The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-06-07
] = IaaullSs OH che Fairll1. Z

The farm. is probably the best schoool
for studying nature, for although there
are high grades Of scientffc Institutes
which, so far as chemistry and few other
branches Of natural philosophy are con-
cerned, give minute instruction, yet the
farm offers o wide field for practical OBJ
gervation. We have before us little
book of letters written hundred years
ago by Gilbert White, entitled Natural
History of Selborne." It has become ain
English classic. Mr.. White lived in "a
little village in Hampshire, England,
and it was his habit to 20 tut every day
TO study natural history. ,!e kept mem
oranda Of little events, and he wrote
occasional letters to men of letters and
science in very nice style. He IL ,,
in modest way, did much for science.
lie studied the habits OF birds and AMI
mails, and sought to know the uses of the
common plants and trees. 1t would be
we'll if car boys on farms made study
of the familiar objects around them. It
will make their minds acute. The troll
bic is that SO familiar are the farm scenes
to the country boy that he does not stop
to inquire into them. Does he know
that the familiar ant lives in colonies
almost as well regulated rs those of men,
30 far as pursuing the right to live is
concerned? The ant will climb plant
to find one of the light green insects that
may be seen plentifully on the under
sides of rose leaves. He pricks one of
these aphides and obtains sort of, milk.
Ants have workers, slaves aristocrats.
queens aud soldiers. Sir John Lubbock
has written book on this subect from
simple patience and observation, aud
what man 30 great as he can apply
himself TO is not unworthy any ones
attention. Look, too, at Thomas Ed
wards, the great Scotch naturalist. FROM
his boyhood he ehas been investigating
the lives and habits Of insects, fishes and
birds, and yet he works on shoemakers .
bench for a living. Great scientific men
consult him. Hugh Miller, tie graaS
geologlst, was poor stOnc-cuttcr. Yet
he made geology possible to many who
were not scientific. How fo. Of our
boys study botany or pursue interesting
discoveries in the plants around them.
Do you know that seeds in plants aro
produced only by the female flower, and
then only by the sprinkling OIL them of
the powder or pollen that the bee or
other insect gets on it's wings from one
plant and which it cannot help carrying
W oiotuct DuluDle Uccb anu Tcu clover
arc particular friends Of each other. Let
n boy get familiar book on botany and
go to work for himself. 1t is the chill
dren who have not the fine appliances
OF study who usually dig out the most.
Audubon, who became the great author
ity on hi, is, was of this kind. However,
he could paint well. 1t is not uninter-
csting to learn that bright colored birds
usually make u neat that couceals them.
and lay light eggs, while dull colored
birds. having 10 need for concealmcnt,
usually make II more open nest and lay
dark eggs. How many of our children
know the names or the meanings of the
earth and rocks around them, when no
farming ,neighborhood is without inter-
esting specimens We knew q fairly
educated young lady Of twenty who did
not know what fern was, although she
was trcading on half dozen different
varieties every day. Our farmers do not
interest their children in the farm life,
and then wonder why their children do
not love tho farm.-N 7. Herald.