The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-01-25

ELEVATE Your VOCATION fulflment of
our promise last week we state that the utility OF
a well organized agricultural club to any farm
ing community in the county cannot be over-es-
timated We know that there are many old
farmers among our readers who will scan this
remark with derisve smile. We know that
there are many farmers who think they k1Ow all
that is to be known about the business. They
know how their fathers and grand-fathers did it.
They know that their ancestors for two or three
generations made living without having any
thing 10 do with agricultural clubs, and they
wisely ~ ask themselves the question why can't
do so too? We reply, your grand-lathers cut
their wheat and rye with sickle, why don you
do it 10 the same way instead of doing it with
our modern two-horse reapers?
We believe that most farmers underestimate
the Importance OF their business. We do not
think they consider it a science that has as yet
been but partially developed. They are inclin-
ed too much to the opinion that any one who is
reared on a farm, has learned how to harness
and drive horse, how TO pillow, how and when
to plant corn and SOW wheat, how and when TO
plant, work and dig potatoes just as their faith
ers did these things for SO long ago that 1.-THE
memory of man runneth not 10 the contrary"
can farm we'll enough. These people are averse
to change unless it is forced upon them. They
do not take pride enough 10 their occupation to
do something-and every man can do something
to elevate the standard of its respectability.
They do not cherish ambitious pride enough to
make an effort to lift it to higher scale and
place it among the fine arts of the future. No,
gentlemen, you don't entertain proper appre-
citation of the exalted importonce and real stand
ing of your noble avocation. If you wish it and
yourselves to stay where you are, or''to drag its
lazy length along" do as yon are doing now
Sheer at theoretical or newspaper farming, as
you are wont 10 term it. Deride the idea that
agricultural clubs will doany thing for you. Make
it point TO ridicue this idea whenever you
can. Exert yourselves to keep this notion prev
aent in your community and you will succeed
admirably we'll in placing an impossible barrier
across the road to agricultural advancement.
You must not forget that the agricultural ideas
and theories that appeared in newspapers twelve,
fifteen or twenty years ago,are not the same they
are now. Then they were mainly theoretical,
because such things were new, infantile and IN
developed. Gradually people became more in
terested and wrote to agricultural papers articles
detailing their experience 10 farming. Thus
newspaper farming has passed from the arena Of
theory to that OF practice.
But aside from the acquisition of farm knowl-
edge from agricultural papers, the agricultural
club has become an invaluable agency in aiding
farmers in arriving at the best means Of advanc-
ing the agricultural interests of themselves and
neighbours A club may be composed OF fifteen
or twenty members. AT every monthly meeting
of that club each reaps the advantage of the
knowledge that all have acquired by hard-6sted
experience, something that they knoW because
they have tried it and seen it work. Then each
one whose thirst for knowledge is not satisfied
by the experience related, can pump out addi-
tional information by asking questions. Is there
apy farmer in the land who could fail to be ben
Gifted by attending The meetings OF club, If he
take any interest in his business Is there any
man, who desires the elevation of the agricultur-
al interest who could not do something in that
direction? We are satisfied that il twelve farm
ers in any locality in Baltimore county were to
organize club and run it twelve months, by
making diligent effort to impart to each other
all they know about farming, they could not
be induced to abandon it at the end of that time
The social advantages are very great. 1t can
not fail to create and cultivate strong feeling
of friendship between the members. During the
intervals between meetings they have subject
to engage their attention, aud the effort made to
recall all the experience they have had upon that
department of their operations cannot have other
than an efficacious influence upon them. When
the time of meeting rolls around monthly they
have some place to go and meet their neighbors,
spend a pleasant afternoon and evening, and re-
turn home greatly profted by the visit.
| Farmers need stock laws, dog laws, fence laws
and other legislation TO facilitate and advance
the farming interest. Politicians have been very
tender upon these points. Farmers who attend
closely TO their business have been able to ac-
complish but little in this respect. Let every
community in the county form club. Let
these clubs form central or county club TO be
composed OF delegates from oil the clubs in the
county and then let the county clubs form State
organization, let all these stir up sentiment in
favor Of whatever the agricultural interest OF the
| State may demand When this is done the leg
isative aud the notwithstanding politicians
will bow with the blandest grace to the wiU Of
the people.