The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-02-20
Agricultural Implements.

II pTtub ucul Hub bcSu bpOhSil uuu
written concerning agriculture and its
influence on the nation and on the in
dividual, and it will not be denied that
the advancement of the one in every
desirable direction, and the prosperity
of the other depend in a direct degree
upon the progress made in this funda-
mental interest. And the prosperity of
of any section is in proportion to it's
advancement in agriculture andits asso-
ciated interests. Agriculture is TO-
understood, and properly so, to be a
sciencc-the gaining Of the mystery by
man over nature, and the acquisition Of
such knowledge of her ways, and her
laws of action, as will enable him to at
tain the control necessary to secure the
result he has in view.
There can be no successful agriculture
unlessit,,bc madeproitNblo and pleasant.
But before this result can be obtained
there must be an abandonment of old
prejudices. These rejudiccsthat stand
in the way Of improvement of any kind,
are tho off spring Of ignorance, and
they constitute the formidable obstacle
to anything like progress. Whenever
these exists, IN obstinate determination
to permit no innovation of the rules and
practices of ones forefa theirs, no devia-
tion fromthec customs of other years, there
cannot possibly be taken any step for
ward. When q mind is so constituted
that it can find nothing attractive in the
inventions Of genius, or the discoveries
Of science, we can confidently assert
that it is stagnant, and until its depths
are stirred by the power of enterprise
or learning, it will remain dull and
sluggish, contracting always.
We must get something to dispel old
preiudices. Obstinacy is the result of
prejudice and Of ignorance, and when
We can dispel them, we can, with reason,
look for improvement. Now, this is n
fact that demands moro attention than
it has received. Unless farmers devote
more time to the cultivation Of their
minds, how cVa they make any desira-
bic advancement?
The wise men once wrote: "The
wisdom of u learned man cometh by
opportunity Of leisure" And in that
sentence is food for reflection and
thought sufficient for an entire sermon,
il we had time to preach. 1t is not the
skillful hand, the strong arm, or the
watchful eye alone, that will, in these
days, bring success and wealth to the
farmer. These are needed, but the
cultivated mind is far moro important.
If thorough tillage is indispensable to
profitable results, then IN educated
mind, with experience aud observation.
are essential, for there can benothorough
tillage in the sense here understood.
unless it beperformed with intelligence,
care and skill, Judgment is absolutely
worthless unless it is based upon know
ledge. Am Ignorant farmer is sometimes
successful, because the circumstances
are fortuitous, but we urge u higher
standard of mental cultivation for far
mers that they may, at times, wrest
success from %unfavorablc circumstances
that practical skill, learning, expert
ence and matured Judgment, may secure
desirable results even whenthc clements
seem to oppose him. We have written
a great deal on this subject, and it is
ever an interesting one to us, for
throughout the whole country, we can
see that agriculture is making rapid adj
vancement, andthat farmers are increas.
ing IN their social and political influence,
while their material prosperity is being
improved. But the full power and
grandeur of agriculture will never be
acknowledged or known, nor will il
ever attain that prc-eminence it is enti-
tied to as the basis OF national prosperity
until farmers everywhere, large and
small, powerful and humble, admit the
truths we have inst stated