98 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



to spend unless I have it to spend under parental authority 

 and under dictation." And I say, "If you go to the city 

 and receive five or ten dollars a week, it will scarcely more 

 than pay your board and your clothes and room, and you 

 won't have any more at the end of the year than if you 

 remained on the farm." And nearly every time they reply, 

 " That is so : but what money I have to spend I can spend 

 in the Avay I choose to spend it, and I am cut loose from 

 the apron strings." Whether or not that is a proper view 

 for young men to take, I am sure that it is not an uncommon 

 feeling. 



Sixth, he is always attracted by the prospect of shorter 

 hours in the city ; he thinks he will escape drudgery when 

 he goes to the city. I doubt very much if he will, in the 

 great majority of cases ; but he thinks he will. 



Seventh, there is more diversion in the city, — social and 

 intellectual entertainment, more going on, — that attracts 

 the boy and girl from the farm. 



Now, it may be that the young man or young woman is 

 mistaken in all these matters ; nevertheless, these are some 

 of the points of view that actually do influence the young 

 people in moving from the country to the city. 



Now, let me come to my last point, which is the one that 

 articulates this subject with the one I am to speak about 

 this morning, — the tendencj^ of the 3'oung man's teaching 

 has been very largely away from the farm. There are three 

 agencies that teach the young man and the young woman : 

 first, the most miportant, is the parental influence ; the sec- 

 ond is the preacher ; and the third is the teacher. 



I am wondering if you ever heard at farm homes the 

 farmer deploring his own business ? I am wondering if you 

 have ever heard him compare farming to other occupations, 

 to the disadvantage of his own V I am Avonderino^ if the 

 farmer is not likely to put forward the worst aspect of his 

 business ? I am wondering if the manufacturer or the mer- 

 chant does not always put forward the best aspect of his 

 business? If there is no pride in the farm and in the busi- 

 ness of farming at the family fireside, I wonder how nmch 

 you can expect there will be in the young person who 



