The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-05-24
Home and Farm.

Five steamers sailed Saturday from
this port "loaded to the muzzle," but
not with powder nor ball, arms nor
ammunition, but chiefly with wheat,
corn, bacon, beef, cheese, lard, butter
and canned meats. Fresh beef goes by
hundreds of tons, bacon by thousands
of boxes, lard by hundreds of tierces.
There is also a remarkable shipment of
agricultural mplements-one hundred
and fifty tons by one vessel for Liver
pool, fifty by another for Germany,
With four hundred boxes of sewing
machines for Glasgow. All this is
apart from the shipments of cotton,
tobacco, and other articles.
The farmer who considers his bust
ness In the light of toll or drudgery
will never he more than q laborer or a
drudge. On the contrary, he who con-
siders it as business for the employ
ment of skill, intelligence and ssgacity,
anG becomes educated for 1t in as fit
manner as possible, will find his labor
easier, more agreeable, and more pro-
fitable than that of the other. There
are farmers who labor, and others who
work; the former have nothing to
Tighten or enliven their labor, while
the latter do most of their labor, not
with their hands, but with the brain,
and thus Tighten their toll and make it
the more effective. There are two
classes of farmers, the one class is pre-
pared for emergencies of all kinds, the
other is helpless until work is laid out
for them; where the farmer is educated
in his profession he can lay plans wise
" and execute them effectively, or. in
deed, by means of his greater
knowledge and skill, he may be able to
profitably direct the labors of a score
of men, without handling a tool him :
self.
One of the greatest needs of agricul-
ture now is thorough technical educa-
ton. The farmer who is not prepared
TO say at a moments warning what must
be done in this case or that, what stock
may be best kept on this or that land,
what fertilizer may be best used for
this or that crop, or decide q hundred
important questions which involve
profit or loss, is no farmer, but is fitted
only for laborer, and needs master,
and, IN fact, cannot hope to realize for
his labor any more than the wages of q
common workman. HIS labor, intelli-
gently directed, would be far more
valuable THAI when it is subject to his
own unskillful ideas of what is proper,
and it would be better for him to work
for a capable employer than for him
self. Fortunately, a great number Of
| farmers are reading men and arc mare
or less educated in the science Of their
business.
But by far the larger part OF them
neglect the abundant means of educa-
ton offered them. The old exploded
idea that farmer who reads books or
agricultural journals is book farm
er, and that shook farmer" is q hum
bug and failure, is unfortunately yet
prevalent, but it is 70 be noticed that
the old fogy farmer does not scruple TO
ask the services of his better informed
neighbours stock animals, and Is willing
and eager 10 exchange bis own barn
door fowls eggs for the others pure
bred ones, or TO get stock Of gratis Of
his choice fruits; or borrow new and
improved seeds, or do other similar &C
commodating neighborly actions for his
| own benefit, and yet At the same time
may still cast sIurs upon this book
| farmer and his new-fangled notions
By aad by, however, the little lessenI
works, and the whole lump become