Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-04-20
FARM AND FIRESIDE.


Science on the Farm.
The mere mention of the word science or
scientist appears 10 be obnoxious TO many
of our farmers, who denounce scientific
agriculture as veritable cheat and snare
OF course, it is not TO he denied that there
has been, and is at the present day, an i'm
mense amount of charlatanry among the
selfstyled scientific agriculturists, but the
same is true of all other professions or
branches of science and art The medical
profession, important as 1t is to the welfare
OF mankind, is overburdened with quack-
cry, but that does not invalidate the claims
of the skilful physician and surgeon 10 hon
orable recognition by the community. The
greatest obstacle to the advance OF true sci
ence IN all the learned professions, is the
crowding of legitimate channels with char
latans, who stand in little fear of punish
ment if discovered, so that the unlearned
and even imbecile frequently assume titles
to which they have no right.
But tho farmer in majority of instan-
ces, has misunderstood the meaning of the
term science and scientific agriculture, be-
leving il TO he something far beyond the
comprehension of persons who have not
been specially trained in school or college,
Now, genuine science, at best, is merely
common sense and observation combined,
and all preparatory studies are little more
than good tools, with which man works
out problems in after years. OF course a
mechanic cannot do as good work with a
few or poor tools as he can with plenty of
the very best, but he may still be scientific;
the same is true with the farmer, and the
better his preparatory education the more
rapid will be his progress; but because he
cannot go as deep in his Investigations as
some others, it does. not follow that no in
vestigations should be made.
The idea appears 10 have got abroad that
science in farming means chiefly the anal
ysis of soils and the food OF animals this
error, for it certainly is one, originated
from the investi cations and writings of
such men as Boussengault Liebig, john
son, and contemporaneous authors, whose
life labors were mainly in that direction,
and were, in many instances, carried far
beyond what was necessary for practical
utility. 1t is not, however, necessary for
man to be thorough chemist, geologist,
botanist, or specialist in any one branch
of science, TO be a scientific farmer. Good
ploughing is a scientific operation, produce
ing both mechanical and chemical results,
there being an abundant opportunity for
the display of high order of scientific in
telligence in the simple act of turning over
the soil. To ascertain just how deep 10
plough in order 10 produce the best results
on every different kind of land, requires
great amount Of study, and many carefully
conducted experiments. Then, the plough
ing previous TO putting in a crop is often
followed by the stirring of the soil among
the plants, and the frequency, depth, and
best time for performing the operation, call
fer some very close calculations and inves-
LEGATIONS, which are undoubtedly of a sci
entitic order.
In the feeding and care of animals scien-
life investigations are constantly required,
and although farmer may not be able TO
conduct various analyses in chemical lab
oralory and determine the composition OF
his Ii notify or clover hay, and learn which
Is the richest food for his stock, he can read
lily obtain the knowledge sought by expert
ments in feeding the two kinds separately,
But it is scarcely necessary in these days OF
cheap books and periodicals for a farmer TO
spend much time in practical experiments
of this kind, for the value for food of near
ly every known forage plant was long since
ascertained, and a man would he very fool
ish TO spend his time in repeating expert
ments where no new discoveries are likely
TO be made. The great want of the day is
not new discoveries in science pertaining
to agriculture, but the general diffusion
and application of what is already known
to comparatively small number. There
is not the least need of any new forage
plants or grain, but those we already pos
sess should become better known among
the tillers of the soil, and this can only be
brought about by more careful perusal Of
books and periodicals devoted 10 natural
sciences.
Every farmer should know enough of
botany 10 enable him to distinguish the
commonly cultivated grasses and other
plants from those growing wild ia his UNI
cultivated lands. When he has learned
this much, he will know the noxious spe-
cies from the useful, aud enough of their
natural habits to enable him 10 more readi-
ly destroy the one aud encourage the
growth of the other, than if lie remained in
total ignorance Of botanical science. The
same is also true OF entomology, for il re-
quires no great amount of study TO learn
the difference between the common moths
and butterflies, or TO distinguish the bugs
from beetles; and yet this little knowledge
would frequently be of great assistance to
the farmer in enabling him TO know his
friends from his foes among insects. Even
what would generally be termed mere
"smatteriugs" of science in the branches
named become valuable when applied or
employed in farming; hence the impor-
lance of their accumulation, and the earlier
in life the belter.-N. Y. Sun.
GRAPE VINEs.-Think how easily and
cleaDlV cranes for the family can he nro-