158 
Annual Report of the 
the torch is introduced, scatter light in brilliant reflection on all 
sides. Farmers are ready to regret that a son sent to the Univer¬ 
sity, even to its agricultural instruction, is lost to the farm. Two 
things are to be said here. A son is not lost to the farm interest be¬ 
cause he is lost to farm work. The farmers are to be the factors of 
many other classes, are to furnish supplies not merely in food, but 
in that better staple of tough and sturdy young men. These young 
men, whether in mercantile, professional or political life, will not 
easily forget the farm that was a true parent to them; nor the 
farm-house that holds their best affections and tenderest recollec¬ 
tions. Set it down as one of the advantages of farming that it 
yields so many of its sons to so many callings; that it can and does 
so deeply penetrate the entire life of the state, and give so much to 
it in so many ways. The second thing to be considered is, that in 
proportion as farmers are thoughtful, intelligent and possessed of 
that fore-handedness which true economy confers, the occupation 
will become more attractive, and draw to itself more of its educated 
children. I hold fast to m 3 " first assertion, there are very few call¬ 
ings that promise the same sober, honorable, pleasant life as intell¬ 
igent farming; and if any prejudice remains in the public mind 
against it, it is chiefly becaues of the dull, stolid, insufficient wa> r 
in which much of its work is done. Let us strnggle with this ac¬ 
tual burden of ignorance till we cast it off; let us catch the promise 
of the years to come and realize it, paving a wa}" which all feet can 
travel, to that period in which the plain but substantial comforts, 
uniform intelligence and social power of our farming population 
shall make them the bod 3 T of a strong and prosperous nation; shall 
capacitate them to deal wisely and kindly with those political and 
social questions which press on their consideration. Farmers are 
under training now as never before. The agricultural fair, the agri¬ 
cultural convention, are all effective in their wa> T . There is only 
requisite, knowledge enough, social activit}" enough, to allow these 
yeasty elements of thought to work upward and downward, and 
leaven and enliven the whole lump. Some farmers are non-conduc¬ 
tors to truth. They want an industrial conversion, a sudden and 
violent waking up, till they can see and feel the things that make for 
their economic and social salvation; till the force of example and pre¬ 
cept can find its way among them. We are sometimes given to a 
laudation of farming, true neither to our convictions nor our feel- 
