Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-09-24
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.AGRIcULTURAL EDGCATI0N,

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-AGRicJIT5R1I ED6cATIoN. :
- FARMERS CLUBS. >, yst IT, :
Although the farmer hes hitherto paid
but little attention to education, yet the
present indications are very encouraging.
A spirit of inquiry and rivalry has sprung
up all over the country. Fairs are more
generally attended, clubs for discussion and
experiment. are formed, and gagTicultutal
papers much better sustained. One Of the
most important means of exciting the Ia
terest Of farmers in improvements in sgria
culture is in the formation Of farmers. clubs.
They have uniformly had 9; good effect
Wherever clubs have been formed by few
|perseyering individuals, who wouldsee that
the meetings we're always held ct the ap;
pointed time, a general interest has soon
been awakened in them. And these club
discussions are admirably calculated TO cor
rect erroneous ideas Of those taxing part in
them One comes with some pet theory
which he supposes himself sbundantly able
to maintain, but soon discovers, when sub
iected to sharp criticism, ism that be has built
upon the ''baseless fabric Of . vision"
Another comes with some innovation, up
on im1nemorial custom, and he finds himself
beset by conservative. ideas on every side,
but having experimented and become fa-;
.miliar with the question, he is able to parry
all their thrusts, explain all their objections,
and, although not perhaps able to convert
them at oAcs to its practice, yet he has
made an impression which will, have its ef-
feet in the end. .aa.........-,.
The principal reason that farmers make
such slow progress in their business--%s
so slow to adopt improvements ts-is to be-
found in their isolated sitaation, their want
Of social intercourse. Not many men D
dopt new things alone. They fear the un-
favorable opinions Of neighbors. Men pre-
fer to be. in magnetic equilibrium with the
crest of mankind - They 60, with the
crowd-move in masses and are carried a.
long bysocial contagion. They seem to, be
excited only by social contact, and to pro
gress only with the current. This law Of
our natures shows the great Importance of
these clubs to the farmer. A man who
would be very timid to adopt an improve
ment urged upon him alone, wonld enter in
to it with zeal when adopted BY the club
when he had the countenance and encour-
agement of his neighbors. Mechanics are
congregated in cities, have frequent inter
course with each other, and are swift to a.
dopt labor-saying invention in their basf
ness. 80. 49,. ...s'.'i- .....' s'.'' ~ 49,.
But farmers are scattered over the Goun-
try, and occupy themselves too constantly
with physical labor on the farm. Too much
muscular exercise wearies the body and
indisposes the mind to exertion. The far
mer has too long regarded his calling as a
physical mission, requiring little or no ef.
fort of the mind, but q constant tension Of
muscle. Anything which should induce
them to congregate together socially would
be great blessing, but still more 50 when
this meeting is for the purpose of comparing
notes upon their occupation. .;......,.:
It would surprise body of farmers, who
had never tried it, to find how much knowl-
edge could be gained upon almost any sub
iecr CurnvUtcda with 6 t!-er-
ty-fve average farmers, who should each
contribute the facts he knew relating to it..
Perhaps no one of the twenty-five woulfbe
able to give more than few facts concern
ing the topic, yet when each had contribu-
ted what he knew, the subject might be
thoroughly elucidsted and easily under
stood. When they come together no one
fully understands the subject, but when the
discussion, is over every one might carry
away full knowledge of it.
And this leads us to speak of the proper
method of conducting these Farmers Clubs.
First, there should be as little formality
and as few rules as possible, consistent
with good order. Select man of propt
decision and few words as chairman, and
the most ready writer for secretary. Avoid
set speeches and prepared dissertations.
You come together to communicate facts
and not to display rhetoric. Any one who
who has fact to give should be welcome.
1t should be meeting for free and infor-
NAL interchange of ideas in the converse
tional way. This will be found much bet
ter and more profitable than debate. You
cannot we'll debate question without the
disputants becoming interested for triumph
in, ar gument-for the the success of a side
and this is not the object of discussion The
object should be to gain knowledge, to &C
cumulate facts on which to base right de-
cision, and not to display ability in argu-
ment, to triumph in disputation. Suppose
the question were the 'sbest time to cut
wheat?" 1t is obvious that well-attested
experiments bearing upon this subject
would be necessary to determine it. Every
one who could give any fact showing the
effect of cutting wheat at particular stage
of growth would assist in calculating it.
One could perhaps give the effect upon rust,
of cutting wheat while green; showing the
quality of the grain to be little injured by
it; another cut it when ripe, and the rust
had ruined the grain; another states that
he cut before ripe, when no rust appeared,
and found the berry plump and got a,lar-
ger proportion of -four per bushel than
when he had cut on full ripening. And
thus one after another gives his experience
upon all sides of this question, until the
facts render it's solution clear. Now, a
1oornad dissertation unon the wheat nlant