FARMING AS A VOCATION 15 



industries. Some people prefer the associations of the 

 towns and cities, others prefer the quiet, independent 

 and healthful life on the farm. There are larger oppor- 

 tunities in the cities for a few persons Who happen to be 

 especially gifted in business or as specialists in given 

 lines of work, but the opportunities of the country aver- 

 age as well, or better, than the opportunities of the city 

 and the chances of utter failure are far greater in the 

 city than in the country. 



The home is the most influential institution in our 

 national life, and the farm home is the best place to 

 produce strong and useful citizens. The farm home is 

 racially our most important home. Farmers are rather 

 conservative and are peculiarly loyal to the good of the 

 community. Their voice usually rings true for sound 

 and good government, though they are sometimes slow 

 to embrace improvements in governmental affairs. The 

 Nation needs to retain men and women on our rich lands 

 who are so trained as citizens, as well as farmers, as to be 

 capable of maintaining our country life at a high stand- 

 ard. It is interested in the farmer's prosperity, because 

 the general well-being of the rural community insures 

 for the future a strong race of people, and prosperity 

 among the producing classes insures prosperity to all 

 classes and to the Nation. Too large a proportion of 

 the whole people on farms is not desirable, as competi- 

 tion in the production of farm commodities should not 

 be so strong that the farm family cannot secure the 

 profits necessary to supply not only good food and 

 clothing, but to provide for education, books, opportu- 

 nities for travel, etc. The farmer's sons and daughters 

 need to be well fed and well clothed, and not only taught 

 industry and morality, but given excellent business and 

 educational advantages in general, and taught how gradu- 

 ally to enrich the soil. Improved farm machinery and 

 home appliances, and better methods, have aided in 



