The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-08-23
A Farmers Life.

The Hon Joseph r. Williams has recently lie.
yercd an address before the Michigan State Az. /
riculluR Society, at Ann Arbor which is distin-
guishcl by the soundncss Of its views, no less
than by the pcrspicuity with which they are ad
yanced We sincerely wish that we could afford
room for the whole of this sterling production
but being unable to do so, we present to our read.
els an extract from it, devoted to "A consideration
Of the farmers calling Its as follows;
The best faculties Of men must be- devoted to
the farmers pursuits the best intellect must be
engaged in it and the farmers life must be
field wide and attractive enough for the engross.
ment aud Development of every human faculty,
or error or ignorance and thriitessness, will not
be explored, ana the calling will not secure the
elevated position IT deserves. Happily rapid
cl ange Is perceptible The relative position OF
professional, mercantile and farming pursuits, are
changing day by day. The first are no longer
sought with so much ayidity, the last no longer
stunned A wise man should never encourage
his children to assume the duties, yexations aud
hazlrds Of prccarlous and unhealthy pursuits, no
matter how dazzling the ,pcct, how brilliant
the prize There Is lgher object than wealth
to be ganed-suuud sleep aud sound health; u
higher object than personal distuctluD--a cumpo-
! have been kind of infatuaton among the farm.
: ing community N regard to evasion of their hon.
oraOle calling. Thirty years ago, n father was
~ pruuc to tCt with lis Chldrcn as though himself
followed degraded calling. He seemed to
= deem professional Or mercantile life the only road
20 high re-, ,peCtaOy or social and official dis.
; tinctlon. The Web,ters, the Wrghts, aud the
Filmorts were not retained 10 cnuob,c their
: own but crowded oil to Illustrate aud adoru some
- other profession. 1t has somewhat ucudrI Of
late.
The public mind has become more sound 1t
bill, fair to become perfectly sound 1t certainly
i. will, if man will speak the truth, and hear the
truth, and practice ON it, precrpts The world
< will never regard tbs farmers calling as the most
: honorable ul 1t i 80 cherished by himself In
" nublic estimation a pursuit Is appreciated at the
" value placed upon it by those who i.low it
Turn back, them the tide Of public sentiment a.
-, mong the agricultural population. The sturdy
- seuSe Of many sturdy farmer pierces the gauze
, deluslons thrown around the fancful and ifivo-
: lous life Of the towns man In the expression Of
- his Judgment sound he yet practically may have
sought all his life to make his children the very
y butteltile, he dete,ts. If be would have his oc.
~ cupation take rank as the most respected aud
NJ most diIulhcd among men, he must not himself
~ act aS though he regarded it rs a dull and stupid
- a farm, so limited garden that they may not
" ongross mans faculties and consume all bis
- leisure. The time may be distant when each far.
m mcr may be Il gc"ogI>t a naturalist a chemist
but the tine las already arrived when the Hp,
Nj, plIcaton of science to agriculture Is producing q
:" peaceful, certain. and gigantic revolution. eleyat
ING the calling. multiplying It's results increasing
II its comforts, and promoting higher ciyll1a ior
~. ofthe race.
= but duty, 10 gIaLdc,...l Some with all true anc
~ genial and rtrluscally valuable comforts thai
-, shed glow and attractIveness around the pr
VI vate home oi the citizen. He can make Il more
nyi'ng. There are few comfort, aud appliance
" about the home OF u town-man which county
le man cannot enjoy. There al, a thousand pleas
~, urcs around country residence which all th
'' capital of city cannot buy. \ farmer survey
l., with unalloyed delight the field now sruauIng b.
=" superior cultivation under twCe the crop of pre-
.e ylous years. While he gains it, the world gain
10 it. 1t is so much added to the production Bu
,e, multiplied and dubious are the ways in which
w townsman makes his gains, sometimes It's eN
~ toftiuR. Sometimes a double value is given {
w. the raw material, but otoncr hls gain l. lu~- {
!" another. To say the least the towu-mun
-" sometimes exposed TO the inevitable necessity ,
' eXpedcuCy and dI-huuor. From such uuCossitl,
: the farmer can, if he will always be free.
~ "'GUd made the country, man made tie city
u just so superior a Gods works are TO man
works, Just SO far superior are he studies Of tt
' country to tie studies Of the town. II YOU luo
upon the lich and gorgeous Development oi u
Wv, "" turc from spring to tl from the Tiny germ
ii the abundant crop, with no more delight than ,
''i piles Of stone, aud brick ami mortar then yol
.tyI life any where will be dc,ultory hard and du
W." When he gazed upon the miracle of his ov
"' frame. IN awe aud admiration David excl lime
''' Il am tearfuliy and wonderfully made 4" y
each plant and spIre Of grass, each tree and iru
. each creature, every form Of vegetable and ~
=, nal life Is a growing aud living miracle, no lc
''' wonderful than the frame Of man. II lie studi
III them all as living Illustrations Of scientific trUti
and he deli shts at each new discovery oil the c
pacity and properties Of plant or an animal, N
each new insight into the laws regulating it, pr
pagatluu and perfect growth, then indeed, will
the farmer become philosopher and a man Of ST
ten cuCr and his lite will be a ces,ClcSS round Of Il
lel umph experiment and success, From the me
trltug act, To- the performance of the highest du
e' OF = noble calling hi lrwill be full Of delight
90 satisfaction The iayori,e domestic animal whI
raft he has watched aud fed from a nGrslIng, seems
,cL lick his hand in gratitude, aud almost eager
contribute tph,~ support Look along that aN
uuc Of stately trees. rruanIng beneath an aht
zeal dance ot delicious fruit or throwing a retreshl
lo,c shade over the weary traveller But yesterday
oke Wa, bundle of mere twlgs, which he prOvIpcn'
Co brought home gmsped perhaps in single haI
mm II may be THAT wide d,.d- around him have be
ub transformed from the wilderness by his ener,
'cry and now blossom like the rose. No groans l
ter. tears, 40 sinks Of misery and crime, no squa
the poverty, are witnessed IN his daily walks, and
puz' the performance Of his daily duty. His mi
Ian need no, be tortured with intense anxiety becar
ma struggled on the verge Of commercial ruin.
Incl runs les, hazards of having hi, body rackcd "
ness every disease to which muscle aud nerve, a
.ent head and stomach, are liable. But fear that
am straying wide Of my subject wished
day, show that the pursuits Of farmer may be 7,
The dered the most intensely interesting the most
ANS blc and the most enyossing to all the iacult
ele' of both body aud mind OF human occupato
Dow. As soon as it is made 50, it will become
evo' most profitable and thrifty also What farm
en's will, his life aud profession to be, that will
OF prove"
ugh --
nrJ TnE SoMuR sErsKt-1hc merry editor ofthc
,he tcrsburg tNt) luteligcncrr thus describes u III