The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-01-24
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Winter Reading,


acquiring information. The intelligent ma
Jorlty OF that class have already attended to
the duty and continue to do so, and there
fore need no further persuasion; while those
who remain contented in ignorance are so
wise In their own conceit that argument with
them avails nothing. 1t is well however.
that each successive generation as it takes its
place in the field of action, should be pro-
foundly impressed with its responsibilities
and duties in this direction.
The relations which farmers sustain to the
state and to society as men and as citizens,
while they are the same as those which other
classes sustain, receive additional weight and
Importance from the fact that they are SO
largely in the majority. 1t is the farmers
who fill the offices and make the laws, who
decide upon systems of education and who
shall administer them, who give tone and
character to society, and therefore it is abso-
lutely necessary that they should be wellin.
formed in these several ways, although appar-
emily disconnected with their special calling.
1t is our impression that they are not so
neglectful here as elsewhere-in fact, that
they are generally more willing to consider
and discuss the affairs of the state or nation,
than those things which relate to domestic
matters or to farm management. To correct
this tendency and to suggest closer applca-
ton to their own pursuits is.our present OBJ
ject.
1t will be readily admitted that during the
six months of their active labors farmers
have but little time or inclination for the
study of books; the mind full of care and the
body worn and weary, will hardly permit
them to catch even in a hurried way the Or
binary news of the day. As necessary re-
suit it frequently happens in every ones
experience that at a critical time he is not
able to stop to consult authorities and COM
pare experiences, and therefore in his haste.
listening to his next neighbor, he does some
thing he ought not to have done, or leaves
undone something which should have been
done. For this state of things we have no
other remedy to suggest but that of previous
preparation. The most important work of
the year may be done in the winter. Then,
without haste and without waste, the plan
OF operations may be matured and mapped
out, all ordinary. contingencies anticipated
and provided for, and thus the campaign of
the coming season made merely the execu-
tlon Of a well devised system. While it may
be true that some little things will be over
looked, and occasionally something of conse-
quence, we will guarantee that after short
experience no important omissions will be
made. The practical result Of giving pre-
vious consideration to the different branches
of husbandry, will be the adoption of an in
tellgent and well arranged system. Take
for example, some of the questions confront
ing every farmer: deep or shallow flowing
spring or fall seeding, the proper time and
method of manuring, the right season for
pruning, the use of oxen or horses, corn or
potatoes as crop, drills or hills, chemical
fertilizers, fail feeding, and multitude of
others-these all should be settled deliber-
ately upon the weight of evidence and in
accordance with common sense. In order
hat this may be done satisfactorily, and with
care and thought, il must be done in the
winter, when all farmers have some leisure
and opportunities for study, excepting per-
haps those who add numbering to their agri-
cultural pursuits.
Let the farmer, calendar in hand, begin
with the month of May and note down for
each day. or week, his appropriate work for
that season, and SO continue on through his
six months of labor, then, grouping these
several employments Under their proper
heads, let him make it his winters work to
arrive at conclusions as to the best method
of accomplishment. To do this thoroughly
and properly, it will be necessary to study
subjects by special instead of a general
course of reading, availing oneself of standard
works of reference, and the contributions in
agricultural periodicals. The advantages of
this method over random and haphazard
course of reading will be those arising from
concentration of thought, comparison of
statements, and judicial balancing of oppo-
site theories and experiences. The conclu-
sion will be the adoption of some sytem that
will probably be best for a single season, and
longer perhaps, unless disturbed by the
weight of new evidence. The men who
adopt this course, will plove in the end to be
intelligent, progressive and successful farm
ers.
Were farmers clubs, or other agricultural
associations to discuss at their winter meet
ings, the various methods of the successive
labors of a season, they would aid greatly in
reaching satisfactory conclusions. The most
positive and valuable results will also follow
from the dissemination of scientific and ex-
perimental text books among farmers, and
the establishment of agricultural libraries in
the country towns. If some well informed
and well-to-do farmer in every town would
invest from ten to one hundred dollars in
standard agricultural and mechanical books,
and then place them within reach of bis
townsmen, he would benefit them more than
by the distribution of large sum of m oney.
By adopting the circulating library plan, and
charging small rate for the use of the books
quite as many would probably be taken out,
and the investment would be remunerative.
We will with pleasure furnish a list of such
books, to any individual or association max
ing application for it.