18 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



not manage to keep them at home ? Let those who come to us 

 from abroad, the German or the Scandinavian, people the West. 

 We have given enough of our blood and character there until 

 we can restore ourselves here. We must combat the mistaken 

 idea that, after weighing the whole matter, pro and con, the 

 West is superior to New England, especially Massachusetts, if 

 we wish to spend our lives in health and comfort. 



We must adopt a higher standard of education, physical as 

 well as mental, admitting the great truth, that the latter depends 

 for its vigor and life v])on the former. 



We must make our l)oys work on the soil six months of the 

 twelve. They will probably learn more at school the other six 

 months than if they attended the whole year. Give them 

 patches of land to cultivate on their own account, with all they 

 can realize above cost and expenses. Give them a premium 

 when they deserve it, but make them sell their own products in 

 market. Give your daughters plots of ground for flower-beds, 

 in the same way ; drive them, at least two hours in a day, from 

 the stinted atmosphere of the house and piano, to open air and 

 light, to digging in mother earth, developing thereby the future 

 mothers of our race. Introduce the most improved implements 

 of husbandry, on the farm and in the house. Do not wait — 

 lead your neighbors if possible. 



Improve your stock ; don't keep a poor animal of any kind. 

 Grow roots, fruits, grains most productive and nutritious. I 

 raise upon two acres in Fitchburg almost enough to support a 

 small family. Let us grow such crops as will pay best, or at 

 least have the best probability of a good return. If you make 

 your farms attractive to men of education, of refined taste and 

 manner, by flower gardens, fr\iit and shade trees, you give to 

 your family a standard for mental culture. The want of edu- 

 cation is so plainly written that the most stupid cannot fail to 

 preceive it, and without it the birds of the air and the beasts of 

 the fields are our superiors. 



The farmer should look upon his occupation as a profession, 

 fully equal to Divinity, Law or Medicine. It is in fact superior. 

 They cannot live without him ; but he can live without them. 



Let his sons, who are to have his old homestead (for with 

 scientific culture there will probably be enough for all), that 

 dear spot, filled with shrines the heart hath builded, not only 



