Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-09-24
Asrltultaral.


During the Fair last week seVeiai meet
ings were held by the farmers and Others
for the discussion of questions relating to
the interests of Agriculture. Some oil
these meetings were well attended, ana
others, owing to the unfayorable state OF
the weather and other causes were nos
crowded. The first meeting was called
to order by President Scammou. of the
Maine State Agricultural Society, Pnf.
Fernald of the State Agricultural College
was called up and spoke on The Ednea-
tion of Farmers" a subject of great inter
est to the whole community. Well edu-
Gated, intelligent farmers are the most
1 portant class in any country. PROBES
Sor Fernald divided the subject into three
parts: First. "what young farmers
should not study lie thought il WAS
unnecessary for the young farmer who
intends to get his living by tilling the
soil to study the ancient languages. and
vet they may assist him in learning botan-
zeal terms. But the question may arise:
Is this Kind OF knowledge essential to
proper cultivation OF the soil? True. bot
any is a pleasing study and il Young
man has sufficient time TO acquire this
knowledge and learn also the nature of
the soils, what manure is best for each,
what particular crops grow best on GER
tain soils, how deep TO pillow. when to un-
derirain and how 10 make good crops,
let him study the names of flowers and
how To cultivate them. Ii i the opinion
of some professors that the study of the
ancient languages does not aid one even
in learning botanical names. On the
whole, perhaps it is well to yield this de-
partment 70 the mothers and daughters.
and let the Husbands and sons learn more
important lessons in .griCulture.
The second question discussed was
What shall the young man study" He
shoUld acquire a knowledge OF mathen'at-
les sufficient. not only TO enable him to
keep correctly all his accounts and deer
mine his losses and gains, but also. 10 II
Nev lands and aSct ain the bouudc les
of his farm. And a armerS have T., At
tend the making Of .dS, they nigh, be
probably employed study Nc civil N
gineering. That N. be- tru' toacertain |
extent. but If We Co1'l have our way We
would most es>entia chang the vi lie |
mode of making "a. mending To, = |
The farmers Of Main have cNpende |
vast amount of labor IN past Years on nur |
highways, and so expended it that mil !
lions have been lo>t. or. the same rs lost /
The work in making and mcudlng roads |
has never been thorough enough and So
it has to be done over every year. and the
labor lost The whole system ought 20 |
be changed, and SO changed, thar when
a new road is made or an old one mendcd,
the work should be 50 thoroughly and /
wisely done this Year that they will need /
bat little, if any repairs next year. The
thing might be done and vast amount
at labor saved. II i absolutely painful |
10 reflect upon the great amount of mon
ev. time and labor that has been eNpeud-
ed in making and Needing public high
ways! Ii our farmers halt century ago
had performed such work a. they ought
and might have done, the present genera
Ii'u would have ut little OF such work To
Go.
But the n,oius opsraldt has been such
al over the State and We may safe y y,
all over New England and the coun,r, at
large-that about 50 much labor ha, 10 be
expended every season. And this labor
Is 81 severe drawback 'poa our farmers
agI others who are .ompelled 70 pay
what are called ..ruaj xe,." When viii
Tie people learn wjsd \? VIII the same
work continue for generation, to come
This Is serious question, and ii our
Young farmers" will learn enough ct
civil engineering 10 change the mode of
making and meudinS roads which their
fathers have adopted, the next generation
viii have abundant reason 70 bless them.
So much for that
The Professor remarked there WAS an
other field OF study. of Importance 10 our
Young farmers and that i. the natural
sciences. The science of Botany, for in
stance.
As the young farm, is to be constant
" among plants 9th earth. the Pruies-
sor thought he should acquire thorough