Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-07-15
agricultural department.
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BOOK FARMING.

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BOOK FARMING.
A very large number Of those persons who
claim to be farmers, have most uncompro
missing hatred for what they are pleased tc
call "Book Farming" The notion, somehow
or other, has got into their heads that all that
is contained in newspapers and books respect
ing the cultivation of the soil, is just so much
nonsense. Now, there is nc
shadow of doubt, but that much which is
contained in agricultural books is not worth
anything. Some of the productions contained
in such works are false in theory, whilst some
are not capable of being reduced to practice
by the multitude of farmers. But all that
can be said respecting the defects of agricul.
tural journals, may be said, with equal just
ness, against all kinds and classes of books
The truth is, those who are most opposed to
what they call book farming, are the poorest
farmers in the country, and know the least
about farming, in practical point of view.
Every farmer is not capable of making
scientific experiments. To do this success
fully, requires time, talent, education and
money. All art is founded on science. The
man who works, without knowing why he
works in this or that way, is cropping in the
dark. All the science of agriculture is con
tanned in the agricultural journals. Men give
their observation and experience for a great
number of years, in short article, that may
be read in few hours-often, in few min
utes.
1t is nonsense to suppose that education and
farming are incompatible. Still a multitude
of men think that as sure as man of liberal
education attempts to farm, so sure is he to
fail. He, think the multitude, will spend his
time in reading agricultural books, and, soon
er or later, fail. This is gratuitous assump'
ton. The most of men who fail to accom-
plish nything, worth naming, as farmers, are
those who can neither read nor write. Some
of this class of men make good farmers, but
their success is by no means due to their igno-
rance. They are men Of good observation.
They learn from others in every way that
they can. The process is long and te-
dious one, and no more successful than if they
had learned to farm from books. What cost
the book farmer only a few cents and few mo-
ment's pleasant reading, costs this class of
farmers MANY wears of toll and vexation.
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WHY POTATOES RUN OUT.-All vegeta-
bles can be improved by careful selection of
seed: Beets, parsnips, carrots, turnips, peas,
and beans particularly 30. Potatoes are
equslly susceptible to this sort of improve
ment yet, while more or less attention is
paid to selecting seeds, the potato is neglected.
For planting, if selected at all, those which
are good for little else are chosen-not good
enough to sell or to eat, but they will do to
plant. This is the rule rather than the ex-
ception. The potato is certainly very accom-
in its willingness to draw, however
mutilated. What other vegetable would bear
being divided into detached parts, and re.
gardless of circumstances, expected to yield
an hundred fold?
1t is supposed Gf there is any supposition
about it) that each eye or germ is seed. But
the potato is really compound of at least
two qualities these are what may be termed
the stem and the seed ends, and when separa-
ted, the seed end will produce numbers the
other, size. 1t is true that each germ will pro-
duce potato, but it is imperfect seed, and
will "run out" If we take germ or eye
from the seed end of the potato and plant,
and fellow the same treatment the next year,
it reverts to the wild potato. The habit of
promiscuous cutting and planting saves it
from entire reversion, but its vitality is weak
ened and it degenerates. If care is taken in
the best specimens of medium size,
aud they are planted whole, or if cut, cut
lengthwise, to secure all the properties per-
feet seed, they will not run out, but show as
much capacity for improvement as any veget-
able grown.
The PROPAGATION OF CELERY.-Celery
is native of Norway and Sweden, where it
grows near the edges of swamps. This plant
is rarely cultivated as it should be, hence the
stunted specimens which appear in our mar
kets. A deep trench should first be dug, at
the bottom of which layer ofsticks of wood,
say six inches thick, should be placed, a drain
pipe being placed endwise upon one or both
ends of the layer. The sticks should then be
covered with about foot of rich mold, in
which the plants should be set in a row, and
about FIVE inches apart. The plants should
be kept we'll watered, the water being sup
piled through the drain pipes, so that, passing
through the layer of sticks, which serves as
conduit, the water is supplied to the roots of
the plant. In earthing up, care should be ex,
ercised to close the stems of the plant we'll
together with the hand, so that no mold can
gel between them. The earthing process
should be performed sufficiently frequent to
keep the mold nearly level with the leaves OF
the outside stems. If these directions are
carefully observed, the plant may be grown
at least four feet in length, and this without
impairing the flavor, which deterioration is
commonly noticed in every overgrown veget-
able and fruit.-ScientJfc american.
Color AND QUALITY.-When breeder
claims that any animal is worth more simply
because it is red or roam, solid mouse.color
or any other color, of course that is under
stood to rest solely on fashion or fancy. There
is no merit in color any further than as con-
sideration of taste. A roam short-horn may
be just as profitable in every respect as red
and white. a white or fawn colored Jersey
COW is as rich milker, Git is claimed by some
that COWS of this color give richer milk and
make butter of higher color,) as one of a
solid dark grey color. No breeder should
consider himselfsafe in yielding to any ephem-
eral fancy in his efforts to maintain or advance
the standard of high breeding. If he does
he will be sure to fail sooner or later. The
standard of quality cannot be made to rest on
color, no matter who the breeder is that un'