The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1862-06-19
FAR,E LIFE--.NO. L.
What it Is and What it Should BE

What it Is and What it Should BE
The praises WHICH orators aud poets.ha Q
from time immSmoria, bestowed upon the
life of the Asricelturst. have not bean
WHOLLY uud deserved. There IS truly soma
thing noble in it-something beautiful too
as it nsiqht be and in exceptional cases ac-
tually is The cultvator of the soil, 1--WE
say it reverently,> is a CO. worker with God
himself in the grand process of perpetual
creation-"the great miracle that still goes
on" day by day before our eyes. Out unde r
the blue sky, breathing the pure air of hea-
ven; drinking from the clear 5 rings; listen
ing to the music of the birds; in constant
communion with Nature, ard with that
healthiul exercise which we are accustomed
to associate with his occupations, we natural
ly look to him for vigor and symmetry of
body, freshness and clearness of intellect
and unperverted moral perceptions Iieal
farm life is healthiu activity, rational en-
jovment, md constant harmonious velor-
ment-a cor tinuouS aud beautiful growth.
The most eloquen5 tongne or pen Can hard
ly extol such life 100 highly.
Bnt does not reQI arin life, a majority
of American farmers iud it ia their rxperi-
ruce, fall most sadly b-lo% this IDEAL? Let
US set he real facts of the case plainly BE-
fore US and look them DO dly in the face.-
Without clear comprehension of the evils
under which we suffer- we snail no, be able
to exert ourselves efficiently for their re
moval What then IS the general aspect OF
farm life in America?
FIRST, it is a lite of hard and almost con
slant labor. Labor is undoubtedly bless
ing Our physical powers can be properly
developed aud maintained only by exercise;
p,,t, bt No L
should be subject to certain co ditons in
reference to quality, as well to quantity.
Farm labor, as generally conducted, does not
meet these requ.r m ents. IL is too exhaus-
tive. 1t rohs the brain to noursk dispro-
portionately the bones and muscles, maxi g
the farmer too much Ike MS oxen-s mere
beast OF burd en- and destroying the harmony
which should exist between mind and body.
But the result is not. as might at first s. ght
be snppossd, a superior development OF the
phvsca system. Man is not "a mere ami
nal, and his bodily orslnization, in common
with his intellect, deterorstes, instead of
improving, under nero round OF eating.
working, aud sleeping.
The ideal farmer Is muscular and vigor-
Gus, but 1.-The, erect and symmetrical -
Hea tn tints his cheek, and Intelligence
Lights his owe, while his features are beau
I he'd bv those VaTleQ anu eieZabt contours
which thoua hi aud culture give to the hui
man face The real farmer is too often, If
not tho exact reverse Of this, at least far
from being that picture of high health aud
perfect physical and mental deveopm ut
which wo should naturally look for in one
whose pursuits saem so favorable to human
well-being
Errors OF diet and other violations Of ply
steal laws. of which he, in common with
others, il constantly guilty, have, no doubt
som ething to do with this matter; b 1t alone
thew do not fully account for the results DO
served; and we are conf lieut. that the most
potent agencv in the c 8 is that constant,
absorbing, and Gas too often con luctel Ell
tirely unat'racsive toll which flls NJ the
greater part of his existence, aud leaves no
room Tor mental culture er socia' euiovmen
There : 40 tact IN hy-io!ogy better IS
tabli-hed,' late writer SAYS, than that
hard labor, followed from dav to day an.
1rUn ye7fT-t71 ~. .i-.rhiug VERY th0u5ht
add every physical eaerIy, has tho .iireot
tendencv to depres- the intellect, blunt ID.
sens bi lities and animsjze the man"
Here then Is tho first point n II W. -houi !
make--He fnrmc, has too mpch n,s;e physical
TILL anI to1 Int octiUity If mini and ietrt-
and this suggests practical measures for
the ELEVATION of farm lite a more generals
and thorough application of the principles
of science. Gas presented in improved m thod
OF cuiture,) TO all branches or farming; TIT
UNIVERSAL substitution of i'm proved i'm Die
ments and more system ATTIC man .gemant
OF all the business of the farm. This would
greatly reduce the amount of labor required
10 produce given result: sivs he farmer
leisure for intellectual mprovnm and
social iutercourse-an IaiSe his occup atior
above the mara m mechanical drulgerv which
it nov so generally Is AMI make 1t one oil
most interesting and attractive Of al ats.
But to make our improved mpisme is
I and scientific methods OF culture avaiiable
for the real elevation of farm life, even
/ where we succeed in bringing them into
use. must begin by mpr assiug upon tho
minds o farmers, the fact that any life, to
! be true to the intentions Of its Oliver, or in
any way satisfactory must have other an
! is in vain that we increase the nun Der OF
our cattle and our acres, or add to the pro-
ductiveuess of our farms, if we allow onl
social natures to lie dormant and our mind.
/ to remain uncultivated aud barren There
is now, we glad 30 perceive, a tendency
in the right direction among the most pro-
sressive of our farmers. LIST every Cou mt ry
Gentleman-and no farmer should be salts
fed till he fully deserves this tite-aid as
he best can in the good work. D. H.J.
One of the Cbje ctions.