62 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Jan. 



that this plan will answer under all circum- ! figures too high. Make up your mind to 



stances ; but in this case it has always kept 

 a very pleasant feeling between himself and 

 myself. Instead of complaining that he 

 does not get what he deserves, or that he 

 does not get credit for all he has done, he is 

 constantly striving to see liowgood a record, 

 or show ing, he can make each year, and that 

 record, or sliowiug. pleads for him. The 

 action lakes the iilace of words. lie has 

 nevei- said, " Mr. Hoot, don't you think I am 

 earning a little more tlian you pay meV' But 

 (lie nsnlft< of his eiforts with brain and mus- 

 cle often say to me, '■ Mr. Hoot, that man 

 is doing splendidly, and it begins to look as 

 if he is really worth more money than he is 

 receiving." 



Right in line with this talk is one of the 

 greatest sources of happiness. You may 

 build air- castles in your own mind, my 

 young friends, but do not tell them out loud, 

 aufl do not get your expectations up too 

 high. The young relative of whom I spoke 

 in a former chapter is going to try poultry 

 on his 12' acres. lie said he believed he 

 could make every hen earn him a dollar a 

 yrar. I think lie is putting his expectations 

 too high. I should much rathei' have him 

 give an accurate statement of what he Iian 

 done with hens, than to hear him tell wliat 

 he is (joiny to do. lie has an excellent local- 

 ity for fowls, and he can easily make a nice 

 room for them in the side of a gravelly hill 

 adjoining his barn and stables. One of the 

 l)Oultry-journals states that it will cost 10 

 cents a mojith to keep a hen, where you are 

 so situated as to be obliged to buy every 

 thing. If you raise it, it will cost pretty 

 nearly as much ; that is, what you raise 

 ought to be worth the market price. If he 

 keei)s only about -30 fowls on an average, 

 tliey will prol)ably get their own living on 

 liis 12i acres, six months in the year. This 

 will reduce the expense to (50 cts. If they 

 lay 100 eggs apiece in a year, I think they 

 Avill do pretty well ; and I tiiink he will do 

 pretty well if lie makes his hens pay a clear 

 ))i()lit of .".(lets. each. If lie makes this his 

 estimate, and then does still better, he will 

 enjoy keeping poultry. If. liowcvf r. he fixes 

 his figures at a dollar each, clear profit, and 

 gets only oO cts., he may feel somewhat like 

 grnmbling; and if his poultry should cost 

 hini more cash right out than lie gets back 

 in a year, there caiTt be very nincli happi- 

 ness of any kind about it. 



Now, boys, in view of this, ddu't set your 



put in an earnest, hard day's work every 

 day in tiie year, with brain and muscle, and 

 then decide to thank (4od. the great Giver 

 of all good, for whatever he gives you. In 

 these remarks I would not think of discour- 

 aging a young man from trying his hand 

 with tools — especially, sirnplf tools belonging 

 toalmost any trade or industry: but I woiiitl 

 discourage the habit of having a great lot of 

 tools about him that he can not use enough 

 to pay the interest on the money; and es- 

 pecially would I dissuade him from think- 

 ing he is smart enough to do any thing ijutt 

 aw/ mechanic can do, with his years of ex- 

 perience and skill. One of the rising sins 

 of Young America is a disposition to tliink 

 he is smart enough to earn good wages at 

 almost any calling, without learning a 

 trade. .Vlmost every day, nice - looking 

 youny; men are coming to me. liegging for a 

 place. Sometimes I ask them if they have 

 any trade, or what they have been accus- 

 tomed to work at. The reply comes, almost 

 every time. '' I have not woi'ked at any thing 

 but odd jobs; but I guess I can do almost 

 any thing you want done." We are just 

 now in want of a printer ; but I have not 

 asked any of these young men if they could 

 set type. I am <|uite siu-e they would think 

 they could, and no doubt they would go to 

 work without a bit of trouble, provide<l 1 

 would pay them 10 or 12 cts. an hour while 

 they are learning how. and they would 

 think they ought to have this, even if it took 

 an expensive and skilled man to teach them, 

 and even thougli they were a good deal 

 more trouble than they were worth. 



Do you see where we are tending, friends? 

 Thousands upon thousands are wanting 

 something to do. and yet, when wanted the> 

 do not know how to do it. Do you ask what 

 I advise right here V I advise you to do ex- 

 actly as the boy did who is now eai'iiing a 

 thousand dollars a year; yes. even though 

 you do not earn enough toi)ay youi- board, for 

 you had better work for notliing and board 

 yourself than to remain idle. If you can't 

 get a chance to do even that, get sonic type, 

 and go to work at home by yourself. Take 

 good, well-printed liooks for your guide; and 

 when you can do some nice printing, take 

 a sample of it to some printing- ofiice. and 

 tell them >()U have <j,'ot f.u' enoiifili to do 

 woi'k like your specimen. I tliink yon w ill 

 soon find a place where you can get < n ri/ 

 cent i/nii an irnylh. 



To be continued Feb. 15, }<^S7. 



