FARMING AS AN OCCUPATION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3601, 26 January 1883, Page 4

FARMING AS AN OCCUPATION.

The Canadian Fanner very sensibly obseiwes that the great end and aim of the fanner is to make his business profitable; to secure for himself a comfortable" home AAdth nice surroundings, attractiA-e and pleasing to his family. In this respect it differs "In no particular from other occupations, the difference being more in the result than in the object. As a rule, farmers' lives and that of their, families, are made one ceaseless round of toil from sunrise to sunset; day after day, and month after month this continues, and hence the general opinion among people is that fanning is a life of drudgery. We grant that it is made so, but at the same time protest against it, claiming that it is not necessary, on the contrary, while it is the most independent, it should be the most pleasing, instructive, and profitable employment. There is _ a universal feeling that farming is menial employment; that it is a calling less honorable than mercantile or other business trades and professions. From the correct standpoint it is the noblest engaged in by man, yet it carries with it less dignity than others. This is a fact that must be acknoAvledgcd, and for this there is a reason. Everyman is esteemed by his neighbors in just such proportion as he esteems himself. Every occupation is the same, and fanners have it Avithin themselves to make farming honorable and profitable. The first great step toAvards this end will bo to educate—not to educate the young away from the farm, but to educate them for the farm ; give our young men and women liberal educations ; give them an opportunity to mingle, and associate Avith the educated and refined ; give them social advantages, and teach them the dignity of their calling by showing your esteem for it; slioav them that cultivated brains, as Avell as fields, are necessary to raise the social standing of their class, aud that by this means it can be done, and a great step taken towards remoA'ing the objection to fanning.