Litchfield enquirer., 1856-07-24
Science aud tho Farmer.

Science and tho Farmer.
 The farmer should understand geology. He should know the composition and structure of the rocks which constitute 70 Iarge portion of the soil which he cuItivatcs He should know the nature of the rocks in al tile region around him, and what kind of soil they will produce when worn down hy the action Of the sun and rain and frost. If the mountains and hills that look down OH his farm contain marble or granite or slate or iron, he should know that these minerals which have been uplcayed from the bowels of the earth, are being annunlly spread oyer the valleys and plains that lie Ut their feet. by the drenchipg rains aud melting snows which wash their dcci:yitics He should: know how to select those soils wIlosc lninerai c0nposition is best suited to part;cuiar crops and to determine when tI.ey c0ntaip mineral elements thut uh6t them Tor lis psfIoses
 He shonld kuow what is q sandy loaIl, and what . claycy loani, and of what each consists. He should know what is alliiyjul sol, and what mineral elements 1t contains in my given lucai- ity. The farmer should understand tie leud. ing principles of chemistry in general md alls about tlrose partienlar principles that arc ap-s plicatlc to agriculture. The curth is not Il anerc dead mass of matter It Is . vast clcn,- ical laboratory, filled with various md strailge materials. full of activity and notion in which. Composition and decomposition and new cons hinations arc constantly going on To-day its receives acccssions and influences from the heavens, tomorrow 1t throws oil newly formed eleinetts, that are carried into the occuus, md deposited alni distant shases He aarth k almost lising creature, asid when 0uickcuea byatnospheric influences, she brings fartli iii- numcrable living things, infinitely diversified u form, iii hue and ffligralIce, aud each derives ff1a, Aor bosom the Mtriusett that suited to it's character md wasits truly s she called the mother of III liytg tfi,Igs. The cnitiyator of the earth should surely know something of its nuturc its clements its aiiilities, and it's discnses -
 The farmcr should shc botauiss. This is the naturIll science of tho ugfirnlturlst. Cnn1 he he tnutent 10 spcial lis tic in ignorance ol the names and properties and distinguishing Characteristics 0f the frees and siir1shs aud flowers tlsat are so laysAly sprcnd artAaai him. painting hts fields and ,sootls with thc;r thou sa,nl llurs, aud rendering tltis outward world Il scene of henntY AMa slloS does the seed ger- ,ninate, nna tlto tellder leaf nufoll itscIf and iu what order are thu several parts of the. flower developed How is the blossom in,-, lreguatcd and the tfuik formed Mlmt Will injaro,sand what iaAl,rofc each plant How may plalts bc ilnpfpvoll M engrafting, by ii- noculation, by cFossinx llDW my new yars cites be ohtainel, Uad oll oncs tSo mnyle bets ter? Gan the iauaer bc cuntent to lease ques- tions such as these tlliailks
 But vegetable physiolo4y Hlone should not satisfy him. He laS ill hls elisipc md appro- priated to his nsc, s0me of tI,e noblest animals upon the earth Thfy afe llis companions through life, md by their nl,or, or the products of then bodies. contfihute largely to his han. pness and comfort Ife Slsould nuke himself acquainted with tic s{fnckute apd uscs q their various or0uzs. IIa sIIond kiiDw how often their hearts beat. aisd how ollen tllvy breathe in a state of healtl,. tllnt It nay j6dge lox fur. at any tl,nc. fhey Idpiate itolh she henlthy standartl s He should kl,on tho absolute and relative position of el ' tle lint he may with moro certainty apply hls rcn'edles. He hones are formed. alll hoN m muscles and most rapd erowtll ol eash aad then thc Knowledge oi dlllsfeht m theIr cusions histories aud thelF tyels peculEafities are'a 'all uiSutS ttkAAN NJ <&x S3Ak4 tk LIZ turner should have | knox Ieilse IT thc diseases of his animals. and of MT psaptr RmcSies, and shonld be aule to Inn >lL the morc common surgical operalell nm ' iine ri. imaI hns been slangbt 6ES6sS n oSusI could not set . i,otpI & Wonnd
 Tho farmer should e6l Eye tlo hah it's oI nnimaIs, hirls s5 |1xizE WIo clsl has so good ~ ospol 9 glo tlls He should aspcciali1 m ani lla' tation, that 1t inaf |IE M X l|1|e to llz whole suNioct II IT Il 6l he sh06ll carefully stndl Y TT llnt
 obsefyt ttions Cor m IlI principles of nccha1ics m l<iIl l<|ToSI that scIstc othe sttucl T |lS q I IfIcuI tural impIements In als5lc1s tInios, 10 mn