Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-09-08

human pursuit, need say nothing.
suffice 1t to say, that If farming were
susnended and vegetation to cease,
MI. animal life would perish, and III
six months our race would become
extinct. Americans love to dwell
largely and do some tall talking, too,
on the excellence of American man.
ufactures and American commerce.
Yet vast aud wonderful as our man.
ufactures are, and industrious and
extensive as commerce of oui
country In, penetrating every ocean
and inlet in. the world, yet just az
important and equally interesting, is
the science of agriculture, and IN
large commodities IL exoels the other
two combined. And while the vari-
oIs subdivisions of industry among
civilized men, such as trades, pur-
suits and professions, have been the
special objects of protection and
sympathy,rit Is notorious that the
claims of agriculture have been well
nigh ignored. And though she is
the nursing mother of all other pur-
suits. coeval with mans existence,
she has been left good deal too
much out i'm the cold. and has just
bepup. az it were to attract the atten-
ton she il entitled to. and to receive
the homage which Ii justly her due.
We could not do better, probably.
than to occupy the few minutes al.
lotted us i'm the inquiry ana endeaVos
to trace out one or two OF the causes
of this underestimation OF the great
science of agriculture. And we shall
begin where we are told charity
ought to begin, and where, 1t Is
equally true. fault finding ought to
begin, then it would seldom go ANY
further. mean at home.
Depend upon IL, two-thirds OF The
efforts nut forth for the reformation
of society will be successful only in
proportion tn the purity of the source
Of these efforts themselves, AMI 80
the dignity of agricultural labor VIII
rails only In pro; ortioh To the
height of the estiinattoiI Win when
farm. ers regard their avocations them
selves. We trace this underestima'
ton of agricultural labor.
r To a lack of dignity on the
mart NJ farmers themselves. IS The
man who respects himself VIII De re.
spected by others. But Oh how nu.
initiating 10 the pervading sentiment
among q great portion OF our Farmers
i'm regard to the dignity OF their call,
inc. and the qualifications required
for its pursuit. Farmers have, some
how or other, gotten the notion into
their heads that farming is Q mean
contemplate drudgery. AND bewat
the day they first put their hand tt
the plow. You go into political
assembly or o harvest home, and If 4
man-pets ,lo aud makes speech tina
ia dull and stupid ten to one the far
mer who stands next to you will de-
clare il as his opinion that the speak
er had much better go back to the
plow. thereby acknowledging thai
inferiority of talent is sufficient fol
his own noble calling, and that tn'
brainless skill Is equal 10 the grea
science OF aagriculture. = indeed y
low is the estimation in which farm
ers hold their avocations that nav
known them, after having built al
a fortune on their farms, to turf
round to their sous and say "Well
now. YOU shan't be farmers yo'
shall five different life from what
have. - And hence IL IL that we nav
hure.Iooking farmers sons LEADING
lives of emasculate idleness and lazi
ness, like the polypus floating useles
and nasty ON the sea, all jelly an
fiahby, no muscle no bones, 1t shut
and opens opens and shnt Is SUCKS u
and squirts out again; OF ne eartnl.
account, influence or use. such ar
these moor fools, because their par
epts fail TO see any dignity In tn
calling which has given them frame
of iron and bone; they turn thei
sons upon the world homeless an
museleless simple, subtle and SOFT .
that. And when they do make u
their minds to bring them up Z
work they decilnate the farm OF tn
boy who il evidently born farmei
and try to make out of him lawye
or n preacher, or some other profes
sion that is considered more respects
BILE than farming i'm the apprehen
sions of the family. Farmers Q
Ohiol you should BSAkh
BE PROUD OF YOUR cALIlNo
for it Is the art of arts. the science
sciences, where physical and Intel
lectual capacity. Judgment, taste am
learning may achieve the most trium
But the farmers dignity has sufi
cred considerably. .....m..3 linn
III. From q lack of education
Why ID IL that at these agriculture
fairs, when, the cities and village
have been ransacked for orators, tn
committees have invariably sough
them among lawyers and doctors
politicians and preachers !? Ever.
pursuit ought TO furnish Its owl
prophets and exponents, and th
claims of agriculture ought to b
trumpeted by the farmer himself
This. however, il out OF the question
so long as he be imperfectly educated
/ am very glad to find howevei
there Ia growing attention 70. IN
liberal education of the American
agricu!turist. 1t speaks well; for
by q proper education of thi
class of men the country will b.
elevated, and the false notion of tn
servility of this pursuit 60 which w
refer would be most effectually re
moved, and farming would be M
longer considered y business for brut'
muscle only, where the mind cal
achieve no conquest and labor but
poor reward, but noble science, de
mandiDg brains and the widest range
of human knowledge, and fraugh
with wide material for thought ant
investigation. think III there b'
one thing more than another waDtes
in this country, with Its vastinterest
ed capacities, In order to accomplish
the most prodigious feats in agricul'
ture that the world ever saw, tina
one thing is kn0Wledge, penetratin(
deeply and Disseminated universally
among the rural population. 1t Il
most distressing the aInountof intel
ligence which some men deem neces
sary to the tillage of the earth. Itis
most notorious that in England al
the present day farmers Ruvein thu
same mud cottages, and drive alone
the same cart rut, which their great
grandfathers went in, clinging II
gross superstitions and ancestra
usage, regarding books and instru
ments with sublime contempt. Al
American traveller one day passing
through q field whore q group o
IdIncIS duu tuCh oouo "CAO n0J
making. hcsinquired Of them If they
were prospecting, and one Of then
replied, "Have yov.. we be maxim
'ay.". This - Q somewhat ludicrous
but striking.sillustration Of the Igno.
rance Of the English Farmer ut ths
present day. / think ii there be any
pursuit which demands for Its nosl
successful prosecution acute powers
of observation. com prehensive intel.
iect, and the most abundant varied
knowledge, 1t is that of the farmer
There is scarcely q science which viii
not shed flood of light along the
pathway of the farmer. and aknowl'
edge of the practical arts and trades
of life mpst materially relieve him.
Indeed, SO thickly do objects of in.
terest and study cluster around him.