The Kanzas news., 1859-05-14
Tact-Tact in Eyervthing.

,Ahct IN business, IN doing what Is to be
done, no matter what, places the adjective
successful before the names of such men
as possess 1t. It requires tact to be success
full. Understand US. We do not mean a
faculty for covering up dishonest dealing or
dishonest actions. but for using the means
given US, honorably. to attain our end, be
the uitlmatum we are reaching after what
it may. Il involves a lice perception of the
relation of objects. And this perception is
not altogether natural; it may be, and in
most cases is acquired. One man will plant
tree and that will be the end of it. He
has followed to the letter the directions of
an eminent instructor. and yet the body and
limbs and twigs are bare, when his neigh
boris, planted at the same time and after the
same directions, is in full leaf. There is no
man who can give directions for the plant
| ing of tree or seed. which will not re-
qnire in practice common sense in the man
who follows them in order that be may sue
ceed.
''He has TACT" is equivalent to saying he
can apply his knowledge so as to insure his
progress in the details of the business of
life. It is as necessary to the farmer as to
the mechanic. In the latter is this trait or
faculty most prominent in the successful
mechanic. Simon Slowman seldom exhib-
lis it; his wits follow each other at long in
tervals; his abounding common sense sell
dom suggests him as a man of mark; he
fails to create or construct anything harmo-
nious with its surroundings; he never stops
to consider whether the same labor he ex-
pends in preparing a field and seeding il
may not make the general result greater,
mi fho of flx,
more attractive. His neighbor William
Steady does no more work, expends no more
money. but makes quite as much of the lat
which secures for him the character of a
man of thrift and good taste. Ask Simon
why his neishbor Steady succeeds so we'll
and he will answer, 20, he has tact for
doing up matters in style-I haven't
That is the truth. too, and it is true that
any man, who will. may possess this tact.
There is no excuse for want of good TASTE
of syslem-whieh is the base of good taste
--or of tact, which is the result of both.
We saw man planting cutting of a
current. 'Will it live 2" he asked. Doubt
full. sir. "Why not? Ny wife planted a
row yonder which has fruiled heavily these
two years-she planted them the same way
am planting this Call your wife, we
answered, and ask her if you are doing this
right He did so ..Wife. do you believe
these currents will grow planted in this man
ner here go ''No indeed" was the answer.
''Why not ?' Because the soil is stiff,
raw clay. and as dry as burned bricks"-
But you planted those in the same manner,
wife ?" YES" she replied, 'but that soil
had been plowed up, was lightand moist when
dibbled them in. This has not been plow-
ed in a long time, and you only press the
surface of the soil close around the cutting.
There is nothing 10 induce the life that is in
it to exhibit itself.
Tie man was convinced. and said his wife
always had a tact for gardening. He had
none. he acknowledged. He threw down
his dibble. prepared the land under his wife s
direction, and she planted the cuttings
| They grew of course. This he called her
tact. So it was. It is this tact that is nec-
essary to be possessed by every cultivator
of the sol! before we hear less complaint of
failure of crops and fruit. Farmers more
| than any other class need to think of what
they see and tnuch-need to reason--to
philosophers if you please; need te knoaO
the relations of the plant to the soil. and its
requirements. To possess tact one must
possess knowledge; knowledge involves cul-
ture--conStant. careful observation. These
days, farmers are mainly educated in ob
servation. 1t is best. therefore. that obser-
vaiion should be enlightened and consistent.
l--Enaery's journal and Prairie Farmer.