The Canadian Horticulturist. 



209 



INCENTIVES TO AGRICULTURAL LIFE UNDER A 

 THREE FOLD ASPECT. 



A Word for Farmers' Sons. 



'HE great tendency for farmers' sons to seek a life of ease in the 

 towns and cities, and to cultivate a dislike for the so-called 

 " drudgery " of the farm or garden, calls forth earnest effort 

 to try to convince the boys of the mistake they make in 

 exchanging the free, happy, healthy life of the country for the 

 bondage and uncertainties of city life. The ambition to 

 become great, and able to lead a life of ease and luxury, is 

 often the snare that is laid to lure many a youth from the quiet steady life of the 

 farm to embark in the feverish existence of a business career that, after it is fret- 

 ted to the bitter end, closes with bankruptcy, and financial ruin. True this is not 

 the case with every one, but when we consider that it is estimated that only three 

 out of every hundred of those who embark in business in New York city, ulti- 

 mately succeed in a permanent business prosperity, it seems to show that the gen 

 eral rule is failure and defeat in the battle of life, instead of success and victory 

 1 ,et us view this exodus from the country to the city, by the farmer boys in a three 

 fold aspect. First, as a financial, secondly, as a physical, and thirdly, as a 

 moral argument for remaining on the farm. As a financial success, every one 

 who applies himself to the work of tilling the soil with a fair share of intelligence 

 added to his efforts, and with a practice of economy and perseverance, is sure to 

 have a reasonable degree of prosperity resulting from those efforts, though he 

 may not acquire riches in a short period. But suddenly acquired wealth, often 

 begets luxury and extravagant living, which eat like canker worms into the fan- 

 cied easy life of its possessor. " Slow and steady gains give competence with 

 tranquility of mind," and let every farmer boy who reads this paper, repeat the 

 above maxim, until it is indelibly imprinted on his very soul and he will find it a 

 profitable item to serve as a balance wheel to his financial desires as long as he 

 is permitted to exist on this mundane sphere. And we say without reserve, that 

 no occupation offers the same prospects for a comfortable competence an 

 ultimate financial success that the cultivation of the soil offers, providing that 

 intelligence and economy are accompaniments of that cultivation. Look care- 

 fully over the experiences of the farming and gardening community, and if you 

 find an isolated case of failure you will be able to trace it to some prominent lack 

 of effort in the right direction, perhaps some extravagant habits either by the man 

 out of doors, or the woman within doors, or some want of energy or right 

 application of the principles of success. On the other hand, in the trades and 

 professions, often the most assiduous efforts and careful management result 



