The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-31
Written for the Emigrant Aid Journal.
A Farmers Life.
"A farmers life is the life for me
own I love it dearly,
And every season full Of glec

I'll take its labor cheerily."
Who would not be a farmer? Where, in the wide
world is there a calling so noble as the tilling Of the
soil-or where a class of people so honest, industrious,
and independent as the farmers? True, the husband
man is involved in labor and toll of no ordinary kind,
yet, with good health, which is almost invariably his, he
is able to accomplish a vast amount of labor with CON-
parativc ease. And then with what \ keen appetite
does he relish the creature comforts of life, which no
man has in greater abundance than he, and which he
himself produces from the soil. Nor is this all, con-
sidcred in a moral point Of view, from the very nature
Of things, the farmer possesses many advantages over
other classes. While they, perhaps, arc spending their
leisure in idleness or dcbanchery-1 speak here more
particularly of the thousands Of young men who swarm
our large towns, many Of whom have fed from the
country to escape the pollution Of contact with mother
earth-Gca pity them - the farmer, usually I'M
proves the time in acquiring useful knowledge his
family and farm arc all the world to him, and he is not
tempted 70 spend his evenings at the grog shop or gamb'
ling saloon his home is generally far removed from
the crowded alleys Of a city, and the morals OF his
children, if he has any, are not exposed to the contain
mating influence of a denscly populated town.
The illustrious Washington was 3 farmer as well as
4 soldier and . statesman, and while engaged in the
arduous duties Of the camp, formed plans for the man.
agement of the farm, and transmitted them to his over
seer every week. He did not look upon agriculture as
q mean OF seryile employment, as a communication to
his fellow countrymen near the close Of his life Will
testify. He says, In my opinion agriculture is the
most ~ilealthful, the most useful, and the most noble
employment Of man. What need We more. The i'm
portancc Of husbandry to all the substantial interests
of the human race is so fully recognized aud established
that it is almost unnecessary for me to enlarge here on
the attention to which it is entitled or to insist on the
great advantages which those nations enjoy, by whom
it is most successfully practiced. Some OF the greatest
minds the world ever produced have assigned to Agri-
culture { superiority over every other art, and a pre-
eminencc over every other mechanical trade; while it
has been seen that individuals, even of elevated rank or
station, may engage in the cultivation Of the soil with
out descending from their high position.
Farmers of Dakota County, for what object, then,
may I ask, have we organized an Agricultural Society,
but for the promotion of this glorious science ? Let
US, then, as Providence has assigned to US this, the
fairest portion Of the Western Continent, assist in cx.
tending, by every means in cur power, the bounds of
Agricultural science for should We prove rccreant to
our profession, depend upon it tho loss Of wealth will
come upon US and what is worse, shame will cover
our faces when we hear Of the success Of agriculture in
other parts Of our beloved Minnesota. Up then, broth
er., 10 tie work the EMloRASr AID JOURNAL, the
best paper in the county, and Que of the best in the
State, is hereafter to be our medium for the interchange
OF thought and sentiments. Lex us be communicative
upon those subjects which 50 intimately concern our
growth aud prosperity, and we soon may become second
to no county in the State iii point Of Agricultural
wealth and knowledge. Though it is our province to
guide the pillow, it is not exclusively SO; we may some
times be permitted 10 guide the pen, and though our
ideas may appear crude and ~ill-shaped when committed
to paper, may possess a gem Of the first water. No
matter if we do not express our ideas in aowery style,
the facts of the case are Of more Importance, and if the
Editor is ashamed to publish our articles in their crude
state, lie: him dress up our ideas to suit himself, he has
nothing else to do-ha-ha-ha.
Come on, then, who volunteers for the spring cam.
paign? P. F CoUNTRYMAH.
Ninipgcr, March 9th, 1858.