The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-09-17

guide his operations by the traditions q
his fathers, without regard to new time
and changed circumstances that ther
is nothing for him TO learn by expert
ment or by study; that the best farme
is he who can plow The greatest breadt
Of land in day, NOW the most grass o
hoe the most corn,-the man who cal
contrive TO get the most out of mothe
earth without returning her an equiva
lent. 1t mattered not with such if he di
sap fertility entirely out Of her, provide,
he made money while doing it 1t wal
no matter what became of the fertiit
of the land, there was enough more tha
might be served in the same way; an,
as for the generations that were to Sue
ceed him, they might take care Of them
selves. Under the operation of thest
views and practices, it has taken les
than half century to wear out tn.
lands of the older states of our coun>
try, to run them down 50 low as to make
their further profitable cultivation for
some time TO come quite difficult and
discouragiug work, work Of great skill
and patience. 1t was no part of this
kind of farming TO stop and enquire how
the land already possessed could be inn
proved, or kept station arv; acre must
be added to acre, (often times more
than could ever be paid for, J only to be
worn out as previous acres had been.
Then, too, it has proved little else
than an unmitigated curse to our Agri>
culture, that such numbers of the intel
llgent enterprising young men Of the
country have forsaken the farm for 9TH
ef pursuits. 1t was quite natural, how
ever, that they should do SOL for the
fact cannot be disguised, that the COM
munity have quite generally considered
The young man who remained upon the
Iarm as rather wanting in intelligence
and enterprise; that anybody, no mat
Ter how ignorant, if he only had the
iard days-works in him." would do to
conduct the farm, while the promising
young men must leave it, go through a
long and severe apprenticeship, train
ing as rigid as military discipline,
systematic course of instruction in
short, must be thoroughly educated, to
1T them for other calings, more digni
lied, more important, more worthy the
attention of man, than farming. Our
young men have too often seen preln-
dice usurping the place OF reason, and
mere tradition that Of actual knowl-
been taught that the huge
hand Of labor is the whole OF farming
that It is mistake, a ridiculous mis-
lake, to attempt 10 enighten, direct or
assist its tolls by cultivated mind by
The exercise Of those high and noble
faculties with which the Creator en-
dowed man, and which, rightly i'm
proved and used, elevate him SO far a.
Jove all sublunary things.
But different sentiments are now be.
coming prevalent in the community re-
gardng the real practical dignity and
importance Of the farmers calling, and
the absolute necessity Of education, of
scientific knowledge, for proper. and
the most profitable prosecution OF that
calling While it is universally admits
ted that to exhaust the fertility of the
most prolific soil requires no science
and but little art,-lhe process simply
being TO carry off all it will give you
and put nothing back many now in.
sist that to restore soil thus worn out
to its original vigor; TO induce it to
yield those bountiful and, to the old
class farmers, astonishing harvests which
II is able and willing to give back 10 a
liberal and enlightened cultivation,
does require high degree Of both SCI
ence and art. Ii is further asserted that
the native dignity Of the farmers cal
ling, his interest as man Of business
his duty as a man, as citizen living
under the operation of free institutions
and the welfare of his country, all de.
mand Of him that be be man of intel
lectual cultivation, a man of knowledge
Let us examine these sentiments little
and see if they are correct, and safe tc
be promulgated.
That 'sanclity Of reason with which MAJ
was originally endued, is precisely the fac
ully which gives him superiority over a
other creatures, enabling him 10 COVER
them, 'self-knowng,' and, among olhe
things, properly to subdue and cullivat
the earth. By it he devises means to az
complsh his ends, distinguishes ruth fror
error, or acquires knowledge. 1t is pre-
gressive faculty; and in proportion a
we rightly exercise it in the acquisition {
knowledge, SO, in turn, do we enlarge an
strengthen il, thus enabling ourselves I
make higher and still higher attainments.
Knowledge expands the mind and ex
al's all the faculties Of the farmer, so lha
from an ignorant being, exclusively cor
fined to mere details and tho tolls of mere
ly physical labor, he comes 10 discern an