The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-18
SUCCESS IN FARMING.

Success in this pursuit depends largely
upon the muscular and mental activity OF
the representatives of this noble class OF
the worlds workers. The time was when
the rich, fresh soil of the older States,
backed by the grand old forests themselves
yielded an abundant harvest by force OF
muscular effort on the part of the husband
man, in connection with favorable isother-
NAL and hygrometrical conditions. To,
dIy over, vast area. in the aggregate as
large as largest of the Eastern States, the
surface soil, which has been harassed be-
yond endurance-yields scarce enough to
entitle the product to the name of crop.
and farming in the me-honored way of
their grandfathers before them, the sur
face soil has become almost exhaust
ed of many essential elements ofplant food.
As may be inferred, this will be found to
be the case the most frequently in those
communities where the least number of
agricultural books and papers are read
As rule, the successful farmer is the read
ing one-for it is only this way that he can
keep himself sufficiently posted to keep up
with the times, or to keep abreast Of the
spirit of the age in which we live.
An agricultural community without pa
pers and books adapted to their varied
interests, is like ship at sea without COM
pass or rudder. We doubt very much
whether farmer in farming community
can afford to let his neighbors do without
at least one agricultural paper; for we find
that our reading community make more
money, have better homes, richer lands,
have attained a better social condition and
are better off in every conceivable way,
than those who do not read books and
papers.
Books and papers beget spirit Of pro-
gress. They are the leaven which infuses
life, vigor and spirit of progress and in
quiry into every farming community
They go before and lead the way to farm
ers' clubs and fair associations. We re-
peat, then, that it is our candid belief that
if every farmer would see that his neigh
bors took at least one good agricultural
paper, and were furnished annually with
the State and United States agricultural
reports, even if it required little trouble
on his part-it would result in the best
pecuniary results, and not only to himself
but to the whole neighborhood as the in-
creased value of the lands and improve
ments IN the neighborhood would be in a
direct ratio to the amount of intelligence
day, as well as the coming one, should be
educated in agricultural science, and then
reduce his knowledge to practice. 1t has
SO long been customary to associate men-
tai activity with physical inactivity, that
we are apt to think that this must neces-
sarily always be so.
Our young men still look with longing
eyes towards our cities; first, because their
country homes are, in by far too many
instances, as unattractive as it is possii lie
to make them; secondly, because Of mis-
understanding Of the real difficulties which
are incident to a successful career in oul
principles cities. This may cont nue. to be
so for long time, yet it is. tc be hoped
that farmers and their FAM lies will sci
about thorough reform in making theil
homes more pleasant and attractive. by
encouraging reading, the cultivation OF
fruits and flowers, music and sociability,
tree planting for ornament and utility-in
fact, work a complete reform in what by
far too many farmers consider unimport
and trivial matters, which nevertheless,
have a powerful influence in shaping the
future career of their children.
In order to make farming success, not
only muscle, but brain and heart, must
each take part. Education in the line of
some chosen pursuit is now in order. Hap
PLY farm work now requires greater
range of mechanical ability than formerly,
and we have reason to believe that other
faculties which have heretofore seemed out
Of place on the farm, will soon be called
into reIuisition in order to enable the
farmer to achieve a full measure of sue
cess. Successful farming, as we under
stand it, implies not only constant pecu-
mary gain, but constant increase in the
acquisition and introduction into our sys-
tenn of farming, of newer and better ideas
than we formerly possessed, coupled with
an increased desire for special knowledge
of our pursuit and higher perception of
our social relations to each other, and of
our true standing as representatives of the
leading occupation of mankind.
Rural World