Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-02-23
BY L. r. WARD.

BY L. r. WARD.
That agriculture is science ad-
mits no longer Of doubt. And
the fundamental part, Flowing, is a
science as well.
There are many things to consid-
err in connection with the simple
pulverizing of the soil in order to a
successful system Of agriculture, the
details of which, as a matter of
course, l shall have little time to
discuss in this essay. Ishall there
fore only attempt to make few
practical suggestions.
With the early history of agri-
culture the present generation has
comparatively little knowledge
it must have ever been a
subject Of primary Importance to
the race, wherever man could not
subsist upon the spontaneous pro-
auctions Of the earth, yet its pro-
gress was so slow-if it ever made
any progress at all-that it was
never reduced to any practical sys-
tenn in oriental times, excepting
perhaps in some rude way in spec
ial localities where it was not sus-
ceptiblc of very general adaptation.
And if it should have met with any
marked success at any time, there
was little inclination, or little abil-
ity to communicate that success to
the world. 1t may be thought that
the Romans were an exception to
this rule, but if they ever were, they
soon, alas! too soon, obliterated
the traces of their former footsteps,
and who reared for themselves a
monument of war, cnriching them
selves with the spoils Of other ma
tons rather than with the trophies
of a peaceful industry, and through
their own debauchery, soon left the
world in ignorance Of their former
successes in the arts Of peace, and
it remained for our own age; and
we may perhaps, without cgotism,
say, to great extent, for our own
people to develop this among the
great improvements of modern
times. True, the Chinese have
from time immemorial been COM
PEELED to lay the soil under exces-
sive tribute to sustain their over
flowing population; and Western
Europe has succeeded by dint of
untiring manual labor to secure the
greatest production of which the
soil is capable. Yet they have
made but little comparative pro-
gress in the successful introduction
of the modern implements Of agri-
culture, and many of them still de-
pend largely upon what can be &C
complished stroke by stroke, with
human muscle; in short, the spade
in many parts is the most common
implement used with which to pull
verize the soil in Fatherland. Our
English cousins, however, have
made commendable progress in this
art by the introduction Of the steam
pillow. but it is said, owing to their
extreme conservative character, that
they adopt new methods very slow
ly, and even now, in the southern
part Of the island, where the soil is
light and does not so much require
the powerful agency of steam for
its thorough culture, theystill use a
pillow similar to that used in our
grandfathcrs' time on this side of
the water. And it is presumed
that, save in our own country, there
cannot be found so fine a collection
of finished, effective clippers and
breakers as grace our fairs and our
markets, as we'll as our farms. 1t
would be superfuous for me to go
into detail to show the progress
which has been made from time to
time in the improvement of this
most important implement. This
is o matter familiar with all who
have paid any attention to the sub
ject. Suffice it to say that since the
introduction of the cast-iron pillow
through the indefatigable labors of
Mr.. Jcthro Wood-though it ruined
him in fortune-thc march Of i'm
provement in its construction and
effectiveness has been steadily on
ward, and we may now rejoice in
the great perfection it has attained.
And now, fellow farmers, having
our perfected implement in hand,
let us march out and see what VIC
can accomplish; see if we can "make
two blades of grass grow where
only one grew before;" see, indeed,
if we cannot make the desert bud
and blossom as the rose. l might
remark here that l am not aware o
being in possession of any facts, or
Of any knowledge, or that l have
made any observations which are
not common to farmers in general.
And l may be excused from repeat
ing much that is SO often said and
written on this subject in general
Yet, permit me to repeat the axiom,
that whatever is worth doing at all
is worth doing well. How often do