The farmers' vindicator. (Jackson, Miss.) 1873-1???, 1874-06-26
Am Address to the Cincinnatus
Grange.
By O. W. BARNES, WORTHY MASTER.

@SAE p -
l9f Concluded
We have thus traced the history 0
the Order Of the Patrons of Illus
bandry, and examined its principles il
their practical application to the gen
eral concerns of our country. Let u
now turn to its injunctions, and Civ,
due heed and intelligent thought to it
precepts. AS we have said before, il
is peculiarly an agricultural institution
and has made that commanding inter
est the basis of organization. Adopt
ing it as the child of untoward destiny
it proposes to extend over it the shielC
Of its protecting care, to relieve it o.
its wasting burdens, and place it upon
foundation laid broad and deep in
the solid rock of correct principles.
And whilst it proposes to eradicate the
great evils connected with agriculture,
it recognizes evils of perhaps no less
magnitude, that must be extirpated by
those who follow it as profession.
Agriculture in general, and especially
as it has been pursued in our Southern
land, has many glazing defects, and
none SO palpable as the absence of sci
entific application to its varied depart
ments.
OUR ORDER REGARDS TT AS A SCIENCE,
and does not permit that ancient occu-
patton to lower its standard below the
position Of any pursuit or profession.
Fully appreciating the efficacy of sci
entific processes, and deducing practi-
cal wisdom from its splendid achieve
ments in all other callings, it enjoins
upon those who pursue its walk, a
thorough knowledge and intelligent
application of science to all its varied
departments.
In this connection it is pertinent to
inquire, what is science? 1t is defined
to be, Sin general sense, knowledge,
or certain knowledge the comprehen-
sion or understanding of truth or fact
by the mind" Such is its interpreta-
ton by the great American Lexicog-
rapher. Science, so generally ignored
by agriculturists, and regarded as a
useless appendage to their truly unwise
system, is, after all, but the accumula-
ton Of facts developed by practical ex.
perience, and the aggregation Of truths
demonstrated by universal usage. And /
here, too, we cannot forbear from
making rather an extended extract
from a mastery address delivered be-
fore the Agricultural Association of
Leporte City, Indiana, Sept. "a, 1853.
speaking of the advantages Of science,
he speaker used the following Ian
,uage; ut has been said that the great
bject Of life should be to promote hap
iness-not of ourselves alone, but all
hose with whom we are associated.
)ne point to this end, is to know our
elves. Know thyself' was the motto
t one of the Seers of old, and wiser
receipt has not come down 10 us from
ne time honored Sages Of antiquity" |
THIS LESSON, ONCE LEARNED,
lie pathway of the enterprising agri-
ilturist lies plainly before him. | a
ould have him learn the theory of n
Is profession, the scientific as well as "
e more practical. 1t is not enough {,
know how to prepare the ground, v
I'd the proper season to cast his seed, q,
nply to guide the pillow and swing q
e scythe. He who stops here knows
It himself, and will never astonish his II
'ighbors by any discoveries, or be
tied for unusual crops. tt
He should learn the principles of his W
ofession-the science as well as the th
THE nature and quality of the soil th
cultivates, and that without the dull ST.
d costly mode of unsuccessful ex- SC
riment; the kind of grain to which tn
is best adapted, and the proper ma tn
res that should be made use of to m
oduce the crop desired in greatest en-
rfection. 1t is not the most fertile of
! or genial cline which makes the tel
'st thrifty and happy people. 1t is
the mines of silver and gold that mi
1 make nation rich-it is the ess
mt Of intelligence possessed by her ma
:. Intelligence, virtue and hap wi
Wv on together as one bright, wi
al stream, identifying and his
that comes within its be- de,
While on the other tai
"uperstition and vice die
lseparable in their tue
dew and blight of
enc
nd examined Sci
sopher's in ed
its merits, ski
of the Sc ey,
eof agri- ard
dtstripped enj