Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-02-17

DEDICATION OF I'M FARMER"
Mr. Chairman Lddies and Gentlemen,
when Judge Martin solicited me to read papei
at the meeting Of this board IN Painhcld, de
clined, feeling that had not the education ncocs
sary to write an acceptable paper understand
that through some mistake, my name Was sent "a
the secretary Of the board. It is partly from my
feeling Of inability through want OF an education,
that have decided TO write Ia favor Of better
education for the farmers. The exhibition Of a
drunken man staggering through the streets Is an
incentive 70 temperance. On the same principle,
my effort at this time may convince You that farm
ers should have better education. An old ac-
quaintance hailed fopcr with the question, What
are You doing now. JIM I'm IN the temper
snce lecture bizuess. " lou lectunng ON tenn
penncc p " No. not 'znctly. You see, my brother
does the lccturing, and ] go with him as the
Example and wurnin'. Perhaps should do bet
ter to let some person who is qualified, do the lee
turing on education and 30 with him rs the
'xampe and warnin
have seen a farmer drawing manure across
meadow land IN the spring Of the year, when the
ground is soft The first load would just make a
mark, the next would cut little deeper, and each
succeeding load increases the indentation hut
STILL Il the land Is free from stones the load goes
very we'll and the man says. Keep In the ruts
hnd not cut up any more meadow And, besides,
II u very difficult TO get cut OF them after they are
cut deep. So he continues to draw, keeping IN the
ruts, cutting deeper and deeper the loads drawing
harder, until the hubs hit the ground and then hc
comes TO a dead set. Then he must get out of the
One Of the first settlers of this town, and a very
good citizen, was very much inclined TO run in the
old ruts. lie had particular field for corn
another for oats, and another for potatoes, and
continued year after year 10 rais Ao same crop
on the same field One spring his hired man,
when they were about TO commence preparing the
corn ground, suggested that they take another
field for corn. saying that he thought rotation of
crops would be beneficial. lie answered him in a
way 10 let him know that he was not to be In
structed 10y hired man. says he. " / always did
plant corn on that ground and always shall.
When was boy, II was the custom for farm
ers TO winter a. much stock they could get
through 10 grass with their hides on their bones.
Spring poor words that meant something
rejoice that most farmers have got out ni that old
rut for they wore ii down until the hnh dragged
Now 1t is not strange 10 see cattle rs fat and sleek
In the spring a. they were in the fall
Forty years ago. when ! commenced sugaring,
went 10 the woods, chopped notch Ia TIE tee,
under which we made an incison with a gougc
into which ncision we drove wooden spout and
caught the sap In tubs or tronghs We gathered
the sap by hand, with sap-yoke and buckets For
boiling the sap, we felcd large tree into the snow
beside which we set two forked posts and laid
pole on them, from which pole was suspended two
hve-pail kettles, in which, with green wood
reduced the sap 10 sugar. | am glad that we have
got out of that old rut and into another which,
AS compared with the old method, may be termed
Sugar-making made easy"
In quality OF stock and manner OF k c ing. in
modes OF cultivation, and gathering OF crops We
are making constant progress. The pillow, the fork,
the hoe Of to-day do not look as though they could
be the descendants Of articles the same name Of
forty years ago; while the moving machine and
horse rake were then unknown The dwellings
occupied by farmers have changed from the log
hut, or rude, hai-finished frame building to the
neat, white cottage, the barns, from the single
boarded barn, whose only light came in at the
cracks between the boards, land light enough al
that To the commOdous dOube-bOardcd o
matched-boarded, and window-lighted barns oi
the present time
But while we have been constantly improving
our stock and buildings and modes Of farming /
fear we have neglected the farmer. We have not
made that advancement In the cultivation Of ouI
own minds which the spirit and progress Of the
times demand. Forty years ago it was thought
necessary for farmer to have common school
education, and notg public opinion demands the
same and no more 1t is true the common school
has improved some, but In no proportion Ia what
our stock and modes of farming have. We act on
the principle that the mind OF the farmer needs
the least cultivation Of any class In society Ilis
rs one Of the ruts that we have in I'LL il is Won
down so that the hub drags There are noble eN-
ceptions; but the great majority Of farmers think
that time and money spent in educating their boys
who are 10 be farmers, beyond common school
education, Is so much loss. They educate their
sons whom they intend for lawyers, ply sicians or
clergymen Why do they2 Why do professional
men need a collegiate education? Studying the
classics gives them very little information, either
in medicine, theology or law. Again, the question
comes up-Why? II il to derel0D the intellect to
enlarge the mind, to discipline the reasoning facul-
ties, and TO bring ou the man In his full proper
tions, that he shall he enabled 10 speak or write
whatever he knows with precision and clearness
10 give him confidence in the presence Of those
who are educated, 80 that he can meet them on
equal terms aud not feel that he is in the presence
OF superiOrS while in their company | have men
toned only few Of the benefits Of an education
And now is there one OF these but would do the
farmer Just AS much good rs 1t would the pro
fessonal MANI
Now let US look at the present practice Of farm
ers, and see its inevitable tendency. No farmer
sends his boy 10 college to tit him for farmer
II speak Of the general rule; there may be eNcep-
tons few may be sent 70 an agricultural col.
lege.) II he has one q little smarter than the rest
he will educate him for doctor, lawyer or a
minister This shows that the farmer thinks ii
requires the best intellect and the best cultivation
that Intellect TO make professional man; while
the poorest intellect with little or no cultNa alton
is good enough for farmer. Here will Just ask
what would he the effect upon farmer stock IT,
year after year, he continued To sell of the best
and keep the poorest on his farm? contend that
the farmer should be educated-first for his own
good; second, for the good OF his class The edu-
Gated man always has the advantage Of the nm
learned, natural abilities being the same. The
cultivated mind moves in a higher sphere, has
more refined enjoymeuts, than the uneutiyated
II delights 10 study the wonders and beauties OF
nature with which 1t Is surrounded, which give the
unlearned no pleasure, for they pass them by I'M
needed No calling IL So we'll adapted to the
study OF nature as agriculture And here would
say that after the young farmer has finished his
classical course, instead OF stndyng theology med
icne, or law, he should study that which will be
most beneficial 10 his calling Certainly he should
study the science and practice the art of agricul
tufe. IL would greatly enhance the enjoyment OF
the cultiyator OF the soil H. while he is digging in
the dirt he could tell OF what that dirt Is com
posed; IT, while he IL passing through his fields
he could tell to what class in botany each herb and
tree, each plant and grass, belonged. The farm
ers education would be a benefit all through the
active duties OF his calling; but especially would
1t contribute 10 his happiness in the decline of life
when the active duties Of agriculture become too
arduous for him. 1t Is then that he wants the
mind well stored, so that his last days may not
drag heavily and gloomily away
And now come to the second proposition viz
The farmer should be educated for the good Of his
class. have been thinking about what rank the
farmers now hold, and what rank they are to hold
in the future OF our country. And is our present
course calculated 10 raise us higher, or sink us
lower, in the scale Of rank And first let us
look about, and see what rank really do hold
How are we looked upon by the educated classes
Nothing but farmer is a remark which have
heard, and probably often made when farmers
are not present, and oftener thought when they
are present. II Is contemptuously said the farmer
talks oil bullocls. This is all right save when he
Il IN company that does not know a bullock from
a sheep. Daniel Webster is said TO have made
the remark that. 1--WE might as well employ a
blacksmith 10 mend watches as a farmer To leeis-
late with his huge paw upon the statute what
NNNiN He uo III Oui lAtcuhst We Call
upon our ministers, our physicians, and our law
yerH, for lectures But who ever thinks of calling
on farmer for leetures2 Let us see what rank
the farmers hold, they being judges When we
have our agricultural fairs, county or state, we
employ lawyer, an editor, or a congressman To
deliver the address upon the fair ground I'm
ploy lawyer TO tell us about farmingl The
poorest farmer among us ought to know more
about farming than lawyer.
Having shown something of our position, we
VIII look at some OF its disadvantage We EN-
ploy men OF other callngs 10 do many things
Tor us which we ought TO be able 10 do for our
selYes-men whose interests are exactly the oppo-
site of ours Ii Is for the farmers Interest 10
have bread and butter and meat bear a high
price but when there Is a rise Of few dollars
barrel on Hour, or few cents a pound on meat or
butter the non-producers cry hard times IL is
Tor the interest OF the non-produeerH IN have
bread and butter cheap. Therefore they will ex-
toll the blessings OF the farmer and saw. stick 10
the farm and make farmers Of all your bovs 40
as 70 have farming oyerdone 50 that the supply
shall exceed the demand and they get their bread
and butter for half what 1t costs to raise H.
Again, we do not make our own laws especially
our national laws We do not think Of sending
u farmer TO congress-and why not9 The an
swer comes readily, lie has not had that educa-
ton and training necessary 10 iii him Tor the
duties o. statesman. We do not find the tariff
adjusted 10 the wants of the agriculturaIist but
against ms interests-to the wants Of the manu-
factufer and non-prodneers Il Is the duty of
representatives, we know, 10 look after ths in
terests Of their constituents; but We may he oule
sure that they will look after their own ptefests
first "''''''s
rrior TO the great rebellion, the South made II
penal offence 10 instruct the slaves knowing
hat fharft aa.lt.. Al.