Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-10-12
knowledge Required In Farming.

There are many who look upon farming
as rather small business, who think that
its successful prosecution requires only q
little common sense-just enough to
prompt the hardy worker to seek shelter
in rain storm. and q very little knowl-
edge, just sufficient TO cunt a flock OF
sheep, or read a political newspaper. The
opini n was once more gen raj than now,
for the world is growing wiser, yet at the
present time IL Is entertained by many. II
is an old and true saying, that "honor and
shame from no condition RISE" that honor
Is only acquired by acting well our part in
whatever situation we may be placed. A
man OF ability and knowledge, who de-
votes all his earnings TO his business, will
make it honorable and profitable, no mat
ter how Insignificant that business may at
nrst seem.
There is no business requiring such var
led requirements, so much knowledge, so
much good judgment and commercial
ability combined, as is necessary for the
thoroughly accomplished farmer. He
stands first among the manufacturers Of
the land, he makes the wheat aud corn, the
beef and mutton and PORK, the wool and
flax and manufactures from the earth,
the air, the water nearly all that we cat
farmers as class, but almost every one
produces many, ii not al of these articles.
The manufacturer usually confines mis-
a bors to the production of one article,
but the farmer is by necessity compelled
10 make many. If he would make grain,
he must also make beef, or butter and
cheese, or mutton and wool. Hence the
necessity Of extensive knowledge. 1t Ia
s.n hp ma mn "a or IN a a.
certain how much wool will make a yard
Of cloth Of certain description, and what
will be its cost but il Is not 80 easy for
the farmer to ascertain how much grass or
hay or grain will make a pound Of wool.
The manufacturer can test Il new machine
and ascertain by few staple trials
whether it will manufacture the desired
article cheaper or better than the old one;
bat to ascertain how pouud Of beef can
be made the cheapest, what machine will
convert hay into rich cheese in the cheap
est manner, is u matter requiring good
deal more care and skill.
Among his varied requirements, the
farmer should possess knowledge of ami
nal physiology, 80 as ~ be enabled TO
keep his stock in health and administer
proper remedies in case OF sickness Veg
etable physiology, too, must not be over
looked. Every day during the growing
season, the farmer performs work for the
gro Nth of his crops founded on the known
laws which govern vegetable life. Ento-
moiogy Ia science which the farmer is
compelled 10 study 10 some extent, and
often much more perhaps than he desires,
tut the more he does SO the better he is
fitted to wage successful war against
thousands Of destructive foes.
In addition to this. the farmer must be q
merchant, for he mtistsell as well as manu-
facture. He must in some measure take
advantage Of the rise and fall in prices,
select the best time for selling and the
best market, or after all his toll and
anxiety he may find but poor return.
When we contemplate this subject, at
which we have merely glanced in all It's
bearings, we are led to exclaim, who Is
competent to this work? Heartily do we
pity those who think that farming fur
nishes no scope for the exercise OF knowl-
edge or ability. If this opinion were en-,
tertained only by those engaged in other
pursuits, it would be Of no serious conse-
quence; but we judge that many farmers
have themselve imbibed such unfounded
and unjust opinions in regard to their call
ing, and where this Is the case there Is an
emu TO all improvement and all desire for
Improvement. A man must have good
opinion Of his calling. o proper apprecia-
information necessary for its successful
prosecution or he cannot hope to succeed
Cor. Ohio FarfneT.