The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-04-21

VI thc Olioi td'i Nuihlib-
u,ing to elevate man from the barbarous
state and fix him in the abodes OF civIiza>
ton. remember that the plough has been
regarded with a sort Of sacredness BY men
in every age, that even far back
In ancient times, the sacred plow employed
The kings, and awful fathers Of mankind
and that now, it employs mary Of eai:l's
choicest spirits This occupation brings me
fine health, refreshing slunibers, and while
engaged in H. can think as accurately
de- under any other conditions whatever.
Indeed, il | we're called upon to prepare
public address, an article for the press, or
to engage in any other intellectual exercise,
could fix upon ond arrange my subject,
and bring 10 il quite as much vigor of thought
and shape j, into as logical an arrangement,
as under any other circumstances.
My friend, you will find more or less phi
losopby confiected with the proper perform
ancc Of almost any oi the methods of asri-
culture and that many subjects, requiring
further scientific inquiry, exist in evon The
commonest operations of husbandry. Your
soils need TO be fully understood, that you
may supply their wants and correct their
supcrfluites. The variou, ingredients or
properties oi your manures must be known,
together with the theory of composing, and
must be applied properly. The properties
that go 10 make up our crops must be found
out, 10 that YOU may best adapt the crops to
the soil, or if your soil is deficient in ingre-
dents requisite 10 The raising Of some desi>
rable crop, they must be supplied by proper
manures and cultivation. Fruits, for home
use aud for sale, must be produced, and a
world Of scientific investigation may be well
employed, in finding out their best manages
ment, the character and habits Of insects
injurious 10 them, and tho best means of
preventing their dcpredations i he wet
lands must be properly drained, which re-
duires n combination Of science with prac-
ticc. Irrigation produces wonderful effects,
may perhaps be within your reach, and its
theory and best management must be found
out. The philosophy Of breeding domestic
animals, beautiful and interesting study,
generally poorly understood and miscfabl,
pracliced in our country, must be investiga-
ted.
So | might 90 on, enumerating great
variety Of subjects, or entering into detail
with those ! have glanced at But these
now named nre sufficient for illustration, and
they show that an absolutely lmilless field
of inquiry, involving the principles of sew.
eral sciences, is opened 10 the farmer, in the
pro. ccution Of his daily business. It ia his
high privilege, in the very act of earning
his bread, 10 come into intimate contac,
with the wonderful operations of nature.
II he bo man fond of intellectual inquiry
and improvement, he will be convinced at
every step in his pursuits, that 10 be a
workma tia, needeth not TO be ashamed -
of his farming, he must keep his mind all
awake and in action, and by observation
and study must en1eavor to understand ma
ture. The more his mind rises 10 per-
ception of the works of Deity, the more will
it be filled with astonshment and delight al
their mnuicncss and compreIensivrncss
their beauty aud grandeur, and so far as
he can follow them, the exact laws which
regulate and control all animate and inani-
mate nature. In proportion as he closely
invesii gates, so will he perceive thai the
mcanest of those works is inexhaustible
and therefore say show me man Of such
high endowments Of mind, or such scientii-
ic arainmcnts, that his every energy may
not find full employment in unrayelliGe
nature as connected with practical agricul-
ture. aud will not, after all his efforts, be
constrained 10 admi. that ltere are yet I'M.
explored regions beyond his researches, and
| will show you man, the equal oi whom
does not exist and further say, that farm,
ing Is not necessarily That merely srbluna,
ry pursuit, providing only for the terrest.ia
wants of man." which you suppose il 10 be
bat on the contrary, properly understood
aud conducted, il combines rs much of III,
practical aud scientific, has lesiiimatcl,
connected with it as much of the poeica
and sublime, is as digniiied in itself, and n,
elevating to the mind of man, as any Other
pursuit; and leading us directly TO perusa
| Iofi il,a L. Of n.stx =.
pie page Of nature, we may emphaiicall,
gain that knowledge, fresh from the foun
lain>heaJ, which is not only calculated {
make us wiser and better, and 10 fit us I,
enjoy pleasures which we would otherwise
be unable TO attain in time, but also wher
time shall be no more"
have been thus earnest in stating III,
case as understand il, because our agricul
lure has been quite long enough cursed with
prevailing sentiment that the farmer doe
not need much knowledge, and could no
use il practically and proftably if he haC
il. II is claimed 10y many that the princi
pies Of correct cultivation are few, and al
found out that farming is a mere moGoio-
noss routine, for physical labor 10 conduc,
that he il the best farmer who can do the
biggest days work with his hands. who car
skin his farm the cIeahesi and put the pro,
ceeds of its fertility al interest, spending III,
tie or nothing for the improvement of him.
self and family, and nothing 10 make hom,
attractive. fr 1fr s.r
! Talk 10 many Of our people of the adyan,