XVII 



"BACK TO THE FARM! " 



MY father told me (and I often heard him tell other 

 boys in the country where I was brought up, for 

 the purpose of inducing them to stay at home and not 

 go to the city), the following story: " A farmer with 

 three sons was asked what he purposed to make of them. 

 He replied : ' John is the brightest of my boys, the 

 most industrious, anxious to work, and quick to learn. 

 I am going to make a farmer of him. Sam would 

 rather talk than work, and is fond of telling all he 

 knows and much that he imagines. I am going to 

 make a lawyer of him. Thomas is the laziest one of 

 all my boys. In fact, he is so lazy that he never gets 

 into any trouble of any kind. I am going to make a 

 preacher of him.' ' 



This story may be a little hard on the other profes- 

 sions, but it illustrates the contention which will some 

 day be acknowledged by the whole country, namely, that 

 farming requires the greatest industry, the keenest in- 

 tellect, and the best training of all of the professions. 



One of the most striking features of the last census 

 is the record of decreasing population in agricultural 

 centers and increasing population in the great cities. 

 The tide of settlement which for many years had been 

 flowing toward the unoccupied lands of the country 

 has now turned, and is flowing toward the large cities. 

 The result is of course easily foreseen. The number 



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