Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-05-15
LOCAL INTELLIGENC E.
Agricultural Libraries.

The prejudice against what is called "b ook
farming" is rapidly being disspOted by the light
of knowledge. The numerous able and widely
circulated journals devotedto agriculture give
idence of beneficial change in public sentiment
At the present time scarcely a tolerable farmer
can be found in New England or the Middle
Statos who is content without at least one week
ly devoted to his speciality. Most of those
who have ambition to succeed in their calling
go further than this and purchase some of the
standard works in the several departments of
agriculture But all who are interested in
availing themselves Of information from such
sources unfortunately have not the means to
CRAFTY their desires and quench their thirst for
improvement.
10 meet this very want highly successful
plan has been devised by John F. Reynolds, of
Concord, Mass, for the establishment of agri-
pense place within the reach of every man all
the best works in each of the several depart
ments of husbandry. Ten, fifteen, twenty,
thirty or fifty, or more, individuals subscribe
the sum of fire dollars each, which entities
them to one share in the library, in evidence of
which they each receive a certificate of stock
which is transferable. Suppose thirty sub
scribers are obtained, land scarcely any town of
importance can be named where this number of
farmers cannot be found who are willing to en-
gage in such an enterprise) an organization is
effected, and through Mr.. Reynolds books to
the ammount Of $3.50 can be obtained at the
lowest market prices, which will embrace most
of the standard works, on crops, tillage, stock
growing, manures, farriery, fruits, gardening,
horticulture, landscape gardening, and all other
subjects connected with rural and domestic
economy. Mr.. Reynolds will also furnish
plan of organization, constitution and rules for
the association, or the propretors can adopt
such other mode of procedure as they may see
fit. With library thus started the addition of
two or three new members, or a very small an
nual assessment will supply all the new books
on these subjects as fast as they are published.
In this way Mr.. Reynolds has established more
than faro AuIadrd agricultural libraries in nearly
as many different towns in Massachusetts.
Such library was established in this village
last week. In few hours the names OF thirty
subscribers were obtained, and an organization
effected by the election of FREDERICK HoL-
BROOK, President !. H. A. Wilson, Vice Presi-
dent and g. A. Miles, Secretary. OF course
it is expected that other names will soon be adj
ded to the list, and the more numerous the
stockholders the more complete and valuable
will be the library
This plan commends itself TO our judgment
as the very best that can be devised for render
ing agricultural information available to every
farmer. Besides, these books will afford pleas
ant and profitable reading to all the the men,
bers OF the farmers household. His sons will
grow up under the influence of such reading
intelligent well as practical farmers, his wife
and daughters will become skilled in the man
agement of dairy and in the cultivation of
fruits and flowers, and in those numerous little
things that serve to render home pleasant and
attractive. In short scarcely limit can be
fixed to the good influences that such library
is capable of exerting.
Mr.. Reynolds will visit some of the most
prominent agricultural towns in this county and
State for the purpose of establishing such libra
res, and we commend this enterprise TO every
farmer who has any desire to increase his stock
of information, and to every man who has any
taste for agriculture, horticulture, or gardening.