The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-11-30
Chr 5armes.
Reading and Eonreading Farmers.

There is large class of farmers who do
not appreciate the advantages Of intellect
ual culture in its relation to their profes-
sion---who do not seem to realize how
much mind has to do with farming They
count muscle, bone and sinew as the grand
outfit for farmer. If he is large enough
and strong enough, he will do for the farm,
whether he has brains or not.
Now, from all such views VIC beg leave
to dissent. Much as we value bone and
muscle, we prize braas more; much as
strength is needed IN the farmer, mind is
needed more, Valuable as are the bodily
forces, mental forces are still more so: the
body Is but the tool, the mind is the hand
that works il. Mind is as all-important
with the farmer as with the statesman, the
poet or divine; indeed nowhere is mind
more omnipotent than in the dominion Of
agriculture. Give the farmer mind enough
and he will mako the desert blossom as
the rose, and the very rocks yield him
harvest the barren country becomes fruit
full under the tillage of intelligent farmers,
while the richest soil wastes its energies
under the hand Of ignorance Mind is
the farmers might As everywhere else,
50 on the farm, mind is the moving force.
Farming is successful and profitable, just
in proportion TO the amount Of mental
force expended upon it. The mind is the
measure of the man, and farmers must be
measured BY this standard Put that down
as fact--fact number one.
Fact number two is this Mind is eff
cient in proportion TO its culture. In ev-
cry field Of mental labor, success depends
largely on culture The best musician is
be who eultivates most his power; the best
artist is he who gives the best culture to
his faculty diyine;7 the best navigator is
he who studies most and with the best
Judgment the science Of the sea; the best
engineer is the man who most thoroughly
prepares his mind with the requisite readi-
ness and skin for scaling mountains and
bridging valleys; the best professional man
is he who gives the largest culture to the
mind he employs in his profession. just
SO il is with the farmer. The better his
mind is cultivated in the direction of his
calling, the more successful he viii be; the
more he knows the more he does. To use
machinery, to apply science, to evolve
principles in his pursuits, requires cult
waited mind. The dolt and ignoramus can
not do il. At a glance anybody can see
that mind works successfully just in pro
portion to its degree Of culture.
Now We have third fact for the reader.
IL is this Reading is one of the best
means Of mental enlightenment and cult
walton. The reader is the man of knowl-
edge and culture. The poet reads the
written words OF fire, sglow on the pages
of the great ones gone before him; the phi
lcscpher reads the productions Of all pro-
found thinkers; the professional man reads
the books of his profession. To be great,
one must read. Reading develops the
strength as well as the quality Of the mind;
every man must read in the direction Of
his practice; the farmer does not want to
read works on philosophy, poetry or music,
somuch as on farming Farming is his bus
ines, his profession; in il he must live, rise
and shine, If he shine at all Books and pa
pers on farming should be his study; he
should study i and practice it as a science.
SO win he cultivate his mind; so will he give
wondrous power to his hand so viii his
fields Wilton with an abundant harvest;
his foeks multiply and improve; his home
beautify; his wife smile; his children grow
up to gladden. his heart and improve the
world, and honors gather thick and fast ON
his intelligent brow oiemaas Rural
World.
Salt as Fertilizer.