks make the difference between success 

 and failure ; and, if the history of many an unfortunate man 

 could be known, it would be seen that his misfortunes did 

 not spring from the ground, but were the natural, legitimate 

 fruits of his own mismanagement. 



One of the most astonishing and alarming facts of the 

 times is, that so many of our young men, and young women 

 too, leave the farm for the city to engage in something more 

 genteel and fashionable. Various reasons are assigned for 

 this ; but the reason, doubtless sufficient to account for the 

 whole mystery, is, the young people are brought up in an 

 atmosphere of discontent. The burden of conversation be- 

 tween their parents at home and neighbors, when they meet, 

 is, " Farming don't pay," " It is hard work," " It is too cold 

 for crops to grow," " It is too wet," " It is too dry," " It is 

 too hot," "It is the poorest season that ever I knew," "The 

 frost will kill the corn," and, " I wish I could get something 

 else to do." That I have heard sung a great many times. 

 Such farmers, instead of attending to their work at home, 

 spend their time at the corner grocery, declaiming against 

 the hard times and the unprofitableness of their business. 



It is not strange, that, as the children grow up, they leave 

 a place and a business which have been the source of fault- 

 finding ever since they can remember. But, aside from the 

 temptations to which all such as go to the cities are exposed, 

 facts show that farmers are much more certain of success 

 than those engaging in other callings. 



During the depression of the last few years the tide has 

 set from the city country-ward, and it is to be hoped that the 

 panics and failures, ruin and suffering, through which we have 



