24 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



plaints are true, — and tbey certainly are, In 

 some measure, — there must be reasons for 

 them. Some of the reasons could be easily 

 cited, but only one -will be alluded to at pres- 

 ent, — and that is the great want of intelligent, 

 industrious and conscientious, farm-laborers. 



Farming, as a vocation, has been greatly 

 changed Avithin thirty years. While important 

 improvements have been introduced in the 

 modes of cultivating the soil, and much hard 

 and wearing labor has been transferred from 

 man to beast, other things have taken place, 

 which have actually changed the condition of 

 most New England homes, by the introduction 

 of an element at once uninstructed and un- 

 manageable. 



There is scarcely a farm now in three of the 

 New England States without one or more Irish 

 persons upon it as "help," and frequently two 

 or three indoors and as many without. In the 

 other three States, Maine, New Hampshire 

 and Vermont, there are not so many, but still 

 may be counted by thousands in these. 



Nearly all this "help" comes to us without 

 education of any kind, ignorant alike of our 

 modes of farming, housekeeping, and the laws 

 and customs of the land. All this, however, 

 we could overcome, and by patience, kindness 

 and careful training, could, in oiost cases, get 

 an equivalent in their labor for the cost which 

 they incur, if they only brought along with 

 their labor an educated conscience. But such 

 is not the case. The remark of our corres- 

 pondent on this point is true, and may be 

 verified in hundreds of cases. 



This is a deplorable state of things, and the 

 introduction of this element to our farms, and 

 the necessity which seems to exist for it, are 

 among the leading causes why so many per- 

 sons decline tomake farming a business. 



Thirty years ago, the "help" on the farm 

 was the proprietor and his healthy, educated 

 and intelligent children around him, each feel- 

 ing an individual responsibility for the main- 

 tenance of order, economy and industry in 

 everytliing pertaining to the prosperity and 

 general welfare of the family. When they 

 came around the table at their meals it was a 

 perfect love-feast, where thought, feeling and 

 expression were harmonious, where the lan- 

 guage used was common to all, and where a 

 single interest animated every member of the 

 family. 



The entire management, or engineering of 

 the farm, did not then fall upon a single per- 

 son, — but some of the sons and daughters took 

 an active lead in certain departments of duty, 

 and claimed a responsibility which greatly re- 

 lieved those oppressed, perhaps, with the bur- 

 den of years. There was a sjstem, and an 

 economy of time and means practiced In eveiy- 

 thing, and an animus that needed no morning 

 calls or the master's eye. 



How is it now In the family of the farmer ? 

 His sons are in Idaho or Japan, and his daugh- 

 ters among the turpentine trees of North Car- 

 olina, or somewhere else, lifting the Ignorant 

 and debased out of the darkness in which a 

 cruel custom had long enslaved them. Around 

 his table and evening fireside, there are two 

 sets of people, two languages, and scarcely an 

 interest or custom in common among them. 

 But this Is not all ; there is an antagonistic 

 feeling, a common sentiment among them that 

 runs counter to our customs, modes of life, 

 labor and thought, which is added to an idea 

 of competency which often runs into the ridic- 

 ulous. The uneducated are usually the best 

 taught — in their own judgment — and are the 

 most tenacious of their opinions. 



These persons have come among us to es- 

 tabli.-h homes In our fertile and beauti- 

 ful land, and there is "scope and verge 

 enough" for all. We welcome them to it as 

 one of the choicest portions of God's heritage. 

 Here they can settle upon the land, protected 

 and encouraged by wise and humane laws, and 

 multiply and replenish the earth. Why should 

 they stand apart from us, and cultivate a clan- 

 ship which builds up a partition wall between 

 us ? Why should they not fulfil all their con- 

 tracts, and act in good faith in every respect; 

 discharge all their duties with fidelity, send 

 their children into the common schools, and all 

 become Americanized as fast as possible? It 

 certainly is for their best interest so to do. 



If any one of these persons supposes that an 

 American does not perform his part of a con- 

 tract, their instant resort is to the law, and 

 many harrassing and expensive cases of litiga- 

 tion grow out of such suits. 



Ought we not, then, to protect ourselves ? 

 Ought not the fanners of a town to meet, es- 

 tabli>h some rules of proceeding, collect a fund 

 to dcfiay expenses, and appoint certain per- 

 sons to prosecute every case of vioialion of 



