Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1871-07-15

farmers. They are above defiling their hands
with any work at all.
But the meanings are assigned to the
word viz. -
|. An exposition of the general principles
of any science; as the theory of music.
,. The science, distinguished from the art
us the theory and prrctice of plow-making, or
steam-engine building.
The philosophical explanation of phenom
ena us the theory of plant growth, or of
combustion.
1t is evident, according to these definitions,
that there may be false and true theories.
There may be theory of pillow making that
is erroneous, and plows made according to
it will not do good work; while another
plow maker may hit upon the true theory,
(as Gov. Holbrook seems to have done,) and
make plows of the greatest service to the
farmer. Now nobody will say that that kind
of theory has done any harm.
Every man who thinks ut all, usually has
some kind of II theory about everything he
has to do. The writer we have quoted not
only has II theory that theory is II bad thing
for the farmer, but it is easy to gather, even
from the short extract given, that he has
other theories, rs that manure and hard work
are essential to successful farming, and
that common sense is Il great help
both of which theories seem to us sound. and
valuable when put in practice.
There are theories prevalent to II consider
able extent which attribute great power to
the heavenly bodies, especially to the moon.
over many of the interests of the farmer
Even some people who profess contempt for
theory in general hold strongly to these, and
believe that if you do not kill your beef or
your pork at the right time the meat will
are not planted in the right sign they will
fail. If these theories are true, they are very
valuable, but if as others contend, they are
all moonshne,-that II good breed, good
feeding and good management will give
good meat, no matter under what sign it may
be killed, while bad breed, bad feeding and
neglect will give poor meat under all cir
cumstanccs, then the latter theory is pref
cradle.
Even fancy farmers who fail to make their
farming pay, do not always do so because
their theories arc bad 1t is quite often the
case that their failures are attributable to
other reasons. Mr.. Greeley and Mr.. Beecher
would no doubt be successful farmers if they
gave their whole time and attention to the
; business. The same talents and industry
that made the Tribune II success, or that
built up the Plymouth pulpit, and commands
Il salary of $4,000 year, would, if given
entirely to agriculture, have been crowned
with II parallel success. Other fancy farmers
fail because they are lazy, and see to nothing
themselves, delegating all oversight as well
us all labor, to hired help. Usually if they
have theories that are ever so false, such
men do not usually apply them so extensive
ly, or run them so far, us to lose great deal
of money by them in comparison with what
they lose in other ways.
A correct theory may be so badly worked
as to give bad pecuniary results Here it is
that the practical man has the advantage of
the mere theorist. and indeed it is almost al
ways the practical man that makes the mon
ey out of IL good theory. The theory Of deep
tillage is good one, but it IS only the practi-
cal man who is likely successfully to apply it
to practice and make it pay. The same may