Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1874-04-16

hls.-N hat IS the remedy
The remedy is simply to follow out
Franklin's motto, Of whatever is
worth doing at all, is worth doing
we'll.
No doubt some OF the old fashioned
farmers, when they see this article,
viii say 1--WE don't want any of your
book farming, but they must remem-
Der that although some few people
write merely for the sake Of writing
and to elaborate an empty theory,
vet as a general rule, book farming
is simply the experience of one tar
mer written down, so thatothers may
profit by it.
Book farming teaches that % to 80
bushels of wheat may be raised on
an acre, and teaches how a great ma
ny people have done it; we do not
propose to teach our farmers how to
farm, but we do propose to tell them
what other farmers say can be done,
and that, on no better land than the
average of land in the Third District
Of West Virginia 50 if our farmers
cannot do as much as others can on
the same quality Of land tits because
they do not farm as well as they
might.
We can tell, however, some of the
needs of the farmers; in the first
place, agricultural societies should
be formed in every County
these societies viii serve to bring the
farmers in contact with each other,
so that each may know what the
other is doing, and thus stimulate
each other to exertion. The societies
will also serve to difuse information
in relation to new tools, new varie-
ties ofseed &c, by which frauds may
be exposed, and Improvement brought
into notice
Another need of farmers is that
they should subscribe for the county
papers, and for good agricultural
papers and magazines, by which
they may keep posted as TO what is
going in the world, and have the
benefit Of new discoveries, without
learning in that most expensive Of all
schools, experience.
Another need Of farmers is self
reliance; they should depend upon
themselves and their own eXertions.
and not rely on others. We hear a
great deal about legislation in the
interest of the farmer, but the best
legislation that Is done for the farmer
is done by himself, in making laws
TOR the government and working of
his own land. All the legislation in
the world will not make a good farm
.of a poor one, nor q good farmer Of
a sloveuly one, and when a farmer
begins to blame the laws for his want
.of success We feel as if he is hard put
TO it fora scapegrace on which to put
off his short comings.
Another thing we would say before
we close this hasty article. Revcr-
ence for parents is one Of the most
commendable of virtues, but that
reverence should not lead us to be
satisfied with ) bushels of wheat to
the acre, because "our father only
used to raise that much All such
reverence rs that should be thrown
away, andif we can find a better
way, we may quiet our conscience by
remembering the pride our fathers
would take in the good crops his son
raises, if he could see them. Pro
gress is the word this Is an age of
progress, and if the farmers would
not be left behind, they must turn
over new leaf, and press forward
in the very van Improvement.
The most independent, as he
should be the most prosperous Of all
the citizens ofthisrepublic, hiswelfare
depends most emphatically on him
self; he may live regardless Of panics,
of bulls and bearS,-of rises and
falls of stock,-of the price of gold ;
his only pamela corner in wheat;
his only bulls, in his own baln
yard, and no bears, except in the
forest his stock to be watered at
the fountain that God has provided;
and his gold waving upon the grain
that is ripening for the sickle,-thus
living, natures nobleman,-a king
among men.