The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-02-29
AGRICULTURAL.


The venerable philosopher of the
Tribune is not much of q farmer,
but is a clear-headed and far-seciDg |
common sense thinker, as the fol-
lowing maxims from one OF his ad.
dresses show:
/. Only good farming pays. He
who sows or plants, without reason
able assurance Of good cropsannual-
ly, might better n wages OF some
capable neighbor than work for so
poor a paymasler as he is certain to
prove himself.
2. The good farmer is proved by
the steady appreciation OF his crops'
Any one may reap an ample harvest
from n fertile virgin soil; tho good
farmer alone grows good crops at
first, and better ever and afterward,
3. 1t is far easier to maintain the
productive capacity ola farm than
TO restore it. To exhaust it's fecun-
dity, and then attempt its restora-
ton by buying costly commercial
fertilizers, is wasteful irrational.
4. The good farmer sells mainly
such products as are least txhaus-
tive. Necessity may constra n him,
for the first year or two, to sell
grain, or even hay; but te will soon
send off his surplus mainly in the
form of cotton, or wool, or meat, or
butter and chess, or something else
that returns to the toil nearly all
that is taken from it. A bank nc
count daily drawn upon, while moth
ing is deposited to his credit, must
soon respond. "No funds 30 with
n falln similarly treated.
-. Rotation is at least negative
fertilization. 1t may not positively
enrich Il farm; 1t will at least retard
or postpone it's impoverishment.
He who grows wheat after wheat,
corn after corn, for twenty years.
will need to emigrnte before that
term is fulfilled. The same farm
cannot support nor endure) him
longer than that. All Of our wheat
growing sections of fifty years ago
are wheat-growing no longer; while
England grows larger crops thereof
on the very fields that fed the ar
mics of Saxon, Harold and William
the Conqueror.. Rotation has pre-
served these, as the lack oft ruined
those.
6. Wisdom is never dear, provid-
ed the article lie genuine. | have
known farmers who toiled constant
ly from daybreak till dark yet, died
poor, because, through ignorance,
they wrought to disadvantage. If
every farmer would devote two hours
of each day to reading and reflection,
there would be fewer failures in
harming than there are.
7. The best Investment n farmer
can make for his children is that
which surrounds their youth with
the rational delights Of n beauteous
home. The dwelling may be small
and rude, yet few flowers will en-
bellisll, as choice fruit trees will en-
rich and gladden. it; while grass
and shade are within the reach of the
humblest. Hardly any labor done
on a farm is so profitable Us that
which makes the wife and children
fond and proud Of their home.
8. A good practical education, in
Guiding II good trade, is II better
outfit tor II youth than II grand es'
tato with the drawback of IN empty
mind. Many parents have shaved
and pinched to leave their children
lich when half the sun thus lavish
ed would have profted them falt
more had it been devoted to thSt
cultivation of their minds, the en-
largement OF their capacity to think,
observe and work. The one struc-
ture that no neighborhood can afford
ty do without is tho school house.
8. A ANAL library of we'll select
cd books in his home has saved
many II youth from wandering into
The haneful ways of tho Prodigal
son. Where patornal strictness and
would have bred nothing
out dislike and a fixed resolve to ab-
icond at the first opportunity, good
books and pleasant surroundings
nave weaned many II youth from the |
irst wild impulse to 90 to sea or
ross the continent, made him n do 1
lie, contented, obedient, happy
ingerer by the parental iire,ide. In |
family, however rich or poor, no
'ther good $50 precious rs thought v
III, watchful love.
10. Most men are born poor, but 5
man who has average capacities &
nd tolerable luck need remain so.
nd the farmers calling, though q,
roilering no sudden leaps. no ready IL
hort cuts to %opulence, is the sur p
st of all ways from poverty and s.
ant to comfort and independence. D
'ther men must climb; the temper ~
te, frugal, diligent. provident far
Ter may grow into competence and OF
very external accessory to happi-
ess. Each year Of his devotion to W
homestead may find it more val
lhle, more attractive, than the last, ,
III leave it better still. Al