210 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



A FARMER'S RECREATIONS AND AMITSEMENTS.^^ 



BY MISS LULX' A. DAVIDSON, OF :MONTG05rERY COUNTY. 



In fill the discussions relating to agricultural interests in State assemblies and 

 farmers' institutes, we have seen no attention given to the subject, of how the 

 farmer and his family shall spend their leisure hours. Hours of improvement 

 they should surely be. To me, it seems the key to the intellectual progress, and 

 hence to the social status and future position of the farming class ; so, let us put 

 aside fish, fowl, flocks and herds, and con.«ider what is the proper employment of 

 idle time. Poor Eichard's almanac says: "Leisure is the time for doing some- 

 thing useful," and especially is this true with those whose labor is largely manual. 

 Tired hands do not necessarily make a tired brain, and reading comes first as the best 

 recreation. Just here let me explain that I use recreation in the sense of a diver- 

 sion, or change from toil, and amu.sement as entertainment for the mind in the 

 way of games, etc.; also, that I deal with the farmer exclusively. This may be 

 sauce for him, but not for the merchant or professional man. To prove that i-ead- 

 ing is a recreation, let me ask if your long evenings thus spent are not restful? 

 Now are they, or how can they be made beneficial ? The first step is to keep the 

 family well informed ; let them know that other people are "up and doing." For 

 this purpose we want at least one county paper, the best one regardless of politics, 

 for which we charge $1.50; next we want one paper for general information, a 

 daily if possible, but better than none, a weekly, .S1.50. For the children we want 

 something ; those boys are to take your places, the girls are to be their helpmates, 

 and must be educated ; we touch your plethoric pocket-book for $2. Then the wife 

 may want to know something about home management as well as you about the 

 farm, give her $1.50. Then you want a magazine which discusses art, science, 

 religion, politics, new reforms and all the etcetera, with which the family should 

 be acquainted. If they encourage high art and extremely modern notions, why let 

 them ; they will all eltvate and instruct ; $4.00 for this (if you are not posted as to 

 agencies). This much for the family. Of course, the head of the house has his 

 agricultural paper, maybe two ; he can't possibly do without them. Say $2 for 

 this ; in all, exclusive of dailies, S12.50. Now that hurts somebody ; of course 

 none of you, but your neighboi-s. But look here, don't you feed your hogs all they 

 can profitably consume? Are your cattle, sheep or horses ever hungry? To be 

 sure each pound of flesh on them has a ca&h value, yet you starve the minds, the 

 impulses of your family, and entail an inestimiable loss on generations. Is in- 

 tellect, future prosperity and happiness to be weighed in the balance with gold? 

 The pursuit of gain when it comes to this can only corrupt. Economy is all right, 

 to gain a competency, it must be rigidly observed; but prudent economy does not 



■■'Essay read before the Delegate and State Board of Agriculture. 



