River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-01-20
A FARMFR'S LIBRARY.

The New York Times says: The sea-
son of the farmers leisure is now at hand,
and although on well conducted farm
there is never any actual necessity to
complain for want Of work TO be done,
yet a careful manager may find ample
leisure. The leisure cannot be more
prodtably employed than in reading and
study and in attending the meetings Of
farmers clubs. A library, however, is
not always found in a farm house, and
few farmers have the means to purchase
more than a few Of those technical books
which they ought to be we'll acquainted
with. In reading the agricultural
Journals one meets with many allusions
and reference to established principals
that ought to be familiar to every farm.
er. The application Of those principals
to his daily work is of the greatest adj
vantage TO him. and unless he is familiar
with them much that he reads in the paper
is not fully comprehendod. 1t is neces-
sary, therefore, that he sho"ld be well ac-
quainted with at least dozen or a score
of good standard agricultural books.
These ought to be owned by every farm
eIs' cluD. and be found in every township
library in the country. Where there Is
no farmers club dozen farmers might
join together, procure those books. and
| circulate them among themselves. chang
ing them every month or two until they
come around all 10 whore they originally
belonged. more extensive library
might be gathered in course of4imc BY
farmers club NJ the cost Of isl5 10 sS25
yearly. But there are some books that
every farmer should own and keep on his
shelves for daily study and reference.
| The possession &c these books would be
one Of the greatest possible Incentives to
the acquisition af practical knowledge.
| For instance, there Is valuable little
work h Dr. Darlington. american
Weeds and tisc,nl Plants which de-
scribes not only she common weeds bat
also those plants fwlieh are Of value for
/ various purposes. Numerous illustra-
and we can hardly suppose any intclii.
gent farmer or iaImer's son or daughter
/ who studies this book would rest satisfied
until he or he had, procured collection
81 these plants from tlc farm OF ncighbor-
! hood, which would not only of itself be-
of great and considerable acquaintance
with botany as science. The first
dawn of new facts upon the mind serves
TO throw light upon a number of others,
and knowledge Of these introduces
more and more, which IN their turn in.
PRODUCES others. Thus as the country
dwellcr gets an insight into the natural
history of the world about him the
boundaries of his knowledge en-.
large IN every direction. From
plants hc will turn 10 insects, and
Harris "lnsccts Injurious 20 Vegetation
will be STUDIED, and the pests Of his or.
chard and crops will be- collected, studied,
and identified. Thus y fair acquaintance
with entomology may De gained, which, iu
its turn, will open up other fields Of in.
yestigati0n. ihe soil beneath his feet
which, he plows and cultivatcs. sill be a
grand subject for study. Jolnslon's
Agricultural Chemistry viii give a
very clear and ineligible account Of the
nature of the soil, of the air and water
which give IL The power 60 sustain veg.
etablc life, of the science Of manuriug and
Of growing crops, Of feedipr crops 10 cat.
tie, Of the nature of animal growth, &c
the nature uf milk, batter. aud cheese.
and Of great number of valuable eXper
ments upon practical agriculture.
Warning draining for Profit and
Health will then be read with interest,