The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-23

tute nearly one third Of all the active business
men in tie nation, and number ten times as
many as those engaged IN any other single oc-
cupation. These nearl two and half million
of farmers own and occupy 407 ,2l2, 53S acres
Of land, valued at S66s1 ,520,0d6. The live
stock upon their farms, farming tools, agricul-
tlral machinery, and crops raised that year.
were estimated at nearly 3d. 500. 100000. TIE
show that farmers are laboring men it need
only be stated, that to cultivate and manage
this large amount of land, and to raise and
prepare for the market this vast amount Of
produce, they employed only 1858 hands, OF
only one hand for every thlrd farmer. The
farmers own the imperishabe wealth OF the
nation, the soil. They raise the food for the
people, and the profits made from their pro-
duce so to build the cities, the railroads and
canals, and to fill the Golfers Of the millionaire.
Truly, in point Of numbers, and the importance
Of their occupation, the case ia favorable for
the farmers and it must be conceded that they
have right to demand of the general Govern
ment and the State all the aid necessary to es-
Ia blish and support such schools as may be
necessary to enable them to give tn cir sons
CURED to make them, not only intelligent and
scientific farmers, aud farmers wives bnt quail
ify them for any position in State or nation,
whore intelligence and moral worth are needed.
But will higher education improve the
farmers condition, enable HIM 70 prosecute his
labors more successfully tighten the burden OF
his tolls, and add to the real enjoyments OF
life ? are questions which ! a,D aware arc not
fully settled N the minds Of many individuals.
Indeed tho idea is too prevalent, that the mere
rudments OF an education are all that is nee
essary for farmer, or all that biz occupation
Will allow linn 70 enjoy; and that science and
farming are antagoDist'c, and scientific farm
ing stupendous humbug. 1t must be evident
to every rejecting mind, that no occupation IN
life lis so well adapted 10 a proper and healthy
cultivation OF all the faculties Of mans nature,
morally, mentally, and physically, az that Of
agriculture. Tie range OF thought necessary
! to constitute good lawyer, doctor, or artisan,
is not so great as that required for a skillRui
farmer. L has been said BY a learned Profess
or that, " The physician is apt to look upon
everything with medical eye he considers
everything with reference only to q diseased
! body; the whole earth - him is AZ Immense
/ pl-box, or collecsions or boluses, and jaaps
and infusions, willie toe phenomena OF pure
mind. aud the innumerable departments OF
facts and thought, having no connection with
his peculiar AIT, may be him denied, or at
least unknown. So the mt lawyer is mentally
bound as no would have all other men. both
body and soul, 10y statutes, ana presidents,
AM interpretations, and decisions; while tho
mere technical theologisn, perhaps more pitt
able than either, never looks upon nature, nor
man, the earth, nor the heavens, IN their own
true light, but through the artificial and dog
matte notions Of the past ages And 4 still
more lanentable feature OF this one-sidedness,
is, that these men are apt to he excessively
gotod. aud fancy that all other men, bot them
selves. are ignorant. Such are not ali profess
sional men, such need not be any; but such
are some and none ara more conscious than
professional men themselves, that such is the
inevitable tendency OF their own s.uhes. unless
they occasionally and regularly, break loose
from the trammels OF their narrow occupation,
and range over other iislds OF thought"
But the farmer is not circumscribed by go
marrow q limit of thought his ever active mind
Is carried out TO broader fields, and more ex-
tersive views. He secs and acknowledges The
WORKS of God in everything around him; from
the dust that soils his clotnes to the stars that
cheer him by night from the brooklet thai
ripples at bis feet, to the storn that levels the
forests. Ia bis da;ly labor be finds practica
use for the science OF Chemistry. Geology
Botany, Natural Philosophy, Astronomy aud
Me;eorology, and Animal Pays ioiogy. Many
OF the other sciences yield 20 him MANY OF
their valuable secrets.
la the analysis ui the eoll he cultivatep, The
reno vaion Of worn out soils; the preparation
and application of artificial manures; prepare
ton Of the soil for The seed; the selection OF
seed time and manner of sowing; what kind
OF crops most profitable to raise; the mo and
Improvement of agricultural machinery; man
agement OF stock tho effects OF crossing and
intermixing different breeds; drainage fruit
culture; study OF the laws of trade; and
state of the markets are q few of the many
subjects which demand the farmers doep
thought, close study, and constant research -
No other occupation in life presents to highly
no person IN active business life, Is better pre-
pared to enjoy the pleasures and real enjoy
ments, which flow from highly cultivated
mind and heart, than the industrious lnde-
pendent, scientific farmer. and what is meant
| by scientific farming? Science means knowl-
edge and the scientific farmer works with a
7 knowledge OF what no is doing That is sill
there Is OF scientific farming that so many cry
ont against.
ir. President have already occupied moro
than my allotted tune in this discussion, but.it
il a subject in which | feel deep interest
an English writer some years ego SAID. that
3 'ha only hope FOR the agriculture OF England
: was IA me rising generation That remark ia
as applicable 10 America, as to England; ard it
Z gratifying TO know, that not Only the State,
but the general Government are alive to iins
subject of education. Michigan has already
+, established a svstom Of free schools, accessible
, a. Il Al. II