Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-05-26
" Book Farming"

ing and our present common school system.
Mr. Pcttibone raises stock extensively, partic-
ularly sheep, and seems to think that in this
State, the same capital and labor upon land will
pay better interest in the produce of stock,
than in the produce Of corn. In some Of his
views on the subject, we agree. We believe
that in many parts of the State, lands are better
for grazing than crops; but we arc surprised to
sec lingering in so intelligent farmer, the COM
mon prejudice against science in agriculture,
which has been the greatest obstacle to improve.
ments in farming. Mr. Pettbone thinks that " to
follow the rules laid down by most of the writers,
would ruin ninetenths Of the farmers of Yer
monti" and that " few of our turner's who write
for agricultural papers, ever hardened their
hands with hoe or ptchiork, or brought up the
cows from lowland meadow barefoot ia frosty
morning" We do not suppose that Mr. Petit
bone means as the language would import that
these acts constitute n good farmer; but, that no
one but nm actual idborer upon farm, is qualified
to give useful and practical information on the
subject of farming
Without stopping to contrOvert a proposition
so unreasonable, aud we may add, so unjust
and which Mr. Pcttibonc has not attempted to
sustain by evidence or argument--wc take issue
upon the fact, and affirm that most of the writers
upon agriculture are practical farmers, and that
those farmers are most successful and prosperous
who study agricultural publications most, and
bring the experience of others, and the lnht of
science to their aid. IL Mr. Peltbonc would as
certain the actual occupation of the writers in
the Culiicdior to which he himself is a valuable
contributor, he would find nearly all of them TO
be men who earn "their bread by the sweat of
their brows." We could hope, indeed, that the
number OF writers Of that class was increased,
and it is one of the advantages Of proposed
higher standard OF education among them, agri-
cultural and general, to enable them more read
iy TO give the public the benefit Of their expert
ence. Now it is not to be expected that all the
recommendations and suggestions as to farming,
many Of them being merely hints for consider
alton, should he Unfortunately followed in
practice. Difference of climate, Of soils, and of
seasons, require different methods Of culture, and
that which succeeds in one will fail in another.
The prudent, considerate, and reading farmer
will discriminate, and adopt such improvements
as appear appropriate to his soil and circumstan-
ces. The history OF the writer to whom Mr. Pet
tibone alludes in bis article, eee,ualy disproves
the idea that BOOK learning" ruins farmers, or
that farmers cannot or do not write. Taking M
the profession of farming without experience, and
having neither capital or salary to depend up
on, he gave direction and efficiency TO his own
labor, by careful study of books" on aaricul-
ture, and the adoption Of such useful ideas as
they contained. These were practced. with
such Improvements as his Judgment and expcri.
enee approved, and the result has been, not to
'' ruin him, but to make him successful and
prosperous farmer; and the same capital and Ia
Dor, expended now upon the land he cultiyatcs.
viii yield double the product Of land by the side
fit, having the same expenditure, and wanting
the improved cultivation found in "book farm
ing We mention this instance, because allud-
cd to by Mr Pettibone, but there are many other
similar instances within our knowledge even in
this county, and We could safely appeal to the
observation Of Mr. Pcttibonc himself, to prove
that the most successful farmers are those who
have departed from the beaten track Of their
ancestors, and sought by experiments, or by the
experience Of others contained in agricultural
publications, to make the most of their materials
and capital. There is no intelligent, observing
farmerlwhose experience does no, furnish some
thing new and useiul--if confncd to himself It
remains useless to others; Unpublished it may ben
eft thousands-and yet this is book farminq."
In tie early attempts at farming sharpened
piece Of iron, used by the laborer, was the pillow
their hoe and spade was sharpened board ;
their harrow, bush; their grst-mill a hand
mortar; their only threshing machine, the feet
of oxen, Sc. They had no variety, and knew
no way of improving, their grains or fruit trees
Behold the change! What improvements in
farming utensils, in varieties and qualities Of
grain what inventions TO save and gige efficacy
to labor And al this is owing to book learn
ing'-wlich is nothing more, in fact, than the col.
lection and diffusion, through agricultural publ.
cations, of tie experience of others. And shall
we he told, in this age of progress, and in the
face Of so much evidence before and around us,
that the study of agricultural publications is cal
culated to "ruin nine-tenths of the farmers of
Vermont" This prejudice against all improve.
mcnt in agriculturc-which, by way of reproach,
terms the efforts of agricultural publications
book learning"--has been the greatest impede
ment to the advance of that profession, and il
has got to be common saying, and with much
truth, that the most successful turner's are those
who, unfettered by the prejudices and habits of
their fathers, enter upon it later in life.
1t is the misfortune of our farmers that tbev
undertake to cultivate too much land. MANY
think that to become great farmers, they must
low great many acres, and the consequence is,
that the great number of acres sown
produces very poor crops. In England, where
and is scarce and dear, the farms are necessarily
small, and it is well known fact that there is
more than one-half difference in the product of
The same quantity of land there and here, while
the soil here is naturally much superior. 1t is
said that more capital and labor is bestowed up-
IN land there. That is true, yet it returns in
ierest upon the labor and capital though the
land is dcarer. In the ordinary mode of tillaae
here thA qafna labor hoetouol ....x..