The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-02-01
MARCUS WATSON, Printer.
agritultural.
Have Farmers Leisure for Reading,>
ny J. A. NASH.

We are inclined to think that slatternly
lazy farmer-one whose farm and buildings
and fences are not better than they were ten
yairs ago-has perhaps gone back a little
instead Of going lorward-gets little time to
read; and we know full we'll that good
larmer-one whose domain Is onward, i'm
proving, little better each year, never finds
o time when there Is not enough to do
The enterprising farmer never runs out of
work. Such is the nature of his employ
mcnt, that he absolutely never wants for
something to do, If he chooses to be active.
Nevertheless, he needs time for reading, for
social intercourse, for his future operations.
If the planning Of his business, which should
always look some ways ahead, can as well
be done when his hands are employed, and
IL his social intercourse can be mostly
achieved while in the way Of his business,
still he needs time for reading, When we
hear Il said, that he has nothing to do bat
read all winter, we think the man who says
IL, never was farmer, and knows nothing
ofwhat he aiirms. Why, the real enter
prising farmer never has leisure, in the sense
ofhaving nothing to do, not even on winter
evenings. lie could work adyantageOusly
every evening in the year, if il were bost.-
But il Is not. Better work nimbly while he
L.. ,....l, oil tko,, Il, b;s s,,,,,l ;,,l.,r,ant
stop him, after reasonable hours, even
against his will. lie never will find leisure:
he must make il; and the winter is on the
whole the best, but not tho only time, for
making it. Then better than in summer, he
can read deliberately, take time to think as
he reads, and to store important truths in
his memory. II is pleasant to sec a farm,
Its buildings, fences, fields, stock, everything
growing better from year to year. But how
Is it with the owner. He Is ofmorc conse-
quence than the farm. Let US advise our
readers, the easier sort, to take leisure, and
the more enterprising, to make it, and both
to use il for self-improvement of their Gmi- |
lies. You take political paper Of course.
Politics-wc arc on ticklish ground, but
shall got or without slippinS-are worth
your attention, so far as the knowledge of
the time will enable you to meet your civil
obligations intelligently. Do not read on
one side only; look at both sides, three, four
If you please and read not as too many do,
merely to confirm yourselfin in the old opin-
ions, right or wrong, hut to find where the
truth lies. We are of. Scieneo-we do
not mean hard names, but truth as deyel-
opcd in nature-claims and should receive
your attention. We insist upon it, that the
farmer should be u scientific man, 4 little
reading, in connection with the extensive
observation his employment ayors, would
make him such. Asrieulture itself is the
grandest, nOblest, and most useful Of scienc-
es. The lofticst intcllects in the world are
this moment engaged upon it, are delyins
deep with the hidden truths, and will yet
bring them out for the benefit Of mankind.
II is yours to practice il, but study it also.
Read your agricultural papers with an earn
cstnoss next after that with which you read
your Bible. One may be u good farmer,
without being much Of man; or he may
10 the latter without being the former. We
confess to u little ambition-we should want
to be both. five had a son leaving US for
this employment, we would say don't be an
unintelligent farmer. After cOunSclling
him ON the highest obligations Of reasona-
bic being, we would say, putting the least
important first, make your farm model
farm, and yoursclfa model man; and We
would say, you cannot do it without read
ing; and past education, however good, can
not, must not be relied upon.