1847.] The Fanner's Calling. 93 



ing interest ; that is, so far as they expect it from the State found- 

 ing great agricultural schools. The right place to look is to 

 themselves. The State may offer some encouragement, but after 

 all the work must be clone by the farmers themselves. The State 

 will never mow our meadows, or cradle our hills ', if they should 

 undertake it, the work would be badly done. The State has done 

 well in encouraging agricuUural societies, and so have individ- 

 uals, and none better than our liberal and public spirited chair- 

 man ; but he knows the great work must be done by the farmers 

 themselves ; he knows that nothing but himself could have made 

 him what he is, or what he may yet be ; he is the last man to teach 

 the farmers to depend on anything but themselves. What is es- 

 sential to advancing the farming interest, is, that every man to 

 till his own farm in a first rate manner, and give his children a 

 first rate education, an education which includes giving them 

 good understanding of matters and things, and good habits of in- 

 dustry. When each individual of the community does well, the 

 whole will do w^ell of course." 



The following hint, in regard to neatness about the farm-house 

 is worthy of attention. 



*•' Besides setting out fine fruit trees, would it not be well to pay 

 a little more attention to preserving neatness and order on the 

 grounds about our dwelling. It is said a man is disposed to be- 

 have better when he is well dressed ; on the same principle will 

 he not be disposed to behave better when his house and grounds 

 are well dressed? If it has no direct bearing on his purse, it has 

 on his feelings and chaiacter. And this is a matter we all know 

 of the first importance. No class have a deeper interest in the mor- 

 al character of the community than the agricultural class. No class 

 have so deep an interest in having the rising generation trained 

 aright — having them trained to respect the right of property. 

 The lawyer can keep his bonds and mortgages and money (if he 

 has any) in his iron safe ; the merchant can easily keep his eye 

 on his goods, but a large part of the farmer's property must be 

 more or less exposed, and his security must be in the moral sense 

 of the community. Farmers therefore, of all others, have an in- 

 terest in promoting the cause of temperance, of good education 

 and of religion ; for there are very few who will deny the truth 

 of the remark made by the father of his country, in his farewell 

 address, that " religion is the only sure basis of morality. 



