Litchfield enquirer., 1838-08-02
THR CoNrRAsT,

1 u"tCOS ny Ube. tDUoWtHS hIdbOS"P HtI'- posed tO have occurred in an evening con versation, between farmer of IIn. hrr.'- dilary school, aud his son, on the lMier's return from school, where ie had studied, with some interest, ihe principles of sc;- entific farming. LANsTNGBuRGT.
 F'0ther. Well, John, since you are be- coming scholar, l suppose you have quite ontgrown the thoughts of being a iarmer2
 Son. No, Father, the effect is quite the contrary. have been paying considera- ble attention to the study of agriculture and ! assure ybu have found it a most delightful subject.
 F0thcr. From the number of books and foolish newspapers, all about farming, yon have brought ho"ie, you are in a fair way to run crazy and turn book farmer; why, son. would sooner sec you engaged tn catching grasshoppers.
 Son. Then, suppose, father, you con- slider farming as not susceptible of any im- provemenis.
 Father. Improvements, why, what i'n- provemcnts do you want, John l-Have | not been farmer all the days of my life-and good farn,er2 and were not my father and grandfather good farmers, brought up to it aud now have been sending you to school, and on your return home, have commenced teaching me how to farm. No, no, Jol.n, that won't do [ am loo old to begin ,o learn my trade anew from books, written by parcel ot lazy fellows, who never hoed hill "t corn in their lives. @ sa-
 Son. Then, Iisuppose you will plant corn un the same IOld field behind the barn where you have always planted it, and feed the same breed of long 'snouled, razor backed hogs. ,al, .-.. ..,9l. .or., .t,[,I Father. Yes, John, have hood corn in that old field tnaay a days by the side ofI your grandfather; and it is good enough for me yet, and he pork oflmy oid breed of hogs, brought me over hundred dol- lars last winter, and l,avc'no doubt they will bring me as much this winter coming and if you intend, to be a farmer, and are wise, you will follow my example, aud not be led into the wild goose chase of book farming. -f t8a-
 Son. We'll, father, 1 am not disposed to question your claim to the title Of a good farmer aud | am proud of being descend ed from ancestors of that most honorable calling but should l arrive at tho honor of pursuing it on my own account, l shall feel additional prids in meriting the appel ia,ion of a book hrn,er. lf can suc- cced in raising sixty bushels of corn from an acre with the same, Or less labor tIian it cost you to raise thirty; and iF 1 can obtain breed of logs which are not more than half legs, ears and snout; and which will not. like PharAoh's Jean ,kine, cost more than ,heir valse, shall no, consider that disgrace my worthy ancestors by so doing.
 Father. An, Johp, when yoa are of age you will act for yo,,rself, and ] hope by that time, you will have more sense than to believe your sidy bushel stories, and hogs laited mpom moonshiBe. have as good corn on the old family lot as any of my neighbors, and ,hink thirty bushels n pretty good crop. For my,part don't think best to believe half the lies people tell. '.4 -
 Son. I have no wish, father. to believe lies but I ,hink l could give you most satisfactory proof that more than hun- dred bushels of corn have been raised from an acre, in great number of instances
 Father. Why JohB-l would not be- Iicvc so foolish a story, # ! told it my self. But { see l have sent you 10 school to make fool of you. ] hope, however. you will outgrow 1t when you get more discretion. ... i. ta.. ..8 ....t..4
 Son. 1 hope, Sir, shall improve in discretion, but l am very sure discretion will never influence me against being a book farmer.
 Father. A book farmer !-wl,y, my son, ! am fired of such folIy-have not | always been considered a good respccta- ble farmer? Are not my crops always planted in season and tended and gathered in good order7 What better can you do in farming, than 1o follow my exampIe7
 Sou. Your example, father, as far as industry and attention to business go, is perfectly satisfactory, and l shall be proud io follow it. But you will excuse me when tell you that book farming teaches me some improvements iD the system of managing which think are too important to be neglected. IL teaches me that plants require food as well as an- imals and that the ground which supplies that requires to be repIrnisted from time to time with means-it teaches me that fl the manure which has been accommodating by the side of your barn ever simce my re- msmbrance, and is now roiting ihe cover- ing, were spread upon your corn field, it would. at least he doubled. ! have. learn ed, by books. as well as by my own ob- servation, that as great Improvements may be made in the breed of animals as in ihe choice and cultivation of vegetables, espe- eially in the breeds Of hogs. aa.p
 Eafker. Why. in the name of common sense, what Improvement would you have