8 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



We will not dwell to name the score of reasons olfered in vain 

 by the father to check the tendency and influence the conduct 

 of the young son. The parent has virtually given his child a 

 taste of delicious fruit, and while still before him, harmless and 

 intended for him, forbids his eating more. The pictured hand- 

 bill of the menagerie excites his strong and innocent desire to 

 see the reality ; better let him go, and go with him, than press 

 disappointment too far. 



Here, then, we have some of the most important principles of 

 action, viz. : to gratify, to please, to make happy. The ques- 

 tion then arises, shall parents, shall the farmer, meet these 

 demands of childhood, of youth, of human nature itself, on his 

 own premises, within his own control and discretion, or shall he 

 surrender these privileges, these absolute duties, yea, his chil- 

 dren also, to others, to chance, to the reckless, the depraved, the 

 homeless ? 



We are confident there is not a parent who will not agree 

 with us in the answer. Let him then beautify and adorn his 

 front grounds and farm, as time and means will allow, which 

 Cowper calls — 



" Deliglitful industry enjoyed at homo, 

 And nature iu lier cultivated trim, 

 Dressed to his taste ." 



Different tastes and localities will of course so modify all 

 decorative arrangements, that no rules would be generally or 

 specially applicable, even were we capable of giving them. AVe 

 shall only attempt, therefore, to throw out a few hints, aware 

 that details are tedious to the listener. Pahit upon wood is 

 acknowledged to be economical on planed surfaces, and tliis 

 should be extended even to barns and out-buildings, particu- 

 larly when newly built. Planing and preparation of cheap 

 paints by machinery, render these desirable merely for dura- 

 bility. Fences, particularly near the buildings, whether plain 

 or ornamental, add so materially to the neatness and thrifty 

 appearance of a place, when colored with some of the cheap 

 pigments, or even whitewashed, that we wonder they are so 

 often neglected. 



This feature of paint, when thus applied, adds much more to 

 the market value of a place than the cost of ap})lying. We 



