The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1877-07-26

whatever vocation they may have in
view, and this applies as well to the
pursuit of agriculture as to any
other. 1t is one of the mos impor
tant industries in our country, be-
ing the basis of all wealth and all
substantial prosperity, and it is time
the idea that a man is born a farmer
and needs no further preparation
for the pursuit of it, than he can
pick up by the way side, should be
abandoned. He must have an APP
premiership of seven years to a
trade, or devote several of the best
years of his life to the study of a
profession, before he is prepared to
practice either, but knowledge of
farming comes as an endowment.
Cobblers and quacks in farming
have done much to bring our voca
ton into disrepute, and a better
education is needed for the farmer
if we would elevate it in the public
estimate of Its character and impor
lance, and if we would dignity labor
and secure for it a higher reward,
we must elevate the standard of in
telligence that directs it. In fact,
higher intelligence for the pursuit
of agriculture is needed, if we would
invest farm life with more charms
for the young, and if we would
stimulate their ambition, they must
be taught that distinction can be as
readily attained in the fields of ag
riculture as in the halls of learning.
That there is as much difference be
tween the intelligent, thinking fam
er and the mere agriculturist who
plows and hoes, because his father
did before him, as there is between
skilled labor and that of the appren-
tice, as there is between cultivated
professional talent and the igno-
rance of the pretender.
But however fully the mass of
those who are engaged in the active
duties of farm life, may recognize
these facts, it is difficult to convince
them that much may yet be done
to repair the defects of their early
education, and so we must look for
the remedy in a different direc-
ton. Much, we believe, may be
accomplished by the introduc
ton into our common schools
of, at least, the study of the ele-
mentary principles of agriculture,
introduced there if necessary by
Legislative enactment, and made a
part of the education of every boy
who enters them. We could not, of
course, expect skilled agriculturists
from these schools, but a sufficient
knowledge could be acquired to
stimulate inquiry and direct the in
vestigations of the young farmer
who desired to excel or pursue in
diligently his chosen vocation.
If Col. Killebrew, DIR. Lee and
Prof. Stafford were required to do
so, they could prepare work
adapted to the agriculture of our
State and our common schools that
would meet the requirements of our
great industry. We hope this Will
be done, and if our boys were thus
taught the elementary principles of
their daily pursuit, to begin with,
our places would soon be occupied
by class of better educated and !
more intelligent farmers than we
are, and our common schools would |
become the great ally of the Grange |
and thus secure the triumph of
those principles which underlie the
prosperity of our order and the
prosperity and the happiness of
those most deeply interested in it.
We need a generation of farmers
who can fully appreciate the truth,
that intelligence and skill to direct
their labor and industry is as nee
essary to their success as good gov
eminent is to the happiness and |
prosperity of the people.
The educated farmer pursues the
best method, tightening his labor
by the use of the best labor saving
machinery, prospers his toll by Civ
ing it intelligent direction, and in
sures his success by the adoption
of order and system. A commu
nifty of such, by properly co-operat-
ing, secures all the advantages to
which their numbers and the impor
lance of their great industry so
iustiv antilles them II