224 The Farm Boy's Interest in the Business 



the habit of self-restraint in the use of money. To do 

 this is to learn to spend judiciously. To have reached 

 this stage of financial training is a sufficient guarantee 

 that the youth is proceeding well on his way toward 

 success in business enterprise. 



START ON A SMALL SCALE 



Then, give your growing son as wide a variety of 

 experience in work and in watching business affairs 

 as the situation will permit of. During the process of 

 this mental growth help him to make a small invest- 

 ment in something that will grow and increase under 

 his intelligent care. Let us assume that your spe- 

 cialty is a certain strain of corn or a certain breed 

 of cattle. If the boy shows an interest in this mat- 

 ter, start him in at an early age, say ten to fourteen, 

 on his own account. Give him in exchange for his 

 work a small plot of ground on which to grow corn, 

 perhaps with a view to his later entering the boys' 

 contest for a prize. Or, help him to get a small 

 beginning in the cattle business. 



But in case the lad shows no interest in your busi- 

 ness, do not let the matter seriously trouble you for a 

 moment. Simply continue to give him his general 

 education, including the best school course available 

 and a training in the performance of work as well as 

 the judicious use of the spending money that may 

 come into his hands. Careful study of the boy may 

 indicate to you that his aptitude for business runs in 



