1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



255 



Most fields in good condition may be cut twice, 

 and both crops are improved by the early cut- 

 ting- 



FARMERS AND THE "WORKING 

 CLASSES. 



There have been so many homilies read at agri- 

 cultural fairs, and published in agricultural books 

 and papers, on the great mistake which the sons 

 and daughters of country farmers make in leaving 

 the farm for other kinds of business, that many of 

 them probably are tired of all exhortation upon the 

 subject. Young folks in these days have certain 

 inalienable rights, with which it is not safe to in- 

 termeddle, among which are the choice of a part- 

 ner and the selection of a profession. And those 

 who attempt to interfere in either of these matters 

 often hasten jast that consummation which they 

 most devoutly wished to prevent. 



It is, therefore, possible that the great amount of 

 lecturing which has been volunteered against leav- 

 ing the farm has persuaded ten to shoulder their 

 packs as often as it has induced one to remain. 

 Especially are we apprehensive that little good has 

 resulted from the glowing commendations of farm 

 life by those who "look one way and row the 

 other." Men who have acquired fame and fortune 

 in politics or physics, in law or letters, in divinity 

 or dry goods, may "hold an audience," as they 

 often have done at farmers' festivals, but can 

 they hold the thoughts of their young auditors 

 from such inconvenient old proverbs as "actions 

 speak louder than words ?" 



This is a free country ; a fact that is generally 

 found out early in life by the rising generation, 

 and perhaps the sooner we old fogies acknowledge 

 it the better. The right of all to the "pursuit 

 of happiness" is guaranteed in express terms by 

 our "Declaration of Independence." The road, 

 then, that leads to happiness, to distinction and 

 honor, to an easy life and a comfortable old age, is 

 a lawful road, a public highway, and it will be 

 travelled whatever may be its direction. "VVe should 

 not hedge it up if we could, and we cannot if we 

 would. 



If all the girls and boys in the United States can 

 do better in cities and villages than in the country, 

 why should they not all go there ? Why ask them 

 to act contrary to their best interests ? If such 

 are their convictions, young people may be talked 

 almost to death, but when convinced against their 

 will, they're of the same opinion still ; and why 

 should we be surprised to find them at last acting 

 on these convictions ? 



In this view of the case we are disposed to say to 

 the boys and girls, as we have sometimes said to 

 our oxen and horses, "v,-ell, if you v/on't go where 

 I tell you to, then go where you please, and see 

 hov/ you come out." We see no other course, and 

 we believe this to be a safe one. Throw the re- 

 sponsibility entirely on them. Let them stay on 

 the farm or go into the shop, the store, the oliice, 

 or wherever they can, or think they can, do best ; 



with the understanding that they do so entirely on 

 their own hook. Let them do it as an experiment 

 of their own, for the result of which they are in- 

 dividually responsible. 



With this freedom and personal responsibility 

 we believe that young people may be trusted 

 to work out their own fortunes, and to settle this 

 long agitated question of the balance of the pro- 

 fessions. 



When cities and villages become so full that 

 people can live less comfortably there than in the 

 country, we believe they will go into the country 

 to live. When there are so many mechanics, mer- 

 chants and professional men that less money can 

 be made or a less comfortable support be secured 

 in those occupations than by tilling the soil, then 

 individuals will leave them for farming. Until 

 this is the case, all the talk and all the eloquence 

 that can be used is just so much breath lost. As 

 "water finds its level" so will the professibns. 



Heretofore in this country the professions 

 and trades have been better paid — apparently at 

 least, — than farming, and hence people have left 

 farming for the trades and professions. This we 

 assume is the whole secret of the stampede of 

 country people, which has so alarmed our speakers 

 and writers. 



Already, we believe, rents, fire-wood, provisions 

 and all the items of family expense have advanced 

 in cities and villages faster than wages or income, 

 and that not a few city people find trouble in mak- 

 ing "the ends meet," — much more trouble than 

 they formerly did. 



This opinion we find confirmed by a late public 

 document — the report of T)avid A. Wells, United 

 States Special Commissioner of the Revenue, ap- 

 pointed by the Secretary of the Treasury. From 

 this document we print a few extracts, beginning 

 with a letter from Hon. Amasa Walker, of Massa- 

 chusetts to the Commissioner. 



"Sir, — The following table, based on the record 

 of ordinary and actual sales, will show you tlie 

 comparative prices of twenty leading commodities 



of domestic consumption in the town of Nurtli 



Brookfield, Mass., in the summers of 1860 and of 

 1868 :— 



Prlfes Prices Per ct, 



in 1860. in 1868. tf in- 



Commoditles creise. 



Beefsteaks, 30 tbs. ^ ft . . . $0 12 $0 25 103 3 



Beef, corned, 15 tt)8. f lb . . OS 15 bib 



Pork, fresh, 20 fts. -T ft . . . 10 20 ItO 



Lamo, 10 tbs. #■ ft 11 25 127 3 



Siiusagcs, 10 fca.^f ft . ... 13 22 6^.2 



Butter, 30 fts. -r ft 22 45 lOJ 5 



Cheese, 6 tts. •^ ft 12 20 66 6 



Lard, 12ft8.,^?'lb U 25 78.5 



Kggs, 4 dozen, ^ doz. ... 17 S5 105 9 



Flour, 1 UU., ^' bbl . . . . 8 60 15 50 82.3 



Fish, fresh, 15 fti, #■ ft . . . 5 12 140 



BtauB, 8 quarts, V quart . . 8 17 112.5 



Rice, 6 fts, f' ft 5 13 :i6J 



Hugar, white, 10 fts., ^ ft . 10 17 70 



Sugar, brown, 12 fts., ^ ft . 8 13 87 5 



Molasses, 1 g il., ^ gil . . . 45 80 77.7 



Tea, 2 fts., r ft 60 125 150 



Coffee, 1 ft, #• ft 29 40 loO 



Vinegar, >i gal., r gal ... 20 60 150 



Potatoes, 3 bush. #■ bush . 50 1 25 150 



"Average advance in cost of above quantities 

 from 1860 to 1868, 98.7 per cent. 



