The Republican journal., 1870-01-13
FARMERS CLUBS.

We are much pleased to see that these organzu-
tions for mutual improvement in agricultural and
kindred matters are being rapidly formed at CEN
tral positions all the State, before they have
been over other States and the world. We have
always maintained. in these columns as elsewhere,
that what the interests of agriculture and the ma
chanic arts want is not so much more manual Ia
bor. but more thought labor-more knowledge
put into them: and if conducted with the right OBJ
iccts and spirit with untirng zeal and energy,
nothing could be more beneficial than these meet
ings.
And in our Judgment one of the very highest ad-
vantages of these clubs is an indirect one--getting
up wider taste for and larger practice in home
reading on those subjects. What professional man
or skilled artizan would think Of any success in
their callings without the diligent study of many
books aud other publications pertaining to their
specalties; but as we have often had occasion to
remark before, how few farmers out of the whole
have any agricultural books papers at their fire.
side Here is an illustration. That excellent pub
lcation THE AMERICAN AGRIcULTURIsr- is
but 81 year for clubs of twenty; and let this city
or any of the large towns about it, get up such a
club, they usually do and you will find eighteen
Of the number, persons who at most have only
a few rods Of soil to till-some none at all; the
other two, perhaps, will be farmers. Such is the
composition of the clubs to which for many years
we have belonged.
If these Farmers Clubs, therefore, hope for any
large and lasting advantage from their labors, let
their first and largest care be to feel themselves
and show to others, the Importance of reading
more or less every week and every day, some good
book or paper in the farming interest, The de-
bates in these clubs are all well; but they are in
their nature occasional and transitory in their eff
fectS. like
Snow flakes i'll the river
One moment there then gone foreyer;"-
but system of reading, getting the latest and best
information upon al the great topics of agricul-
ture; soils. the adoption of various crops to; ma
| nures, their kinds and manufacture: stock, best
kinds and how to raise fruit, what sorts and best
modes of culture tools, the best kinds, .Sc.-al
this may and probably will be discussed ut the
| club meetings and do great good; but already
stated these lessons soon Slip from the mind, never
| perhaps TO be recalled while the habit of close
reading and study nj home is well of living wa
ter that never dries up, Of which every soul thai
| drinks grows wiser and better day by day.
| One great lesson from the history of all such or
ganizalions may serve to point out the rock upon
which so many of them have struck and gone tc
pieces For from Royal Academies down through
| literary and scientific, medical and womans right
conventions, too often the great objects of thei
work are lost sight of of, and so they degen
crate INTO debating such momcntous questions a.
whether the first hen laid the first egg or the frs
egg hatched the first hen; and, when this is settled
whether 1t is best to put on first the right or tn
left stocking! A large part of the work of the n
y. Trbune's farmers Club is of this sort; and al
such proceedings everywhere, whatever the them
is, or the society called, instead of promoting tru
knowledge, become only "sounding brass and
tinkling cymbal.'