The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-01-22
Miscellaneous.
a ID u II j. S s,
DELIVERED BY
JAMES b, HARTMAN.

wish you happy new year. This meeting
of Columbia Council of the Patrons of Hus-
bandry happens upcn the first day of the
year 1875, and by the way a very good time
for each one Of Us to look back over the past
year, review our past lives and mako good
resolutions for the improvement Of our time,
whether OH the farm or in our mental capa-
cities. For only by free use of our mental
faculties can sc arrive at point of SUCCESS
that will warrant a premium as good farmers
and worthy patrons.
The occupation of the farmer is an hon
orable one; it is also an ancient one dating
from ths earliest re e-ord5 Of time Sacred
and profane history furnish proofthat mans
first pursuit was tho tilling Of the earth and
that it has been engaged in by the great and
leading men Of all ages, Moses, the greatest
Of all law givers, was for forty years u farm
er. lie kept the aocks of Jethro, his father
in-law David, skilled alike to wieid tho
sword or wake to ecstacies the living Tyre,
was called by God from the sheep fold Gin
cinnatps, the Consul, the Dictator and twice
the Savior of Rome, left his farm with regret.
ut the summons of his country, and gladly
returned to it when his task was done. Dio-
cetian, whom Gibban regards rs one of The
most illu+rion5 of Roman Emperors, resign-
ed the purple and upon being requested to
resume it, said in reply if you could only
see the cabbages which have raised with
my own hands you would not ask me to give
up the enjoyment of happiness for the pur-
suit of power. Cromwell, perhaps the great
est soldier and greatest ruler Of England,
was a farmer. Five OF our President.-Jef-
| tcf5on, Madison, Jackson, Harrison and
! Washington-were farmers. Washington
minutcy directed the management ofhis farm
| while President. Jefferson added to his rep
utation a. statesman, President and phlos-
| pher, both ut home and abroad, by demon
strating the scientific principle involved in
the proper construction of tho mould board
Of pOw. Three of our most brilliant states-
men-Randolph, Clay and Webstcr-and
host Of other lights, wero farmers. Thus uo
have abundant proof that all along down the
| line OF ages, tho most excellent men of their
| times have borne the banner of the occupa-
ton of the farmer and placed it high, yes
even upon the very pinnacle of great
ness and Importance. Say not then that the
farmer is incompetent. A man that il able
to manage fern successfully is also abl- to
manage ~ store, or manufacturing establish
ment, or mining operations. When and
how to plant and SOW, when to reap and
gather, are a part Of the regular routine of
farm labor, but to econOmize in manurial
properties, to give the soil proper aud
necessary return in productive qualities, are
matters of great concern. Another very i'm
pOrtant consideration is the sale of the pro-
ducts of the farnl for it is wonderful how far
the peculator,eXceeds the farmer in know
ledge in this respect. While tho specuator
will have his magnfying glass and other in
strumcnts to aid, for instance in detecting
trichinae end .othcr diseases in pork, or to
examine the iibres of wool, or the very many
other articles of the farm purchased by him,
or may be more thoroughly booked in the
markets or their fluctuations, the unwary
farmer on the other hand may be ignorant Of
and have no knowledge of the existence of
these things, or he may be ignorant of the
ingredients Of the soil he owns and holds by
right of law. There may be one of these in
gradients gone in that SOIL there may be one
too high or others to be modified and brought
into harmony With the rest to ensure the
greatest production, and these faculties of
| knnWleIun rn,snn INDIGNANT aud
ry determination, distinguish Us from the
beasts that perish, and constitute the true
dignity of our nature God has taught Us to
know more than the beasts of the field asd
be wiser than the fowls of heaven, but facul-
ties and powers are of little value until they
are brought into exercise and directed to
their proper objects. Like the seed of vege-
tation, cast upon the wayside, which, though
it contains the rudiments Of the future plant
and possesses the faculty or power of life and
growth, exists without end and without use,
and must be cast into the earth, moistened
by the dampness of the clouds, inyigorated
by the rays of the sun and tended by the
careful hand Of the husbandman, before it
can bring forth fruit, yield its increase and
answer its desired purpose, so with the farm
er, knowledge is to him what culture is to
the plant, but it will take hard work and pa
tient study to gain this knowledge. When
once obtained it will be permanent and last
ing rs the hills. The forces will also be
gradual. knowledge is obtained by degrees
and cannot everywhere be found. That
which is most easily produced most quickly
perohcs The majestic oak, which requires
Il century to mature, abides another century
without shaking to the blast, and when its
period of decay arrives it sinks away into the
dust by the same gradual process, while the
, beautiful flower that opens in the night and
perfumes with its fragrance the morning
breeze, disappears ere the sun reaches his
meridian, and should We expect that the mo-
bic works of the mental powers should be
freed from the influence of law 50 uniform
and ojust7 No, that which is suddenly ac-
quired, whether it be knowledge, fortune or
reputation, will soon vanish away. There is
sound philosophy in the vulgar adage
eight comes light goes 1t is a fixed law
OF nature the wisdom of which we may per-
haps not fully understand, bat which must
be right, that no important benefit is to be
acquired but by the exercise of self denial
and corresponding effort, and whatever may
be the result OF other undertakings, yirtuou,
exertion never fails to bring with it greater
or less reward.
The inquiry is often made of Patrons
4 why do you war on railroads! The answer tC
o this question is not reached by few words
Go with me, you please, to our sea hoard
For example, the price of wheat in the
United States, leaving out the variations il
the amount ofcrops, is measuredby the pric,
in the city Of New York, and the price il
New York 10 governed by tho price in Eng