Litchfield enquirer., 1857-06-04
SCIENTIFIC = F1RMING.

70 .-
SCIENTIFIC ~FARlIING.
The mass of agricuIturalists in this country may
Dutchnan who continued to carry the Ripple stones
in one end Of his bag, instead Of dividing his
load and throwing it his horse back, are sat
listed with the ways of their fathers and content SO
to go on They practical farmers, and no new
light can be forced upon their brain. Such men
lend nothing to the information and very little to
the wealth of the worli-they can be easily forgot
ten and consigned to their lilly. sour farms, re
well disposed of-showing the wisdom Of Providence
in all his arrangements.
The other class arc species of farming monoma-
MACS They would live and die with scientific
phrases at their tongues ends-sos and subsoils,
acids gasses and Salts and improved machinery be-
ing their only hobby. This class holds that none
plough sufficiently deep, manure strong enough -
that all farmers till too much ground ana lence
their farms with no idea to beauty or DURABILITY
that they have no acquaintance with tie sustaining
powers of the soil and in fact that they are SO
grossly ignorant Of the principles Of chemistry and
general science that they should not be called by as
have every agricutuiista learned Professor Agas-
siz fill their houses with scientific books send their
children to agricultural schools build model barns,
attend all the lectures in the country, and have
their babies, instead of reading Goodrich or Mother
Goose, taught to spell scientific
A fer Agassiz who would make man out q brute,
Il for a. Baldwin that cultivatcs fruit
We feel confident that i'll almost every case these
ultra-scientfc farmers are losers and that as gem
eral rule scientific farming brings in debt.
No business be carried TO extremes to advantage
there is proper sphere OF movement for farming
operations well as for ship-building. No matter
in whatever light you view the relations, they must
be balanced by the application Of Judgment and
common sense, Or they fail. Between the extremes
of the two classes we have ucutcneL lies the prop
ground of thought.
No f:rmcr is so ignorant, but that be percevcs
the Importance of altering his crops, the nature
Of the soil demands. Nevertheless, it requires
sound Judgment to adapt the time, and the precise
crops and therefore it is, that u knowledge OF
chemistry is desirable ; and it is easy to perceive
that fair knowledge of the chemical properties o.
Rotation in crops demands extra labor; and ths
proper time Of change is matter requiring great
ncety of distinction. Again-the proper time tt
change from pasturage to tllagc, involves much
thought, and is connected with a large outlay o
time and money yet it must be done--and if on
kind Of pasture is better than another SO it is will
the implements with which it is to be accomplished
and therefore, plough, harrow or roller, of tn
most improved kind. should be selected even tho
it involve quite an outlay. No doubts the b, Il
eft Of artificial manurcs, guano, SC. at the.sam
time these expensive and great jldgmcn
should he used in the selection. little knowledg
of chemistry here again comes in play for aknowl
edge of the SOIL and power to describe it thu
every farmer may know just what is wantedfor hi
land, is as yo: far from being effected. There is II,
doubt but more general cultivation is needed
that an expenditure for fertilizers and improved
machinery is also needed, and it is too true, tina
thousands of dollars yearly lost to the world
account of the excessive obstinacy Of farmers, ant
heir unwillingness to receive any new theory.
We have heretofore urged the necessity Of agri
cultural schools, if we would in any degree compete
with the States and Territories at the West And
we repeat that it is allimportaut to store the mind
with tacts-to form Farming Clubs--to take Agri.
cultural works, and use improved agricultural i'm
plemcnts If moving reaping machines can | G
used to advantage in this county, and yet no man
cuts either grass or hay enough to warrant in the
pnichase OF the same, let club be formed and
each man use t in his turn. This same club that
owns the machine, may constitute the nucleus Of a
scientific body in the community, whose idea, shall
be frightened by thoughts and the COMPARING, Of
each others observations. Whatever is done how
ever, let it be we'll done. Do not commences i'm.
proving, and after halfcomple:ing Your work. leave
IL from disgust or expense; though you NAV be thu,
WISER your children and your ncighbor will rean q
benefit. the OUTLAWS of m,ny m,n, which se,mn,
RIDICULOUS at the time, and which indeed res,,te,
dsastro'lsiy, have been improved upon, and 6na,iv
succeeded. In Manufacturing this has been ofton
the result; and Company after Company have sus.
pended ltaving, however, Their exper cacc for an
exsmple--which, added to the judgment and CAM;
tai OF some new conner, has at length crowned hi,
fortune Thus with farming-it is indeed A science
Let every man look upon it as such
STATE SOVEREIGNTY AND THE FUGrrIyE Sr.r ?. r