The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-10-07


pend upon it, if you would add dignity
to your profession, you must make three
attempts, to abate the taskwork of farm
ing-to raise maximum crops and profits
and to surround Your work with the ex-
hilaration Of intellectual progress. You
must elevate the whele spiritFbff Your vo-
cations sake, till no other can outstrip it
in what most hpholds q civilized and en-
Gghtened state.
There is an American agriculture mind
an undeveloped power that should not be
buried in the dark recess of devotion to
mere physical labor. Labor is indeed hon
orable, but it is only so when intelligent.
The common opinion has been, and still
obtains largely that. it docs not require
study or training to become farmer;
that farming consists simply in blowing,
sowing, and rcap;ng. and these anybody,
can do. Indeed, from the common prac-
tice in this respect it would seem as if the
American child comes into the world,
Minerva life, q fully developed fsrmer;;
and that it is only necessary for him to at
tain TO the maturity Of his physical pow,
ers to enable him to become So. If he is
unfit for any other business he is still fit
enough to be d farmer, and at once, with
out training or pref aration he assumes
farmers duties and responsibilities. In
every other vocation We study fitness and
adaptation. In every other business we
must serve an apprenticeship. In every
other science We must spend years of
study. and investigation. What would
we think Of the master mechanic, who
had read no books and studied no treatise
relating to his craft? And vet in this
profession, on which the world depends
for It's very means of life, fitness is pre-
supposed, apprenticeship is adisregarded
and study counted unnecessary. All,
were not nature profusely kind and boun-
tiful, how would disappointment mock
tho efforts of those who strive to reach
her wealth without understanding one of
her physical lawsr-the "open sesame" TO
all her stores. 1t is true that many in
this way attain to excellence. So is in
every profession. But p generalization
founded on such exceptional cases would
be found wrong one, and productive on
" of disappointment. Such n system has
q tendency to reduce q profession to
mere formula, and put a stop to al i'm
provenent and progress whatever. What
is needed is q more extensive. reading of
agricultural works, q larger circulation of
agricultural publications, attention to this
science in our schools, and especially a
school ofagricuit The stateeould not
moro appropriately or more beneic, u.ly
dispose of q portion of the proceeds of
the university lands than in the endow-
lnent of such q school. .e
One Of the most gratifying signs ofthc
times is that not only the man of noder-
ate means, but those Of wealth and afflu
ont circumstances, and men Of scientific
attachments are turning their attention to
agricultural pursuits. The improvements,
too, Of the past few years, and the quick
cned interest which these associations have
excited, augur well for the future. Book
farmers are becomiog more numerous,
and are no longer held up to ridicule.
Scientific farming is ceasing to be consid'
cred visionary thing and fast becoming
a necessity ofthe age. In these counties
you have more good farmers than is often,
found in communities of equal popula-
ton. And their example will be salntary
and suggestive. "A really scientific farmer
is god send to any community. When
such an one settles in q new locality, his
own farm first puts on new aspect new
products appear in his fields; new modes
of culture are pursued, and vegetation
springs with new life responsive to his
skillful touch Soon bis farm begius to
attract attention; his modes Of improve
ment begin to be initiated, and at length
the ambition for better cultivation spreads
through the whole community. ra5a.i
The New England farmer emigrating
to this country finds different staples Of
production modes Of cultivation,
and the whole system of farming materi
ally altered. Many1of the most irksome
kinds Of labor, which the peculiarities of
the, soil there rendered necessary, hce
will be unknown He will not, i'll Spring
be compelled to devote whole weeks to
that task, which is the universal detesta
ton of Yankee boyhood-bccause YAM
kee boys haye to do til mean picking
rocks from the stubbles. His fields will
not Be spotted with those little heaps of
stone, which look Ike incipient affairs
raised to some pastoral divinity. The
labor Of fencing will be greatly diminished
-ditching an almost unnecessary art.
Manures Will not require SO much atten-
tx II as there, for in the silence of long
ares, Nature has been laying up in this
great valley a sol as rich as tho most cul-
tlvated gardens. PIoughing will lose
much of its righteousness in a soil uneur-
sed with rocky formation. lie will not
need to spend the whole month of June
in hocing his corn and potatoes. Ma
chimes viii do his moving, his harvesting
and his thrashing. And thus with less
a mount Of labor, he viii have single fields
Of grain or corn larger than his whole
eastern farm and loaded with IN album
dance which he would not there have
dreamed possible. Even the ernigrant
from t e more southern of the Western
States. while he finds familiar modes of
farming in many respects, will have to