HOW TO MAKE GOOD FARMERS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2049, 17 September 1880, Page 3

HOW TO MAKE GOOD FARMERS.

Our native youth (eays a correspondent of the Sydney " Town and Country Journal ") and those who are responsible for forming their habits and training them to be useful members of the oommunity, will do well to consider whether the following questions, altered so as to suit the circumstances of the oolony, can be satisfactorily answered, and if not, bow it could be managed to have them so in the near future. The Orange is a farmers' association formed to watch over and promote their mutual interests. They are now very numerous in the States of America, and are likely to prove of great advantage to tho country : BOMB GOOD SUGGESTIONS. Editors " Journal of Agriculture " : The Grange would do well to adopt the following suggestions in regard to young men applicants. We suggest that a series of questions be put as follows: Ist. Did you ever finish feeding all the stock on the farm on whioh you work, and not go to the house to sit by the fire, and let yonr father or employer finish feeding. If bo how often ? 2nd. Did you ever in your recollection carry a bucket of swill to the hogß without a special request to do so ? If so how often? 3rd. Did you ever nail on a plank or a paling which had come loose, or lay up a rail which had fallen off a fence, without a spocial order to do do from your father or employer? If you ever did, do you remember how often ? 4th. Do you remember how often you ever closed all tho gates and all the stablo doors, after you had done feeding ? sth. Did you never leave the crib or granarv door open, and in consequence thereof have feed and grain wasted and stock foundered ? 6th. Do you always keep the harness in their proper places, and did you ever oil them without the assistance of your father or employer ? 7th. Do you know whether or not you ever ohopped enough of stove wood, at one time, to make fire enough to cook an ontire meal, and then carry it to the kitchen, without a speoial order to do s- 1 ? Bth. How often have you assisted in feeding all tho stook on tho farm on Saturday evenings, and Sunday, during any one year in yonr recollection ? If the applicant answer the above questions to the satisfaction of a committee of three, to be appointed for the purpose, the applicant should be admitted into the order. If not he should be admonished to try for one year to become eligible, and at the end of that time report if successful. And, after tbe admission of young men who possess these qualifications, the Bubordinate Grange should grant a diploma, and it be countersigned by the State Grange, which would be a good recommendation for young man who have to make their living by farm work, and besides, it would enable farmers to pay them such prices as would compare in accordance with the wages paid mechanics and other tradesmen. And lam inclined to think that if each farmer's son and " farm hand" would qualify himself in said arts, there would be fewer shiftless farmers in our country. I will admit that the aforesaid qualities do not seem very much like elevating the farmer to statesmanship, but it would help to elevate him above want. And lam certain there is not a farmer within my knowing but has felt tho need of a "hand" possessing these qualifications; and while I write this I am sensible of the fact that many who are unacquainted with the wants of the favmer will sneer or giggle at this 5 but I also know that the majority of farmers would be glad to employ a " hand " that would put the above suggestions into practice, and would pay such a "hand " good wages. These aro qualities in a farm hand which should be eulogised, and are things whioh are felt the need of in the daily routine of the farmer's life, and cannot be entirely ignored. This is an outside view of the matter, and of course I don't expect the Grange to take action on it very soon ; but I do hope every boy who expects to make farming his_ occupation will endeavour to thus qualify himself, and by so doing very muoh relieve the great want of the farmer.