Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-06-04
Volume vn1., Number 10.
From the Pennsylvania Farm Journal.
Hints to Agricultural Writers.

: AAACS " A61lCultuId1 W1t0I9.
u In the establishment of an Agricultural
Journal, you have entered upon . field
where your labor may be turned to most
profitable account. We do not derogate
, from the character of the farmer, when We
assert that they have much to learn of the
business in which they are engaged. Ag-
riculturc as a Science, to understand it
thoroughly, calls into requisitiona most ex-
tended circle Of knowledge, and demands
| an expanded degree of thought and study,
which Is incompatible with the everyday
; avocatIons of farmer. His opportunities
! and mode Of life, forbid the application Of
his time to such pursuits he must deal
with practical results attained by others.
whose better opportunities have enabled
them to prosecute the study Of scientific
knowledge,and reduce its elements to prac-
teal conclusions. This view Of the subject
seems to point out to you the plan upon
which an Agricultural Journal should be
conducted To render it valuable it should
treat of subjects, and be couched in such
language as will be easily understood bv
that class of readers whom you hope to
benefit BY your labors. When We reflect
that every operation On the farm is based
upon some substantial reason; that every
implement used is formed upon certain tx
ed mechanical principles, and how little
either enters into the consideration of the
operator, how delightful task it is to
treat of such subjects, and communicate to
the farmer in plain intelligible phrase
olosy the reason for the work in which he
Is engaged, or the principles upon which
his implements should be constructed. He
knows from experience that certain causes
produce certain results, but how few know
why such results are produced, although
the reason for each may be plain simple
truth, result Of scientific knowledge, ca
silly communicated and seasily understood.
We can not better illustrate our views
than BY referring to certain examples. The
experience Of every farmer @ hes has tap<At hi@
ingly injurious to it but has the circum-
stance itself caused him to inquire Why it
is soy Is it too simple truth to teach
that the cultivated earth has capacity to
feed upon that nOurishment with which it
is constantly supplied by the natural ele-
ments: that light and heat are as essential
to its capacity for production as they are
to the vitality Of the animal body and
that the effect of ploughing land when it is
wet, Is to shut up these mouths and lungs,
and make it impervious to light, heat, and
nourishment, and for .the want of them it
dies! This idea would give to many far.
mers subject for thought, and induce
them to carry their reflections into the
whole subject of rloughing, and while ac-
tually engaged in the work, the naturally
vigorous mind would expand into the in
quiry how it may always be done we'll.
knowing then, that the object of plough
ing Is to put the ground in that loose, pli-
able condition, in which it will the more
reality receive all these advantages which
1T naturally requires, he will take another
step, and inquire into the character of the
plough he uses Does it make that mis-
called oeortfW work, where the ploughed
ground Is turned over as hard as a pressed
brick, over which you may walk without
making foot print, or does it leave it in
the condition We have before described.
ready to receive the nourishment which so
increases its capacity for production.
This is but one of the thousand plain
which may be offered to the in
telligent mind of the farmer, calculated to
produce thought, excite an interest in the
business in which he is engaged, and ulti-
mately produce new and practical results.
Whilst we would not exclude entirely
from the columns of your journal, the de-
seription of learned theories which pertain
to agriculture as Science, yet its editor
should never be unmindful how compare
lively few of his patrons will either read
Or understand that which is expressed in
a phraseology as unintelligible as ifitw.re
Greek.
1t will be your province, too, to instil
into the minds Of farmers a high toned
feeling of selfrespect; that their occupa-
ton may not fall below the rest of man.
kind, in taking rank in that laudably am
bilious contest, which, in this age, seems
to urge the world forward in the race of
Their condition is an isol.
atcd one, and they have corresponding
which restr;,ins them in their
with their fellow men, whilst
there is in their occupation subject Of
thought; an in,ermingling Of the order
and beauties of nature, and an indispensa-
ob:o.S 4 -I:-l