Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-14
KNOWLEDGE FOR FARMERS.

ton. Professor of Agriculture and. Horticul-
ture, said: "a man must have knowledge
himself to be able to apply the knowledge
OF Others" The fact contained in the
above statement is not sufficiently sppre-
ciated By mankind. Science that is Greek
to farmer, perused in an unknown tongue,
is not available in his blowing, making ma
nure, raising grass for good pastures and
meadows, and the management of stock,
! simmer and winter. He fails to see when
and where the science comes in. He needs
ssknowledge himself to be able to apply
knowledge" Very well, how is this pre-
liminary knowledge to be obtain
ed22 The press can and will do
much to make him the owner
and possessor of the informa-
ton which will greatly increase
bis power to benefit himself by using free
~ other mems knowledge. If be uses the
money or the land of others be must pay
rent or interest; but he may use the best
wisdom of the best men in the world, all
his life, and give it to his children and
grand children, and pay nothing, or next
to nothing, for it. Such enduring wisdom
is infinitely better than gold; for it makes
the whole educated world its Wiling SER
want, and the subsistence and comfort of
man quite as natural and independent as
the growth of forest trees in the woods.
Wise farming and wise living in society in
the most scientific, christian civilization is
not unnatural to the human species. On
the contrary, to gro1v in Ill useful know
legdge, is an essential part of our great
humanity. Chinese gardeners dwarf oak
trees till they reach maturity when
only twenty inches high, and bear
acorns from year to year. Brother
farmers, we dwarf our sgr.c cultural intellects
in the same way. We neither know nor
care to know, what are the precise things
appointed by the Creator to make an ear Of
common corn. Speak the truth plainly, do
you know the substances that form at once
our every day corn bread, and our corn fed
bacon? If you knew as fully as possible
every element that makes every crop, or
other product of the farm, is it not likely
that you could husband the things that
form grain, live stock, wool and cotton, far
better than you now do? Orr present
husbandry is defective. Why? Because
our knowledge of the matters aud things
worked up on the farm into staples for ex-
port or consumption in cities, is too limited.
The minds science is much smaller than its
plantation; and the fertility of large fields
becomes, under the management of narrow
ideas, smaller to match small mind.
What can very weak thoughts, and re-
stricted views do with the agriculture of a
great continent? Precisely what has been
done with the virgin soil of the United
States. Everywhere it hiss been a greedy
consumption of the things that form grain,
tobacco, cotton and other staples, with no
adequate restitution. The general prac-
tice has been severe tillage, with little or
no husbandry. Muscular labor has toiled
long and hard at depletion; mental labor
very little to fill up old fields with rich
plant food.
After money has been made by scoRrging
agriculture, hardly one in hundred sees
clearly how TO use his capital to the best ad-
vantage. The industrial art of working much
and close to produce property, is a small
physical affair, when compared with the
profound science of using every dime one
may possess, however acquired, in the way
that will bring another dime in the short
est time, and with the greatest certainty.
How many men fail in keeping property
at or they have made it by their own in
dustry, or by the industry of others? That
kind of knowledge which they most need,
theyihave the least of. Witness the extreme
weakness of Daniel Webster in keeping
property after receiving large fees. Why
are the mass of mankind so poor and de-
pendent on the capital Of fortunate few?
1t is purely the weakness Of miserable igno-
rance. 1t springs from no incurabIe neces-
sity. When children, they are trained and
educated in the way they should not go;
and as an inevitable consequence they go
through life in the wrong way. GAS the
twig is bent the trees inclined" for 'edu-
cation forms the common mind" The
masses have studied very little the common
process of forming" the average intellect
Of so-ealled civilized man. Our most es-
teemed classical education has its origin
androot in gods and goddesses-an ideal as
soulless as cast-iron heatheDism can
be. This Difference TO mistaken
education does infinite harm. First, it ut
teTly demon allies Christianity. Secondly,
it fosters drunkenness, RIGHTEOUSNESS and
crime in every form. Thirdly, it cliDgs TO
It's heather mythology and literature witha
devotion that makes all progress, all i'm
provement impossible ia that direction.
Il is absurd to say or believe that vice
and crime increase in this country without
cause. What is the cause? Is it spirit
ual or animal, recent or remote?
1t is auimal in its nature, aud remote in
its paternity. 1t came with our forefathers
from Europe; and perhaps came there
with Europa from Asia on the back of
runaway bull.
Schools and literature that begin and erd
in low brutality can hardly be expected to
improve mankind, and change our agricul-
ture for the better. A few will act wisely;
but how shall the many be persuaded to
follow their example? The remedy lies in |
a purer system of education-a system |
based on true science and Christianity, with |
heather ideas left out, aud the animal man |
brought early into proper subordination to
reason and conscience. Man as a wild ami |
NAL, will not stay tanned il any community |
Of tamed) without more restraint than he
is blest with in this country.
MEMORABLE WINTERS.
Old citizens who have lived here for half |
a century and more, tell US that the winter