The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-05-20
Agriculture.

re iQll0NiDp ESSAY us Itaa oSioie |
Ly thewood Grange, on Sat usday, April
eth, by Judge T. A. Graham, and is pub
iished b. request of the CANCEL
II ia web known that at some periods OF
antiquity, and in some countries, agiicul-
ture was AZ honorable calling, and that
kings, princes, and statesmen, were no'
afraid to til the soil with their OWE hands.
In Egypt about the lime Of the building
Of the Pyramids, and (no monuments OF
modern times can compare with them IL
magnitude about six acres Ct land in the
valley Of the river Nile was allotted to
each soldier and at the approach Of war
they sprapg forth ready armed to fight
for their homes and property. In times
of peace they grew and spun fax to
clothe, and raised vegetables, wheat, and
fruits to feed large portion of the then
known liabitable part of the earth.
The Cathagenians considered agricul-
ture the most honorable Of all occupations,
and kings, princes. and mobiles, were
among the most active cu!tivators of the
soil.
The Chinese who have bridges, that
have stood the test of wear and time Tor
two thousand years, still consider sgricul-
ture so noble ar art that a solemn cere-
mony is each year performed at which the
emperor is required to turn the soil. They
fed the silk worm over four thousand
years ago, they built the great wall around
the empire, while Europe was yet wrap
ped in the q DOM of the dark ages. They
cultivated cotton before the discovery OF
America. In many respects, their know
ledge and practice, concerning the tillin9
of the soil, is to-tay superior to Ours, with
all our boosted intelligence.
This people for countless generations
have titled the same soil, and to-day it is
rs productive MS ever.
Agriculture is not simply getting the ut
most resent wealth from the soil, with
/ the least outlay of labor. 1t is not in
rearing focks and herds to CONVEX into as
much ready money as possible. 1t is not
! in hewipg down forests, to such a degree,
thai the next generation must replant,
! and most certainly it is not raising crops
| to sell ut such prices, as the buyer may
! choose to offer. Progressive agriculture
| is such system of tillage as shall give
! the greater present returns while the soil
retains all its fertility, or increases its
power from year to year
It is such system of breeding and
! feeding of stock, that while the enhanced
value of animals shall amply repay the
labor bestowed, and improve in character
from generation to generation. In i'm
proving prairie farm, it is to set about
planting the necessary mbcr that ultim
ately must be the best pyaing crops on thu
farm. 1t is such system ot diversified
agriculture that the farmer need not b'
dependent on any one or two crops for hi
wealth. 1t is business tact that Away!
enables him to sell at the highest price, 0
at least on strong and rising market.
is that counsel and assistance between
ucighbor and neighbor that draw clos
the hands of brotherhood and by co-opera
lions renders each one in the communit
helpful to each other.
1t is by associated efforts in Clubs an
Oranges that much of this good can be az
complshed. Financlcrs have thcirBoard
where they meet to lay plans to deal i
gold silver stocks, bonds and grain, an
make them subserve their purposes G
speculation. Tradcsmcn in cities unit
for the mutual protection of their interest:
Railroad companies have their socieGC
, and cor vcntions, at which all asscmbl
and organize new methods or combin;
lions to secure the utmost returns ft
their Investments.
Why should there be no organized e
forts among farmers?
The greatest difficulty heretofore HI
been their apathy, and their separatio
from one another. But the cXerions of
, apathy, ard the wonderful increase
o Clubs and Oranges, has counteracted IL
!, disability caused by their separation I'll
=, whole country is aroused to tie dcprcd
:, tons of capital upon labor, and the ev
, influences which m0n0polies are eXerci
ing upon the conscienccs of our publ
men. There must now be no step bacl
ward. If the farmers of the country no
-, fail Of asserting and maintaining their ju
rights they will cease to be a free pcopl
and become fitting subjects for the virtu
slavery into which they will then sure
drift. Their only salvation is in the
societies, their clubs, their oranges.
y union there is strength and in union the
is growth. The tiller of the soil was Il
= pioneer, who made his way into ne
countries, hewed down forests, rear.
: tiocks and herds, ditched and delved, +
" claimed the wids, fenced in fields, plantt
L vineyards, and founded communities Ha
. ing IL fixed habitation, he next learns
y till the soil Systematically, as a means
subsistence. Art is now born, enllghte
, comes in as a natural sequence, and vii
= itpoetly. Aprofciency among farmers
only attained by a certain class here an
Il there, who have been educated to stud
the principles of their profession preciscl
as the lawyer and the physician stud
theirs. Associations of all learned profe
sion have long been diligently employe
in debating the various means of advan.
ing their interests. ..
Kitchen garden ng will not receive til
| attention it deserves from the farmer Ill
: til scientific agriculture has become widt
ly practiced, and yet Il half acre we'll Gu
tivated, will produce from year to yea
half the sustenance of large family TIL
products of the garden are better sus
tainers of the brain than hog and hominy
Show me a country without orchards an
gardens, and YOU will, there find a stoi
and embruted race. But where the tree
drop ripe fruits, and well titled garden
are swelling with vegetable wealth an
casting their sweet perfume of flower
over all, there we may be sure dwclls a
intelligent thinking people, whose mott
is Excelsior.
The principal reason why farmers ar
behind all other professions, is that the
have kept themselves, isolated, have bee
too intent on the all absorbing duties Q
the farm, have moved, plodding along i
the grooves and rutS their father hewe