1870. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



27 



portance. Are your help to become members 

 of your family ?" 



"Yes, at present; though I have consid- 

 ered the plan of building a cottage for per- 

 manent farm help. But this year we must be 

 one family, with perhaps two tables." 



"Then the most satisfactory help would be 

 smart young Americans, that have always 

 lived on a farm with their parents, and who 

 intend to follow farming for life." 

 t "Are there such persons ?" 



"Yes, plenty. Among the thousands of 

 farmers' families there are many young men 

 and women that leave their homes, to sell the 

 service of their brain and muscle a few years, 

 for money." 



"Yes. But they rush to manufacturing 

 towns or cities, and get larger wages than far- 

 mers can afford to pay." 



"No. Farmers constantly refuse to recog- 

 nize the fidl value of skilled labor on the 

 farm. They let their sons go, and hire a 

 greater weight of muscle for a few months 

 each year, in some Irish, French or German, 

 and accept with it habits of smoking, drink- 

 ing or profanity. And the farmers' boys soon 

 become skilled in the employment they choose, 

 and however firmly they may resolve to work 

 only a few vears away, and return to farm 

 life again, — their labor becomes of such value 

 that thfjy are retained in the cities, where 

 their employment is permanent. But there 

 prevails an idea that the farmer only needs 

 help in summer. So the intelligent, pains- 

 taking, energetic young man, not only is ob- 

 liged to work in competition with the transiens 

 foreigner in summer, and perhaps at lest 

 wages, if he weighs less pounds, but in win- 

 ter h6 is a drug in the market ; no farmer en- 

 larges his plans and enterprises to give him 

 employment and keep him in the country. So 

 he must go to the city, or take some job at a 

 disadvantage, or keep school in order to earn 

 money. A farmer that has a good horse or ox 

 team will plan to find profitable work for them. 

 But to his son he says 'I can spare you through 

 the winter,' and he is crowded out of the reg- 

 ular routine of farm life." 



"Then you would recommend American 

 help, hired by the year ?" 



"Yes. Such would understand the nature 

 and wants of your cattle ; the comparative 

 value of the hay, straw and roots to be fed to 

 them, the treatment of the soil for each crop 

 you raise, and the best way to dispose of the 

 surplus in market. You should hire by the year 

 because it is duty. Winter is a dull time in 

 other trades, yet proprietors retain their work- 

 men as much as possible, so as to be sure of 

 them in the busy season. The farmers' loss 

 may be trilling, yet not as much as would be 

 the workmen's loss if he bore it alone." 



"Then $30 per month for eight months, is 

 just as much as $20 for twelve months, and 

 often men can be hired at about these rates. 

 Your idea is a good one of building a cottage 



and hiring a married man. and if you can make 

 your service desirable, faithful men will be 

 found. And then to enjoy iiwra life, you 

 must have a happy family, and their happiness 

 cannot be perfect, when all their time is taken 

 to minister to the appetites of such ravenous 

 boarders as farm help often are, when hired 

 because of size and strength." 



"Well, if I adopt your suggestions as to 

 help, what stock shall I get," said Mr. Bul- 

 lion, to his friend and adviser. 



"Why! get that you love the most," said 

 Jones. 



"That is singular advice. I expect to keep 

 stock for profit and not for love. Every body 

 keeps stock to consume what is raised and 

 make manure." 



"Very true ; and with that object it matters 

 but little what you get. But you wish to en- 

 joy your country home. Now If there Is any 

 thing you love more than another, keep that, 

 whether it be horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, goats 

 or fowls ; then whether the market price runs 

 high or low you are contented. But if you 

 have no specialty, then keep what your far- 

 mer likes." 



"You seem to lay great stress upon affec- 

 tion. I desire to raise what will be a credit 

 to me among my neighbors, and will sell well 

 in market. While I do not care for profit for 

 its own sake, yet I desire It on account of its 

 being the evidence of good management, and 

 I can hardly decide what to buy." 



"If one buys what others are dealing in," 

 said Jones, "In hopes of a rise in price, or a 

 continuance of popularity, there is great dan- 

 ger of being led astray. When Merino sheep 

 brought a thousand dollars each, many bought 

 them to get the stock to sell. But when prices 

 came down, their carcasses were sold at a shil- 

 ling each in market, and there was great haste 

 in getting rid of them. A choice Durham is 

 sold at $5000, or an Alderney for $2000 ; and 

 Angora goats $500. Now a fortune spent in 

 purchasing does not insure success ; If there 

 continues a demand for these animals, it is only 

 the good ones that bring a high price, and 

 good care is necessary, which is the result of 

 affection." 



"It is the excellent animals that sell for the 

 best profit on cost of raising. Devotion brings 

 success. Whatever you love so deeply as to 

 plainly show It in the care you give it, and 

 m words of praise spoken in Its favor, will at- 

 tract attention. Those strong words, 'The 

 good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep,' 

 are true ones. Dark nights, stormy days and 

 weary limbs, must not turn away the man who 

 hopes for success, from caring at the proper 

 time for his stock. Some make fortunes in 

 horses, but they have good ones, and love 

 horses." 



"If you have no affection for my particular 

 stock, and have faithful, intelligent help, I 

 wIH recommend large mutton sheep and cows. 

 You can buy good feeding ewes for three or 



