LESSONS FOR FARMERS.

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1928, Page 3

LESSONS FOR FARMERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I would like to write a few words of encouragement to Mr K. M. Stevens, who wrote regarding Puwera. He is evidently a farmer who is doing some thinking, and nothing pleases me more than to see farmers get to thinking, not that they are not as capable as anyone, hut because they appear to believe they have no time for real thinking and studying. If they would learn to use their brawn less and their brain more, we would soon see faming paying., Mr 8107603’ criticism of Puwera is good, though I would bo the last to condemn departmental experimental' work as a whole, Ido want to see more practical work along with the theoretical work. The great trouble with our scientific farm instructors in every department is that they are appointed and promoted on their theoretical education, and very few of them know anything about practical farming, or, to put it more plainly, farming that has to pay wages and interest on its actual products. The instructors practice what Mr Stevens might call “genteel farming,” which they can very well do with a -Government behind them. The working farmers, who arc paying the bills of this country, have very little time for the genteel part of farming, as Mr Stevens well knows. But I would like to ask him how many farms do pay decent wages and interest — that is in comparison with other work, especially what he calls genteel employment? We know the farms produce the wherewithal to keep this little country going, but what percentage -of the proceeds do the working farmers actually receive in wages and interest? And who gets the bulk of what is left, and are they entitled to that amount? When Air Btevens and a reasonable number of other farmers do enough thinking intelligently to understand and answer these simple questions, w,c will be able to' improve our scientific, farm instructors and also the gentlemen who draw up 6uv educational system he refers to. We can then have some hope of making our farm work pay as well as the “genteel work. ’ ’ We will then bo able to break in land like Puwera and make it pay. The, country youths and girls would then in turn rush to “the most natural freest and healthful life.” But, to attain that, we must think beyond criticism of our farms of instruction or experiment, even though they need it badly enough. We must think, also of the economic arrangements of our industries, and change those arrangements to bring about the desired results. The great beauty of it would be that no one would be really hurt by the change. There certainly would be a greater percentage of the population producing, and a much less percentage doing the genteel work, and the results would bo greater wealth for all. That is the only way greater wealth, along with greater comfort and happiness, can bo produced in this country, despite the mad idea of borrow and boom. The first is the real matured prosperity. The latter is a mere bubble, right enough for wizards but of no use to working farmers. I am, etc., Win. H. CHETHAM.