96 TOM’S EXPHRIENCE 
goes should aim to get a farm at once while land is 
cheap. If he can’t do that he is just as well off, per- 
haps better, where he is. If he can get a farm, and 
as rapidly as his means will permit, bring it under 
cultivation, he will soon find himself independent. 
If he can make his home on the farm. so much the 
better, for it will save rents, and he will find his 
family expenses rapidly running down, as the living 
will be largely drawn from the farm. If he attempts 
to work the farm at first, and never was used to that 
kind of work, he will find it very awkward, It will 
eertainly pay him better at first to work at his own 
trade, which he knows how to do, and hire men to 
cultivate his farm who know how to do that work. 
‘In your case it might be somewhat different, for 
aman who can drive a plane would soon learn to 
drive a plow. But very generally the mechanic will 
find profit for awhile, anyway, in sticking to his 
trade and hiring his farm work done. Si sag 
ean work into it, if he wants to.” 
* But can I get good land near a good town now?” 
RAILROAD LAND. 
‘Not government land. But you. can generally 
buy deeded land at a fair price. And right here I 
want to say a word in behalf of the land-grant rail- 
roads. J am notin favor of any more land-grants, 
and it is not likely there will ever be any more. But 
most of those we have are a great benefit to a great 
many people. They will sell you what land you 
