Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-04-06
From the American Asriculturist.
Milking Farm Life AttEa Give,

A few months ago, something was said of
the importance to farmers, of cultivating a
habit Of observation, and of making notes Of
their experience for The benefit of others. A
few thoughts on this general subject may we'll
be added
Why should not every farmer make cabi-
net collection Of every kind of rock upon his
land? All soils are made up, in no small
measure, of these rocks disintegrated (worn
DOWN by the action Of the elements. Having
small specimens of these rocks arranged on
shelves in his house, he can daily see the
chief constituent elements of his farm. To
do this, he need not himself be scientific
chemist or mineralogist; the neighboring
school teacher or educated physician will tell
him the precise name and quality of every
stone. Then let him label them, and at his
leisure read and learn all he can about his
cabinet of minerals.
Near by, let him have collection of the
different soils on is farm; from the hill and
valley top soil, subsoil, alluvial, clay, gravel
and sand. Let these be arranged in walls and
bottles, and neatly labelled. And let him not
stop here. Do not trees grow in his wood lot
and orchard, and grasses and grains in his
fields? Let him select specimens of every
variety of wood-say small cross section of
every sort of tree. specimens of their leaves,
flowers, and seed, and samples of dried gras-
ses and grains, neatly prepared and labelled.
And as 10 fruits, if he has a son or daughter
skilled in drawing, they should make pictures
of all the fruits growing in his orchard and
garden. A gentleman of our acquaintance
has begun to make such collection of fruits,
drawn and colored by his own hand i'll leisure
hours, and it is very beautiful. He takes the
fruits as they successfully ripen, drawing and
painting them in water colorS. he began
with the earliest strawberry and included the
cherries, raspberries, currants, summer pears,
apples and Fall and Winter fruit. Those
which escape him one year, he obtains the
next year. When he has copied the whole
circle of fruits growing in lis neishborhooed,
he intends to have the drawing handsomely
bound. They will make set of books of
rare interest and value!
Let the farmer and his family make some
collection of this Sort And to these things
let him add specimens of insects injurious to
vegetation, classified and named. Nor would
| it be amiss to make or purchase drawings If
useful animals, farm implements, aud various
works of art and taste.
But enough has now been said to show that
wide field of pleasing and useful ebserva.
tion lies open before any farmer. How much
| would the habit we have advocated tend to
iberalize his views, give him new and stron.
ger interest in his chosen profession, and ele-
vate it also in the minds Of others! 1t would
then be plainly seen that there is no end to
the subjects of interesting and useful obser'
vation and thought suggested by the pursuits
of agriculture. And what happy influence
would this ha it of observation exert on the
children educated on farm 80 conducted!
They would grow up, thinking men and wo-
men, and they would honor and fondly love
the calling Of agriculture.
How foolish it is for farmers to complain of
their children forsaking the homestead at the
earliest opportunity, while such parents do
nothing to invest farming with some kind of
attractions Their children would be dolts
if they didn't wish to get away from some
farms that we know of. But let parents show
them that agriculture is something besides
drudgery; show them that it awakens thought,
demands thought, and honors thought, aud
they will not run away from it. They will
not hasten to towns and ci,i,s to engage in
trades and professions less honorable, more
uncertain IF yie!ding pecuniary advantage,
and less healthful to body and mind and NOR
ais.
One WHO TRIES TO PRACTICE
WHAT HE breaches.