The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-04-28
Agricultural.
From Tie EteLing Earmer.


Mental Improvement for Farmers.
But few persons even reflect on the
means by which they may improve their
general ability for increased thought,
while ali agree that the human mini is
susceptible of such improvement, and by
no class of citizens is this subject more
neglected than by farmers.
The farmer, beyond all others, should
have clear powers of observation, SO as
readily to observe and apply NATURES laws.
His vocation is the root of all prosperity:
and until the farmers of nation are pro-
crossed to the highest power of obserya-
ton, the country cannot rise to the high
est rank. 4
Let US examine this subject as applied
to an Individual case, and the means may
possibly be ascertainsd of arriving at the
desideratum.
The usual argument in favor of thor
ough aud conventional education. al
though admitted. is not practicable
Farmers cannot be mere scholars; the
vigor consequent upon their mode of life
Is not of kind to render them capable
ofbecoming ma;hemaiicians, nor ofayail-
ing of that part of the usual process hay-
ln5 mathematical basis: bat still we
argue tina, no class of men are SO capable,
when properly directed, Of availing of
processes by which the more useful class
of facts may be attained.
Lord Bfougham has Justly remarked,
"that mathematical truths may bearrived
at by thought alone;;' - and he says ''any
man naay," he does notsay ,siH, "by the
process of thou yht alone. arrive at the.
solution ofany problem in mathematics,
by the same process of thought as that
/ by which he knows that two and two
and two make four. But. SAYS the learn
ed gentleman, mo man can know by
thought alone thai stone let fall from
his hand would descend to the GROUND"
He knows this fact from observation, and
MOI from thought: for If he hal not seen
the law of g-avita.ion exercised in some
way before. he could not by any thought
of his own tell if the stone would fall,
rise, or float at the level of his hand. He
knows this fact by example AMI not by
thought. The means of such knowledge
is not inherant in man. Gravity is a
law of God, and As such is only to be
learned by observing Its development in
nature. We have cited this example on
lyas basis, and we will now proceed to
give few other incidents, and to show
the application to our present argument.
All will admit thatsome men profit BY
observation more than others, while but
few know the means by which this pow
erof observation may be increased. As
examples Of this absence of obserya. ion,
how few farmers know that sheep have no
upper teeth; how few are aware that cold
water will dissolve more salt or lime than
hot water Does one in one hundred
know that one gallon of waterwill dis.
solve more plasterof paris than it viii o.
slaked lime, that has been long enough
exposed to the atmosphere to become car
bona.e of lime9 How many know thai
water is at It's mean of size when at DC
degrees of heat. that If cooled below thai
temperature it swells, until i. becomes
ice at SO degrees. and if heated above &c
degrees, italso swells, until it eventually
becomes steam, thusoceupyins more than
Ito times IT'S original space Still, all
these are facts. and 10 minds generally OBJ
servant. they are will known to be true.
The science of farming embraces all
natures laws, and the habit of observa-
ton viii soon render the farmer ready to
recognize these laws in all their useful
applications. Let him know enough of
chemistry, which he may do by one
weeks reading. TO comprehend the var
ious changes that the integrants of the
soil undergo to enable them to enter the
plant, and he viii soon observethe fact
that these chemical changes must include
the abifityof being dissolved in water be-
fore the plant can receive them. He
will also soon find thatwater. in its pure
state, will not dissolve the necessary guam
tity ofall these materials, unless il con-
tains carbonic acid, and this viii neces-
sarily lead to his understanding whence
this gas is obtained. and why l. pervades
the atmosphere. When he observes that
wafer from spring. applied to the plants
ia time of drouth will not produce the
same amount of improvement as is re-
eeivei from a similar amount of water
falling through the atmosphere in the
form OF rain, he will soon understand that
the rain water comes charged with some
ingredient from the atmosphere which
the spring wafer does not contain, and
the slightest examination informs him
that THIS Is ammonia, and that it is re-
ceiyed IN the atmosphere from the decay
OF former crops. animal exudations, DC.
The slightest exercise of the mind IN the
observance and application of the COM
noness truths of natures laws, viii ca
paeitaseit for another step in progression /;
for the bsaia, Ike the arm of the black
smith or the leg of the dancing-naster,
mussinerease in energy, at least, If not in
size, By healthfui use, and this use is q
free Observance of Gods laws as display.
ed in the progression of nature.
All have observed chat the inhabitants
of the country have this power ofobser.
vasion toa greater exsentthan those whose
tastes Lead them % become inhabitants o
large cities, and to engage IN mercantile
pursuits. Indeed, this fsct hiss giEel