626 State Board of Agrioultdrk, &c. 



no experience at farm labor. Set him to mowing, in the 

 morning, wliere there are two tons of hay to the acre, with 

 a scythe which he has selected, hang, ground, and must 

 keep sharp himself ; and before noon you can convince him 

 easily, not only that knowledge is power, but that well 

 trained muscle is essential to success in mowing. 



The hired girl who knows how to make good butter, 

 knows more than she can tell in an hour, and more than a 

 beginner can learn in a year. In thinking it ov.er, some- 

 times, I am surprised to notice how many kinds of work a 

 good farm hand can do, and do well. He may not know 

 much about books, but he has acquired a large amount of 

 practical knowledge. He can plow, sow and reap, rake and 

 pitcli, use skillfully the ax, spade or flail, or drive oxen or 

 horses. He knows how to raise all sorts of crops, from 

 sugar to potatoes ; knows the times and seasons for all sorts 

 of farm work ; and can give you good reasons why you 

 should or should not keep a particular breed of cattle, 

 horses, sheep or hogs on your farm ; besides many things 

 outside of his special calling. It is tlie duty of all farmers, 

 as well as other laborers, to inform themselves about every 

 thing that pertains to their Avork, so that they may not only 

 be intelligent, but skillful workers. 



If the obligations of employer and employed are mutual, 

 and that they are I presume no one doubts, then let us con- 

 sider now some of the obligations or duties which the em- 

 ployer owes to his hired help. I have said that the hired 

 man must do the best he can for his employer. The em- 

 ployer is also under certain obligations to the laborer, of 

 which tlie flrst I will mention is this : He ought to treat 



