The Winchester appeal. [volume] (Winchester, Tenn.) 1856-1856, 1856-04-05
Agritnltn1al.
Educate the Farmer.

EQuCdCe the drIuers
We intend no disparagcment to the
system of agricultural education pro-
posed in the establishment Of district
schools, and protessorships for that
purpose, for we hail them as valuable
co-laborers in the cause Of agricultu-
raj improvement, but we insist there
is a better, u cheaper and more GER
tain mode of educating the agricultu-
raj class than by this method. Agri-
cultural schools, we have said, were
valuable Observation-Disclosures for this pur-
pose; we might have said, they are IN
raluble, for the accomplishment of Il
thorough education in all the depart
mcnts Of agricultural science; but
there is another system OF education
which, for the purpose Of the general
enlightenment and Improvement OF
the mass Of agricu!turists, far exceeds
in value and importance all the agri-
cultural schools and prolessorships in
the land. Our readers doubtless an
ticipate us in the announcement that
the agricultural Press is the greatest
of all agencies for agricultural educa-
ton. The learned professor may
gather in his lecture room score, or
a score Of scores Of the few who are
able to command the. benefit Of his in
structions, but the press sends its
monthly messenger laden with lessons
in the art Of huSbandry, to the million.
The farmer who cultivates his field in
an obscure corner Of the country, re-
mote even from the ordinary advan-
tagcs Of civilized life, is able to receive
the benefits of the light which is de-
vcloped by the experiments and obscr-
vations OF others, by the aid Of his ag-
ricultural journal, and when he re-
turns to his home at night, fatigucd
with tire labors oftho day, the columns
Of that journal afford him the only
school in which he is able to study the
sciences which he daily practises in
his farm. He would probably find
there, much that he knew before, and
probably some things which his own
experience had demonstrated to be
erroneous; but at the same time, he
would discover some thought which
was new to him; receive some sug-
gcstion which would direct him in to-
morrow's operations, or expose some
error in his own practices. The best
farmers in the country, are the best
patrons Of the agricultural press, and
the most enlightened one of that num-
Der is the readiest to acknowledge his
Indebtedness in some things to the ag-
ricultural Journal which has been his
fire side companion for years. We
set it down, when we find an agricul-
tural Journal in the home Of a planter,
that that man has the spirit of i'm
provement in him, and il he is not now
good agriculturst, the day will GER
tainly come when he will be, if the
elements Of success are about him.
1t denotes an investigating disposition;
q willingness to receive the ideas of
his fellow man and sift the truth out of
them, and a readiness to appreciate
whatever good he may find in them
Such man is bound to improve; and
if his object be to improve in his call
ing, his agricultural paper is the best
school you can afford him. 1t costs
him only one dollar; it comes in an at
tractive form, and it affords him just
us much reading matter as his other
duties allow him to undertake at one
time. 1t is, in a word, Just the school
he wants; monthly souvenir, pleas
ant and instructive companion. le
cntcrprising, public spirited agricul-
turists, who long for an opportunity
to enoble your calling, whose purse is
too short to endow protcssorships or
establish agricultural schools, here is
an opening for usefulness. Go to
work, and put an agricultural pa
per in the hands Of every one your
neighbors.