The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-11-14
Reading and Threading Far
merS.
From Colman's Rural World.

INAA 'LihAd = u u SAAN"
There is IA large class of farmers who
do not appreciate the advantage of in
tellectual culture in it's relation to their
how much mind has to do with farm
as the grand outfit for the farmer. If
he is large enough and strong enough,
he will do for the farm, whether he pos
aesses brains OF not.
Now, from all such views we beg leave
to dissent. Much as We value bone and
muscle, we prize brain III Much as
strengt his 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 it. Mind
is as all-important with the farmer as
with the statesman, the poet or divine.
Indeed, nowhere is mind more OmnipO-
tent than in the domain of agriculture.
Give the farmer mind enough, and he
will make the desert blossom as the
rose" and the very rocks yield him har-
vests. The barren country becomes
fruitful under the tillage of intelligent
farmers, while the richest soil wastes it's
energies under the hand of igOrance,
however strong It may be. Mind is the
farmers might. AS everything else, so
on the farm, mind is the moving force.
Farming is successful and profitable,
just in prOtiOn 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 q fact-tact number
one
Fact number two sthis: Mind is eff
Gent i'll proportion to its culture. In
every field of mental labor, success de-
ponds largely on culture. The bestmusi-
clan is he who c~ultivates most his power.
The best artist is he who gives the best
culture to his faculty divine. The best
navigator is he who studies most, and
with the best judgement, the science of
the sea. The best engineer is the man
who most thoroughly prepares his mind
with the requisite readiness and skill for
scaling mountains and bridging valleys.
The best professional nan is he who
gives the largest culture to the mind he
employs in his profession. Just so is it
with the farmer. The better his mindis
cultivated in the direction of his call
ing, the more successful Willie he. The
more he knows, the more he does. To
use machinery, to apply science, toevOlve
principles in his pursuits, requires a cul-
tivated mind. The dolt and ignoramus
cannot do it. At a glance anybody can
see that mind works successfully, Justin
proportion to its degree of culture.
Now, we have q third fact for the read
er. It is this: Reading is one of the
best meanso of mental enlightenment and
cultivation. AreadeEisa man Of knoWl-
edge and culture. The artist studies the
books of the masters. The poet reads
the written words of fire aglow on the
pages of the great ones gone before him,
/ The philosopher reads the productions
of all profound thinkers. The profes-
sional man reads the books of his profess
sion. To be great, one must read
| Reading develops the strength, as vel
as the quality Of the mind, Every mar
must read in the direction 0fhis practice
| The farmer does not want to read works
on philosophy, poetry or music, so much
as on farming. Farming is his business
his profession. In it he must live anC
rise and shine, if he shine at all. Ht
| should have and read q farmers library
and books and papers on farming should
be his study. He should study it anC
practice it as a science. So will he cul.
| tiyate his mind; so will he give a won.
drous power to his hand so Willhis fields
Written with an abundant harvest; hi
hocks multiply and improve; his home
beautify; his wife smile; his children
grow up to gladden. his heart and i'm.
prove the world, and honors gather thicl
and fast on his Intelligent brow.