The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-10-18
Theory and Practice.

There arc farmers who are us stub
born and unwilling to accept the teach
ings of theory as are men in any other
relation of life. They entertain con-
tempt for book farming, as they call
it, that is absolutely withering. Fancy
farming and fancy stock breeding are
to such men the most trifling puerility
it is boys play that was never
equalcd in frivolity by any game ut
tile fircside or on the green. Yet it is
n fact that some of our most important
and profitable practice in both these
industries hes been taught us by fancy
operations Fancy farming is largely
experimental and it is seldom that
experiment in anything fnils to result
i'll some benefit. A prejudice against
theoretical farming, experimental far
ming, or book farming, whatever you
choose to call it, is prejudice which
other callings have never cherished
toward similar teachings. 1t is true
that much Of this fancy or experiment
tai work amounts to nothing. There
are visionary men in al spheres of nc
ton, and they disgust us with their
wild vagarics and schemes but an in
telligent experimenter will usually do
something to benefit himself and the
world. Rogers, for instance, was cx-
perimep:;ng in growing grapes from
seedlings for quarter of century,
and during tl.t time failed in many,
many Instances to produce anything of
value in the way of variety; but we
all know that he produced the choicest
varieties of grapes that VIC have. All
intelligent experiments result in SINH
lar blessings to the world, and gener-
ally III iscca;iary Pr0nt to the expert
mcnter i'll the end. The breeding of
short-horn cattle is another example.
Mr. Thomas Bates, for instance
among the greatest, if not. the greatest
among breedcrs-determ:ned to Fix the
type Of the best animal for all purpo-
ses-ri)re especially for beef. lie
had fixed theories, and lnbored to re-
duce them to practice. In doing so
he sacrificed anything that prevented
success or retarded his progress. If
an animal was i'll any manner def
cicnt, i: was ruthlessly slaughtered. and
the result has been perfect animal
and an ines.;:nahle blessing to breeders
and the world. 1t is our neglect to
theorize t. practice, that is proving an
incalculable injury to our agricultural
Interests. In the former wheat-growing
regions, or the east, there is now scarce
ly any wheat grown. The wheat belt
of our country has been moving con-
stantly westward. Indiana, Michigan
and Illinois comprise the wheat-l,ro-
ducing sections, when the East ceased
to produce il. Now the still more
Western States are the wheat-producing
sections. We'll, why is it that the East
doesn't any longer grow wheat? Be.
cause it can't do it with profit. Why
don't Indiana, Michigan and Illinois
produce as much wEea. rs formerly!
because they aaii'i, and why? For
the reason that the natural richness OF
the soil tempted men to grow wheat
y'ar after year, without returning Ia
th> soil any of the elements taken from
it, until the soil was thoroughly ex-
hausted, and refused longer to nourish
this crop. But the same thing is being
done in the present wheat regions, and
it will SO on moving West until we
reduce to practice the theory that the
elements which the crops take from tho
soil must be replaced jYestern Rural