1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



107 



For the Nfw Eni^land Farmer. 



WHY FARMING IS DESPISED. 



Mr. Editoi^ : — Of all occupations, that of farm- 

 ing, if not the most lucrative, is certainly the 

 most natural, and the most conducive to health. 

 The fiirmer therefore, ought to be, and is, as a 

 general thing, the happiest of men ; but, when- 

 ever this is not the case, the fault is not in his 

 business, but in the farmer himself. Notwith- 

 stjinding these two great considerations — health 

 and happiness — there are many, very many, 

 througliout the community, who look upon farm- 

 ing with a sort of contempt — tit only to engage 

 the attention of the lowest class of people. Es- 

 pecially is this true of the younger portion of the 

 community — young men and young women. 



Now my object in writing this article is to 

 mention some things which appear to be the rea- 

 sons why this icrong state of feeling exists. If 

 they are not the true, reasons, perhaps they may 

 be the means of calling forth those that are true, 

 from you, or some of the readers of your valuable 

 paper. 



1. There is too great a desire to become rich — 

 to gain riches rapidly, and with as little labor as 

 possible. Now it is known that the farming 

 business is not very favorable to those desires, es- 

 pecially the last mentioned. It is true that there 

 are some who have by industry, knowledge, and 

 the strictist economy, managed to gain an inde- 

 pendence, simply by farming ; but these are ex- 

 ceptions to the general rule — there being but 

 few farmers, comparatively, who have become 

 rich by that means and no other. And so, many, 

 thinking to obtain riches fost, and much, (but 

 how often are their hopes blasted I) flock to the 

 counting-room, the office of the lawyer and doc- 

 tor, become speculators, or go to the golden fields 

 of California. 



2. There is a seemingly natural, innate (?) re- 

 pugnance — common to almost every individual — 

 to daily manual labor. [All the result of educa- 

 tion. — Ed.] Now this repugnance must be over- 

 come by all who are obliged to work for a living, 

 or else it will ever bo a source of unhappiness to 

 them. Many rather than do this, and thinking 

 the farmer has the hardest of work to perform, 

 (which is a mistaken notion) engage in some oth- 

 er business, in which they imagine they can enjoy 

 more ease and exemption from labor. And this 

 object is sometimes attained ; but how (requeutly 

 at the expense of their health, or happiness, or 

 both, for they are very intimately connected. It 

 would not be desirable, nor is it possible fur all to 

 bo farmers ; but it seems to me that there ai-e 

 many speculators, merchants and professors, v/ho 

 would have been better off themselves, and a 

 greater blessing upon the world, if they had be- 

 come, or remained, farmers. 



3. It is well known what an influence young 

 ladies have upon the thoughts, actions, anddesti- 

 ni''s of youn<' men. What they think is honora- 

 bh' or desirable, young men are inclined to believe 

 is so, and vice versa. We will say to the lasting 

 praise of the gentler sex, tliat tlieir influence is 

 nearly always upon the riglit sid*;, but not inva- 

 riably so. Many young ladies have somehow got 

 the notion into their heads that labor, and es- 

 fcdalhj house and farm labor, is degrading ; and 

 to put their notion into practice, they neglect to 



learn that which above all things a woman should 

 learn — the art of housekeeping. There are, it is 

 true, many exceptions to tliis rule, but the excep- 

 tion should he tfic rule in this case. Girls either 

 stay at home, — if their parents are able to sup- 

 port them — dress iinel3% and sigh over sickly 

 novels until they are married, or, as soon as they 

 are old enough, go to some factory or boarding- 

 school, and, after a time, come liack and affect to 

 despise evjcrybody except those wiio have plenty of 

 money and but little to do. Young men are 

 aware of this, and, to please or win their sweet- 

 hearts, seek some employment which they (the 

 sweethearts) think is not degrading. I believe it 

 would not be far from the truth to say, that this 

 is as strong, if not a stronger reason tlian any 

 other why so many J'oung men turn to other pur- 

 suits than farming. 



4. Many are ambitious to have their names en- 

 rolled upon the book, of fame — to obtain the hon- 

 ors and applause of men ; and leaving, or spurn- 

 ing the humble occupation of the farmer, fix their 

 attention upon some pursuit which they think is 

 better calculated to satisfy their desires than 

 forming. But, ambition, although a motive 

 which has prompted men to perform many great 

 and noble actions, yet is a feeling or desire which 

 is seldom or never satisfied. The ambitious man 

 always sees some seeming good beyond his reach 

 which he imagines it is necessary to liis happiness 

 to obtain ; he cannot, therefore, be a truly happy 

 and contented man. 



5. Most young men are fond of excitement, ad- 

 venture, and of seeing and knowing what is going 

 on in the world personally . The farmer's life, to 

 them, appears dull and insipid — they must be 

 where there is more noise and bustle than can be 

 heard and seen upon the farm. And to gratify 

 these desires, many of them go to the large towns 

 and cities, the railroads, the pedlar's cart, and 

 some to the lone blue sea. 



6. Some farmers make such wretched work of 

 farming, and take so little pains to instruct their 

 sons in this most useful art, that it is not surpris- 

 ing they loath it, and seek other emploj'inents. 



If these are not all, they are (if I rightly read 

 human nature,) the principal reasons why farm- 

 ing is despised. 



A few facts in favor of farming, and I have 

 done. Everybody knows that the farmer must 

 work hard, and manage \\h affairs very shrewdly, 

 to gain much besides a good living for himself and 

 family ; he must be content to acquire property 

 slowly, but surely. But ho has these advantages 

 over many of a diilerent pursuit : — if he is a true 

 farmer, there is little danger of his becoming 

 liankrupt, and thus robbing his fellow-men of 

 their just dues, as some do ; he has health ; is 

 comparatively free from distressing cares, and 

 bitter disappointments ; he is surrounded by the 

 beautiful works of God in nature — the trees, 

 grass and flowers, the singing of birds, the pure 

 air of heaven, the changing seasons, and all the 

 sublime and glorious scenes which nature some- 

 times displays to her wondering chihh'en. lie 

 has time to observe, tliink, read and reflect ; and, 

 if he is a man of taste, can generally find means 

 to gratify it — especially a taste for t!ie beauties 

 of nature. He enjoys a sort of independence which 

 other men do not. He docs nut have to wait 

 until the best yc;irs of his life are spent in ac- 



