Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-03-25
FARM AND GARDEA.
rs KNOWLEDGE ESSENTIAL TO
FARmERsa


FARmERS1
To the Editors of the Union and American
In the beginning the commandment
was given unto man, "Subdue the earth. I"
And it is also written, 'Cursed is the
ground for thy sake. Thorns also and
thistles shall it bring forth to thee.'
Agriculture, then, can be classed as the
primitive pursuit of man, and physical
labor the legal inheritance of all. If
physical labor is the only requisite for
subduIng the earth, and exterminating
ssttorns and thistles," the half civilized
savage can succeed as well and compete
with the more enlightened and scientific
agriculturist. And as we know Of no
half civilized people or nation, that sue
coed 80 well in the pursuit of agriculture
as the more enlightened, physical labor
cannot be the only requisite, and we are
compelled TO attribute the success
of the latter over the former
to knowledge alone. Then as the
savage, for the want of skill
in the application of his labor fails in the
pursuit of agriculture; how can the farm
er destitute of skill, in an enlightened ma
ton expect to succeed so well as those
who know how, when and where to Ia
bort We have long since heard that the
giants of physical strength could not
raise an edifice without skill in the use of
tools. 1t is likewise with the farmer;
without knowing how to apply our labor,
we need not expect to succeed. When
we reflect upon the past, who of us that
cannot count many days of wearisome
toll TO no effect. Why did the writer
plow clay land and when saturated in
water, thus running the present crop and
the succeeding one? Why did my neigh
Dor plant his young trees two feet in the
ground, and by SO doing killed them9
We passed near the farm of man whose
ambition called him higher. He feared
not the heat of summer, or the cold of
winter. He toilet diligently day by day, and
from year TO year, sowing bountifully but
reaping sparingly, for he sought not the
prerequisite knowledge in the application
of his labor.
Then if knowledge is so essential to
success in farming, how shall we gain so
important requisite save by our own
and others experience. And with the
advantage of the agricultural press,
through which all experienced farmers
are permitted to give their opinions and
theories, should not the yeung farmer
commence with at least fifty years expe-
rience2
When we contemplate the universe and
the laws that govern the same, we find
rNarfaot thaorv IVhor rra Lob ,,ro1 tba
natural law that governs man as a physi-
cal, intellectual and moral being, we find
a theory. And 1t is thus with all natural
science, while the lonely bark of agri-
culture Is tossed upon the impulse of hui
man nature, without compass to direct
her bearings, or a rudder to gnide her to
success. Tilling the ground in obedi-
ence to the command of our Creator,
and filling our barns ard storehouses with
the product of the fields, is not all there
is of agriculture. The organic nature of
man is 80 constituted as to render him
of emotion. Therefore, it
becomes delightful to him, and his de-
light is his reward. Yet, to him who
would succeed as a farmer, permit us to |
say, that experience has taught US that |
bountiful yields from our land do not
all that is included in farming.
The work is only now begun. The pro-
iuce from his lands must be exchanged |
for other commodities of life. And if |
be needed knowledge to direct him in !
the greatest possible yield from |
his land, he will find the greatest consi6- |
grafton is to know when, how and what |
10 buy and sell. In word, he must |
be good finsncier. The prosperity of |
/ nation or an individual family |
iepend upon its fina1ciering. If you will |
pardon our depression we can safely as |
vert that we did not expect our State to |
emerge from her present crippled condi- !
ion of finance until we select only such |
men to control our finance, as have here !
,ofore proven themselves good financiers. |
We shall not attempt to define appropriate |
Dr. inappropriate labor, good or bad finsn- |
;iering, yet at some future time we hope |
% offer few lines upon the natural in |
;lination of man with regard to the va
'iOus pursuits. ]. S. DOWNING,
COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn March 4, 1871. |
REMEDY FOR SADDLE CALLS.
In answer to a correspondent, WiIkeS' |
Spirit says: If the back is considerably !
swollen, it should be well fOmented for |
1t least half an hour, and then bathed |
With lotion composed of two drachms |
If Goulard's extract one ounce of gly- |
,erine, in half pint of water. The sad
lie should never be re-spplied until the |
IOre has healed and the skin ia free from
IL Inflammation even if considerable in |
is thereby suffered. The
,est palliative we know of, consists in |
placing a green cabbage leaf over the
bruised part and keeping the saddle on |