The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-11-04
Scientific Farming.


self by natural laws. When YOU have
supplied all the necessary conditions for
plant growth, you have done all that you
can. This is scientific culture. It is as
simple as rolling off log: If people had
know it was SO simple they would have
Thus discoarsed an aged friend, man
oflearning and experience, in our hearing,
not many days since, Really, then, farm
ers have been practicing scientific farming
to greater extent than many of them
were aware of. Three-fourths Of our farm.
ers are ready, on occasion, to scof at and
ridicuIe the idea of scientific farming, and
vet, so far-as they have farmed intelligent
IL and successfully, they may be said to
have farmed scientifically for they have
given their crops the necessary conditions
for development.
Every farmer who plants corn knows
that he should first have his land in line
filth, deep and mellow; he should plant
the seed at certain depth to secure the
necessary warmth and moisture for its ger
mination, and at certain distances apart
torgipe the plants sufficient room for
growth, and that during growth the land
should be kept clean and mellow. His OBJ
serxation has taught him tha. these are
conditions necessary for the growth and
development of the plants, or the produc-
ton of a good crop. They are facts under
stood and comprehended by his mind,
hence scientific. A very few farmers have
pursued their observations little farther,
and'found that by sele 5ting the best grains
from the best ears, and from the best stalks.
and giving them extra cultivation for the
purpose Of raising the best seed they have
been able to increase the yield fifty or one
hundred fold.
Scientific farming is that kind of farm
inc. which is based upon knowledge, truth,
and understood facts. The more knowl-
edge a farmer can bring to bear upon lis
operations, the more facts he comprehends,
pertinent to.his business, the more thor
oughly scientific will be his farming, and,
ofcourse, the more successful There have
been examples of theoretical farming, not
based upon facts, or guided by experience,
and enormously. called scientific farming !;
but there is nothing to merit ridicule in
scientific farming, for nearly every farmer
practices it in greater or lesser degree.
The horticultirist, by studying the
character and wants of plants, by careful
cultivation, by hybridization,, etc, have
developed new varieties, and otherwise ac-
eomplished results truly wonderful, and
adding immensely to the interest and prof
its of their branch of farming. They are
scientific cnltivators. Yet there are some
successful horticulturists who cam barely
read and write, but they study, think,
and observe carefully. If they do not
originate improvements, they at least IN
form themselves Of those made by others,
and appropriate the advantages. With
out this, the horticulturist of the present
day cannot attain even moderate sl,ccess,
compared with others. The same is true
in regard to the general farmer, though
perhaps in a less marked degree. 1t is
true that the truly scientific farmer is in
all respects the most successful, while the
old fogies barely live, or if they make
something more, it is more by luck than
by, the amount of knowledge they apply
to their business. ae-
The most essential requisite in scientific
farming is careful observation, with a
knowledge Of what and how to observe.
AS an aid to such knowledge, books and
papers are essential. From these may be
learned the observation and experience of
ethcrs, the results of experiments, ETC.
Without appropriating the knowledge
gained by others, a man can make but
very slow progress in any business more
especially SO IN farming. In no other way
can such knowledge be so readily and COM
pletely gained as from books and the ag-
ricultural papers, the latter being the
proper repositories for a record of facts;
observations, ETC., of almost daily occur
rences.-Journal of Agriculture.
AHARD WINTER coMrse.-sssientiic