WHY BOYS LEAVE THE FARM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 15

WHY BOYS LEAVE THE FARM.

Abraham Lincoln said "Don't permit the young man to drift away." An exchange amplifies tho text thus: — "Why did you leave the farm, my lad? "Why did you bolt and leave your did? "Why did you beat it off to town And turn your poor old father down? Thinkers of platform, pulpit, press, Are wallowing in deep distress; They seek to know the hidden cause Why farmer boys desert, their pas. Some say they long to get a taste Of faster life and social waste, An<3 soma will say the silly chumps Mistake the suit cards for their tr.umps In waging fresh and germless air Against the smoky thoroughfare. We're all agreed the farm's the place, So free your mind and state your case.

Well, stranger, since you've been so frank, I'll roll aside my hazy bank; The mist cloud of theories, And tell you where the trouble lies; I left my dad, his farm, his plough, Because my calf became his cow; I left my dad—'twas wrong', of course — Because mv colt became his horse; I-left my clad to sow and reap Beoauee my lamb became his sheep; I dropped my hoe and stuck my fork Because my pig became his -pork; The garden stuff that I made grow "Was his to sell, but mine lo hoe; It's not the smoke in the atmosphere Nor the taste of life that brought van here; Please tell the platform, pulpit, press, No fear of toil or love of dress Is driving off the farmer lads, But just the method of their dads. Farmer Best brought up four boys and three girls. All stayed on the farm unti they were married, and then they stayed in the neighbourhood. Farmer Worse had only two youngsters—a boy and a girl—and both left home as soon as they were old enough to work. And the difference was largely a matter of iust plain business. The Bests never undertook anything without a talk and a plain business understanding. The youngsters all had seperate farm interests of their own—chickens, pigs, calves, colts, a corner of . the garden, certain field's, certain fruit trees, certain crops. Before Dad Best gave them animals to raise or financed their enterprises, there ■was always a talk about details. Johnny ■got the colt he wanted, but rendered such-and-such return in work, while matters of feed, pasture, care and, ownership were clearly settled beforehand. If Milly got the chicken money, it was because she assumed responsibility and did the work. But over "in the Worse family nobody knew where anvbody stood. Little Billy worked like a Trojan all summer, raising a litter of pigs under the impression that thev were his own,, only to find that Dad aold them to the butcher, and didn't remember giving them to Billy. Neither Mrs Worse nor Charlotte ever had money. They got clothes and a few trimmings of life on a temperamental plan, according to whether _ Dad felt prosperous or poor. A business arrangement among' members of the Best family was a 3 clear as a contract. They never put such things in writing, but all the details were discussed and obscure points raised and settled, with sometimes a little shrewd bargaining. m But the otheir family! It ran something like a factory_ where everybody is on a piece-work basis, and the boss likely to cut a piece rate ovcrnisrht. Dad Worse "hated to be bothered with details." . Billy might develop an ambition to enter into a corn-grcwing contest, but felt that Dad would not be very sympathetic, anvway. If Dad trave permission it was off" hand, when caught in a good honmour, and then he srn'd vaguely: "Oh. well —ves, I guess bo. But you won't get anything out of it." And probably ho was right, because

next autumn he did not remember that an acre of corn belonged to the boy, and so Billy got nothing out of it. Farming is certainly, a business —more complete in details, very often, than industrial business. Tho farm family is an informal corporation. No "big business corporation would run along without conferences, definitions,, agreements. Probably a little "big business" on the farm would do more than any other one thing to keep the boys and girls at home. Besides, it would make the boys and girls realise that their interests are identical with those of their parents. We were at a purebred stock sale the other day. and after the sale was over we talked awhile with the man who was looking after the registration certificates and their transfer. Our conversation was suddenly interrupted. The purchaser of a fine Shorthorn cow and calf came dashing into the office. "Say," he demanded, "have you fixed up those papers yet?" No, he was informed, they hadn't been made out. They would be sent to him in a day or two. * "Then, that's all right," said he.' 'Take your time about that. But be sure to put it in 'and Son.' The boy's in partnership .with me on this deal. He's keen after tho good stuff. He knows as much ■ about it as I do, and maybe more, and he's a half-owner and gets half the profits. So you be sure and put the 'and Son' in the papers." On being definitely assured that the firm name would be properly inserted, the farmer grinned at us, and we grinned at him unders+andingly, and he went, away happy.