The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1873-03-26

the individual, and it will not be de
MED that 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 fundamental interest.
And the prosperity Of any section
is in proportion to its advancement
in agriculture and its associated in
terests. Agriculture is now I'M
derstood,. and properly so, to be a
Science-the gaining of the mystery
by man over nature, and the acquisi-
ton Of such knowledge of her ways,
and her laws of action, as will enable
him to attain the control necessary
to secure the result he has in view.
There can be no successful agri-
culture unless it be made profitable
and pleasant. But before this re-
suit can be obtained there must be
an abandonment of old prejudices
These prejudices that stand in the
way Of improvement Of any kind,
are the offspring Of ignorance. and
they constitute the formidable OBJ
stacle to anything like progress
Whenever these exists, an obstinate
determination to permit no inno-
walton of the rules and practices of
ones forefathers, no deviation from
the customs of other years, there
cannot possibly be taken any step
forward. When q mind is so con-
stituted that it can find nothing at
tractive 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, con-
tracing always.
We must get something to dispel
old prejudices. Obstinancy is the re-
suit of prejudice and of ignorance,
and when we can dispel them, we
can, with reason, look for. improve
ment. Now, this is a fact that de-
mands more attention than it has
received. Unless farmers devote
more time to the cultivation of their
minds, how can they make any de-
sirable advancement?
A wise man once wrote: The
wisdom of learned man cometh by |
of leisure" And in
that sentence is food for refextion
and thought sufficient for an entire
sermon, if we had time to preach.
1t is not the skillrul hand, the strong
arm, or the watchful eye alone, tina:
will, in these days, bring success
and wealth to the farmer. These
are needed. but the cultivated mind
is far more important. If thorough
tillage is indispensable to profitable
results, then an educated mind, with
and observations, are
for there can be no thorough |
tillage in the sense here understood
unless l. be performed with intelli-
gence, care and skill. Judgement
is absolutely worthless unless it is
based upon knowledge. An ignor-
ant farmer is sometimes successful,
because the circumstances are for |
tuitous, but we urge a higher stand
ard Of mental cultivation for farmers
that they may, at times, wrest sue !
cess from unfavorable circumstances
that practical skill, learning, ez.
perience and matured judgement,
may secure desirable results ever
when the elements seem to oppose
him. We have written a great deal |
on this subject, and it is ever an !
one to US, for throughout /
the whole country. we can see that |
agriculture is making rapid advance
nent, and that farmers are increas-
ing in their social and political in
iuence, while their material prosper
y is being improved. But the full I
power and grandeur of agriculture
will never be acknowledged or known
nor will it ever attain that pre-emi-
1ence it is entitled to as the basis of
rational prosperity until farmers
everywhere, large and small, power
ful and humble, admit the truths we
nave just stated.