The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-03-08
Agricultural Implements.

y great deal has been spoken and
written concerning agriculture and its
influence on the nation and Oh the lndl-
Vldual, and it will not be denied that the
advancement Of the one III every dcsira-
bic direction, and the prosperity of the
other depend in direct degree upon the
progress made in this fundamental in
terest. And the prosperity Of any see
ton 1Sln proportion to its tsadVancementin
agriculture and its associated interests.
Agnculturels now understood, and prop
erly SO. to he q ScieHce-thC gaining of
the mystery by man over nature. and the
acquisition OF such knowledge Of 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 nO6nccesSful agriculture
unless it be made profitable and pleas
ant. But before this result can he OBJ
tanned there must be an abandonment Of
old prtiudiceS. These prejudices that
stand in theWay OF Improvement Of any
KIND, arc the offspring ct ignorance, and
they constitute the formidable obstacle
to anything like progress. Whenever
these exist, an obstinate determination
to permit no innovation OF the rules and
practices of ones fOrefathcrs, no deyia-
ton from the customs OF other years,
there cannot possibly be taken any step
forward. When n mind ia so constituted
that it can tind nothing attractive in the
| lnVentiOnSOf 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 slug
glsh, contracting always.
We must get something to diaDel old
yNV1r ~ l.
| prejudice and of ignorance, and when
we can dlspCl them, we can, with reason,
| look for Improvement. Now, this is Il
| fact that demands more attention than
| it has received. Unless farmers devote
more time to the cultivation of their
minds, how can they make any desirable
| advancement
The wise men once wrote: "The
wisdom of learned man cometh by Op-
pOTtunity of lcisurP.o And in that sen
tence is food for reflection and thought
sufficient for an entire sermon, if we had
time to preach. 1t is not the skiIlful
! 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 more important. If thorough tillage
is Indispensable to profitable results,
then an educated mind, with experience
and observation, are essential, for there
can be no thorough tillagc in the sense
here understood, unless it be performed
with intelligence, care and skill. Judg-
ment is absolutely worthless unless it is
based upon knowledge. An ignorant
! farmer is sometimes successful, because
the circumstances are fOrtuitOus, but VIC
urge Il higher standard of mental cult
vatiOn for farmers that they may, at
| times, Wrest success from unfavOrable
circumstances-that practical skill
learning, experience and matured judg,
ment, may secure desirable results even
when the elements 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 advancement and that farmers are
increasing III their social and pOlitica
influence, while their rmaterial prosperity
is being improved. But the full pOwe1
and grandeur of agriculture will neve1
be acknowledged or known, nor will i
ever attain that pFe-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 just stated.-[Ex.