“Exactly,” I said. “Now, Mr. Dennison, I’m not a farmer; I’m a business man. I’m taking hold of the possibilities of this village where I live as a business enterprise. And I’m not a teacher. I’m not in a position to criticise your work here except as a business man who wants to use some of it to help along his business enterprise. But right here I’d like to say frankly that it doesn’t seem to me it would pay to hire instruction which ends by making the employee discontented with his work.” “With equal frankness allow me to say I consider that a very narrow way of looking at it,” he answered. “Don’t think I’m considering my own pocket,” I said. “I’m only general manager for the group represented by the club. What I mean is that what we ourselves particularly want is instruction which will help every man to thrive and gain content on his own land and won’t leave him ambitious to neglect it for a larger enterprise somewhere else. That tendency is just what we’re fighting. There’s been too much of ‘Go west, young man.’ Our battle cry is ‘Stay at home, young man.’ Honestly now--isn’t that what New England needs?” “Perhaps,” he nodded. “Inspiration to stay at home and compete with the old-world pioneers who are pushing him hard, that’s what the native New Englander needs,” I repeated. “Ah, those foreigners,” he sighed. “If I had stuff like that to handle.” “You might spoil it,” I said, laughing in my turn. “Perhaps you’re right,” he joined in. “After all, there’s no substitute for sheer industry.” Well, the upshot of our pleasant argument was that he offered to do all he could to help us in our project. “After all,” he said, “there are only five essentials in good farming. The first is to determine what the land lacks by analysis (don’t get frightened--we’ll do that much for you); the second is to supply that lack by proper fertilization; the third is proper selection of seed; the fourth is proper rotation of crops so that one crop will put back what the previous crop has taken out; and the fifth is just hard work in keeping the land cultivated. I don’t see why in a general way that ground couldn’t be covered between now and spring. At any rate I’m willing to try it if you’ll furnish the enthusiasm.”