Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-12-12

to the setting forth # the buds in spring,
or it caa be made rich with harves. Of
useful information and rational pleasure,
causing the dull nights Of winter to TEEN
with their productions not less profitable
than the harvcsts of summer. O.; these
two modes Of using the winter evenings,
which viii our farmer boys adopt? Do
they wish to progress? Do they aspire
to become intelligent farmers, and well
informed men? Do they want to be tr1e
mem bcrs Of that honasajle craft wbosa
laboratory is the soil Of This great earth,
and whose Employment is the feeding Of
It's many people? This, We know, Is the
ambition of every highspiriied farmer boy.
But remember, ingenious youth, this high
point can not be attained without an iul-
provement of those many hours which
every winter places at your hands.
Then read, digest, and practice First,
those books and papers which treat Of your
business, for your main object is to be-
come good farmers; and then, every use
full book and interesting paper that may
add to your stock of general information.
When Che fire burns brightly, and the can
dies are lit, and the family are drawn
around the table, one can read for the
! whole group. The best reader can per-
Z fnr,, tho 1,rrogt Il IS Il IL IL
others taking their turns, for the sake Of
improvement in the manner of reading.
The county papers supply the home news.
Local incidents, the proceedings of the
courts, the meetings of the county agri-
cultural society, &C., will be of interest to
the family circle. knowledge, Ike char
/ ity, begin at home. Then the Agricultu-
raj Journal from distance, may claim at
tention-full of practical facts and useful
suggestions These will lead to dicussions
in which the whole family can engage,
| bring out their latent views, and exercise
their reasoning faculties. Discussion
will lead to further investigation, and this
to reflection, and from reflection, the high.
est faculty of the human mind, springs
every Improvement.
Among the agricultural periodicals Of
the day, which can be proftably intro
dnead inta a .farmar's familu-rA .nnlA
recommend the Pennsylvania Farm Jour-
nal, and the Cultivator, and Country Gen.
tleman, of New York But i. would be
well for Pennsylvania farmers to give the
journal of their own State the preference.
Encourage homo literature as we'll as home
industry.
( When the agricultural Journal has been
read and discussed, any other paper which
the family have been taking, will next
claim attention. If more journals than
the local ones are desired, We would sug-
ges. the e1pediency of selecting the best
and most substantial-journals which can
not enter farmers family without bring
ing with them wholesome and beneficial
influences. A paper completely given to
fiction, or one solely devoted to politics,
should be avoided the one is trifing,
and the other is deceptive.
/ After the gold dust is sifted from the
weekly paper, and every incident, every
useful fact, every fruitful suggestion, ev.
cry instructive sketch, and absorbing mar
rative has passed from the lips of the reader
to the minds of the hearers, the History
may be taken up where it was left off the
previous evening: The story of our Ia
tional birth, the struggles Of our emigrant
fathers, the heroic actions of the Rsvolu-
tionary War, the progress of the Rspub-
lie in strength and prosperity, can not
but be themes of interest to the family
group. History will lead to Geography.
The mind will not be satisfied with tho
fact Of occurrence; it will also thirst for
facts of locality, and the map must be ex-
amined to discover where these things 90.
CURED. American History will draw the
reader to English history. The story Of
the Pilgrim Fathers, and the Quaker En-
igrants, will lead to the story of that op.
preston in England which caused our
fathers to fly to the wilds of America 4; for
the mind when once put in motion is
progressive, and will only stop at original
causes and first principles.
This system of reading, will induce
other exercisos,promotive of improvement.
Books of reference will bs brought in.
Toread understanding gly "a Dictionary must
be used to ascertain the definition of words,
and a grammar consulted to settle syntactio
questions. Thus, in the circle of farmers
family, can the germs of wholesome mu-
tual improvement be planted, and stimu.
lated to vigorous growth, ultimately bea,,
ing fruit of surprising value, all BY pro-
per use of those hours which, in too many
instances, are lounged away in unproGta.
bic and inglOriOus idleness. "Ouward,
onward - is tha otto Of tha apa Farmerss