104 FARM ECHOES. 



tion of our country, the soil is as rich and productive as 

 can be found anywhere. Who that settles upon a farm 

 and spends much of his time driving about the country, 

 pleasure seeking, instead of busying himself and his 

 horses in clearing and enriching his fields, can expect to 

 make farming pay? The argument that "It costs 

 nothing" to so amuse himself, because the horses and 

 vehicle are his own, not hired, is a common, but false and 

 ruinous one. Just what he and his team might have 

 accomplished by persistent energy during those hours of 

 self-indulgence, multiplied by the number of the many 

 days in each year so occupied, gauges the loss he has thus 

 sustained ; a loss as real as though that amount had been 

 taken from his purse and thrown into the sea. Daily 

 (perhaps morning and evening) driving to the post-office, 

 avowedly for letters and papers, received, it may be, as 

 often as once a week, and which might just as well be 

 obtained through a passing neighbor whose legitimate 

 business took him to the village, is as costly and injurious 

 as is the daily lounging in village stores to gossip and 

 help make others idle. "Time is money" is a significant 

 notice occasionally displayed in city stores and offices. 

 It should have a conspicuous place in every country store 

 where the proprietor wishes to do a profitable business on 

 a cash basis, and expects to save his crackers and cheese 

 from too frequent sampling. Loafing costs many more 

 dollars than is generally supposed, and is an unprofitable 

 investment for the loafer and for those on whose premises 

 he loafs. No city man of business, be his occupation 

 what it may, can succeed if he thus wastes his time and 

 energies, nor can any farmer. It is indeed ffeinful to 



