The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1870-04-01
agricultural.
Scientific Farming.

Every plant develops and porfects
Itself by natural laws. When you
lave supplied all the necessary condi-
ton for plant grow tn, you have done
all that -ycu can. This Is a scientific
culture. Ii is as simple as rolling off
log, If people had known it was
SO simple they would have had it long
ago" rrD.r ....
Thus dscourscd an aged friend, a man
of learning and experience in our hear.
ing, not many days since. Really,
shea farmers have been practicing
scicntihc farming to greater extent
than many of them are aware Of
Three-fouIths Of our farmers are ready
on occasion, to scoi' ut and ridicule
the idea of scientific farming, and yet
80 far rs they have farmed intelligcntly
and successfully, they may be said to
have iarmed scientifically for they
have given their crops the necessary
conditions for development.
FvtIy farmer who plants corn knows
that he should first have his land in
fine filth, deep and mellow; he should
plant the seed at certain depth to
secure the necessary warmth and
moisture for his termination, and at
certain distances apart to give the
plants sufficient room for growth, and
that during growth the land should be
kept clean and mellow. His observa-
ton has taught him that these are
conditions necessary for the growth
and development Of the plants, or the
productions of a good crop. They are
facts understood and comprehended
by his mind, hence scientific. A
very few farmers have pursued their
observations little farther, and found
that by selecting the best grains from
the best ears, and from the best stalks
and giving them extra cultivation
for the purpose or raising the best seed
they have been able to increase the
yield to fifty or one hundred fold.
Scientific farming is that kind of
farming which is based upon knowl-
edge, truth. and understood facts
The more knowledge a farmer
can bring to bear upon his operations,
the more facts he comprehends, peril.
merit to his business the more thoroughly
scientific will be his farming, and, Of
course the more successful. There
have been examples of theoretical
farming not based upon facts, or guild
ed by experience, and enormously
called scientific farming; but there is
nothing to merit ridiculc in scientific
farming, for nearly every farmer prac-
tees it in greater or less degree.
The horticulturist, by studying the
character and wants of plants, by care,
full cultivation, by hybridization. etc.
have developed new varieties, and
otherwise accomplished results truly
wonderful, and adding immensely to
the interest and profits of their branch
of farming. They are scientific cul.
tivators. Yet there are some success
full horticulturists who can barely read
and write, but they study, think, and
observe carefully. If they do mo-
originate improvements, they at leas
inform themselves of those made by
others, and appropriate the advantages
Without this, the horticulturist of the
present day cannot attain even more
moderate success, compared wit!
others. The same is true in regarc
to the general farmer, though perhaps
in less marked degree. 1t is true
that the truly scientific farmer is in al
respects the most successful, while thu
old fogies barely live, or if they make
something more it Is more by, lucl
than by the amount Of knowledge the.
apply to their business. .
The most essential requisite in sci
entiic farming is careful observation
with knowledge of what and how tt
observe. As an aid to such knowledge
books and papers are essential. From
these may be learned the observation
and experience of others, the result
of experiments, (etc. Without appro
priating the knowledge gained b
Others, man can make but very SLOW
progress in any business more especial
ly so in farming. In no other wa
can such knowledge be so readily AM
completely gained as from books AM
the agricultural papers, the latte
being the proper repositories for
record of facts, observations, ETC.. G
almost daily occurrence.--Jomnal Q
Agriculture.