1853 . 
THE CULTIVATOR 
65 
confined to the (to him) disagreeable and dull 
routine of the farm, in which he takes hut little 
interest, for he never intends to be a farmer; and 
without any proper preparation for entering upon 
any other business, when he has attained his ma¬ 
jority, he leaves the farm in disgust, and. has got 
to learn the occupation he is to depend upon for 
a livelihood. 
Can we wonder, with this experience, which is 
a-true transcript of that of a large number of 
those who have been reared upon a farm, that 
the homestead should be deserted, and the old 
farmers be obliged to pass the evening of their 
lives in sad and solitary loneliness ° while their boys, 
for the want of a proper preliminary education 
should struggle through life as second or third rate 
traders, lawyers, or physicians'? for seldom do 
they, after leaving their homes, learn any mechan¬ 
ical trade. There are some, it is true, who leave 
the field for the bench of the artizan, but the most 
of them purchase their time of their fathers, and 
are glad even thus to escape from a life that has 
become so distasteful to them. 
There cannot be any absolute necessity for the 
repulsiveness that most young men feel toward 
farm labor, and a farmer’s life. Many who have 
been bred to other callings, and have passed years 
in the busy haunts of men, are looking forward 
with pleasurable anticipations to the time when 
they can leave their present harrassing and de¬ 
pendent occupations, (dependent either upon an 
employer or the public,) to the independent and 
healthful life of a tiller of the soil. 
But the inquiry is, u How to raise farmers 
and I will endeavor to present a few hints derived 
from experience as well as observation, that may 
not he unworthy attention. 
The child should he able to discern that the fa¬ 
ther and mother enjoy life on the farm, in some 
methods other than the pleasure of having per¬ 
formed a large amount of labor, or accumulated 
property - for he has not yet learned thus to limit 
his sources of enjoyment. Amusements of some 
kind should he systematically procured for all 
young persons, whether on the farm or in villages. 
The spelling-book taught that, 
“ All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy 
and many a boy would gladly quote the line, even 
if for a reply he should have its counterpart, if 
he did fear more than love his parents. 
No one, at so small an expenditure of money, 
can afford to their family such pleasant seasons of 
recreations, as can the farmer; even a ride to the 
neighboring village with one. or with both parents, 
would by most children be deemed equal to a holi¬ 
day. The farmer has a team, and he goes on 
business, so there is no loss of time to him. But 
it is no uncommon thing to meet young persons 
nearly arrived to manhood, who have never been 
a dozen miles from the home farm, and every 
thing beyond these limits, wears a hue of mystery, 
which they are determined to remove as soon as 
they are freed from their present galling confine- 
merit. With a mere trifle of expense, he could 
gratify this laudable curiosity in his children, or 
he could entertain the children of his friends who 
reside in the village or city, and they even might 
almost envy his sons their priviliges, while they 
are freely partaking of the fruit that otherwise 
would rot upon the ground. 
Invite them to your homes, and let your lads 
show the large growth of plants and fruits, the 
docile and happy cattle and sheep, to those who 
will admire with wonder and delight, and resolve 
themselves, to become tillers of the soil. 
As regards clothing, every person should, while 
at work , dress in a manner befitting his employ¬ 
ment | but there can be no reason why the children 
of farmers should he dressed in a manner that 
must deeply wound their pride of appearance, at 
all times, and on all occasions. As great would 
be the propriety of making the son of a shoema¬ 
ker wear his leather apron to church, as there is 
in making farmer’s chililden wear the clothing that 
is frequently provided them. “But farmer’s 
children should not be proud.” They are and will 
be proud until all care for everything, except to 
accumulate wealth, is crushed out of them, and 
they will despise the calling that so frequently 
wounds their pride. 
None should be favored with better opportuni¬ 
ties for an education , than those who are to take 
the lead in Agriculture; for there are few callings 
where the mind can be exercised to better pur- 
pose, than In the improvement of the soil and its 
products. To understand how to treat the vari¬ 
ous soils, and how to furnish the proper nutriment 
for the great variety of plants grown upon the 
farm, at the least expense, so that the soils may 
not become deteriorated-—to know how to manage 
the animals in sickness and in health—to under¬ 
stand their physiological laws, so as to be able 
constantly to improve them, making the offspring 
of more value than the parents : and that without 
a pecuniary loss, requires a greater familiarity with 
the sciences, and greater activity of the mind, 
than is needed to manage a steam-ship, or com¬ 
mand armies; yet by many it is supposed fanners 
and farmers’ sons, need but to possess minds wil¬ 
ling. and bodies strong to labor. 
Order, regularity, and neatness, should he ob¬ 
served about the buildings and the fields, both 
because it is more profitable thus, and because 
then, the boys would be proud, of their home and 
their calling, and he pleased to do all they could 
to improve and embellish their homes. 
On all farms, there should he a room or shop, 
supplied with tools for repairing such implements 
as need repair, and for making such as can be best 
made there. Here, every implement in use on the 
farm, should have its place, and each should be 
put in its place. Here, also, the boys might per¬ 
form the philosophical and chemical experiments 
they have learned at school and from books—here 
they can analyze their soils, and try new experi¬ 
ments. This room should be the study and work¬ 
shop of the farm, and here the young, and per- 
haps the older farmers, would be glad to assemble 
in stormy weather, and during the long winter 
evenings, to converse upon the past, and to mature 
plans for future operations. 
But this study should not engross all the eve¬ 
nings of the boys. Our Creator endowed us with 
social feelings, and the entire family, and the 
young people of neighboring families, should often 
meet in social gatherings, for the purpose of mu¬ 
tual improvement and enjoyment . The parent 
and child, the aged and the young, should all 
unite in making the time pass in a pleasant and 
profitable manner. The sports and sallies of youth, 
will cause the warm blood to flow more freely 
through the heart of the aged, and the wisdom of 
years will improve the minds of the young. 
Taste, and a love for the country and rural plea- 
sures, that can so easily and cheaply be gratified. 
