THE COMING PROFESSION FOR BOYS 209 



It is the city that breeds or attracts most of the pauperism 

 and crime. The country has its own healthy life. 



Every one is born with some natural gift, and it is a good 

 thing to discover early in life what one's natural gifts are so 

 that each may be educated in the direction suited to natural 

 capacity. 



How are you to treat a lad who has naturally an inclination 

 for the work on the farm ? In the first place do not provide 

 him with any spending money unless he earns it. The prime 

 thing necessary is to give the boy a personal interest in what 

 is going on upon the farm. Give him a plot of land as his 

 own, let him understand that anything he may grow upon 

 this land shall belong to him, but do not give him this plot 

 and say, "There, take that; do as you like with it," he will 

 wonder what to do with it. He will need somebody to help 

 him by teaching him what he is to do. Enter into a partner- 

 ship with him at the start, give him some instruction as to 

 what it is best for him to do with his plot. Find out his in- 

 clinations; give him sympathy and help. Bring out his 

 natural aptitude for farming life, teach him method in his 

 work ; teach him to think his way out ; and, best of all, teach 

 him to work for definite results ; that is what is wanted in 

 any line of life, especially in farm life. 



Let the work of the boy have a meaning and a purpose. 

 Let him understand that certain results cannot be accom- 

 plished in any other way, and give him chances to go outside 

 and see what other people are doing. Let him see good 

 scientific agriculture and be encouraged to pursue such 

 methods. 



Provide for him the very best reading that can be found in 

 agricultural journals and books. Let him have three or 

 four years at an agricultural college. All the influences 



