The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-11-01
Theory and Practice.

There are farmers who are as stub
born ard 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 1t,
that is absolutely whitening. Fancy
farming and fancy stock breeding are
TO such men the most trifling puerility
it is boys play that was never equal
ed in frivolity by any game at the fire.
side or on the green. Yet it is fact
that some of cur most important and
profitable practice in both these indus
tries has been taught us by fancy OPP
erations. Fancy farming is largely ex-
perimental-and it is seldom that ex-
pertinent in anything fails to result
in some benefit. y prejudice against
theoretical farming, experimental
farming. or book farming, or whatev-
er YOU choose to call it, is a prejudice
which other callings have never cher
ished toward similar teachings. 1t is
true that much of this fancy or exper-
mental work amounts TO nothing.
There are visionary men in all spheres
of action, and they disgust US with
heir wild vagaries and schemes; but
an intelligent experimental will usu-
ally do something to benefit himself
and the world. Roger, for instance,
was experimenting in growing grapes,
from seedlings for a quarter OF cen
fury, and during that time failed III
inany Instances to produce any thing
II value in the way of variety, but we
al know that he produced the choicest
varieties of grapes that we have. All
intelligent experiments result III slml-
lar blessings TO the world, and gener-
Ally in pecrIniary profit TO the expert
nenter in the end. The breeding of
-hort-horn cattle is another example.
Mr. Thomas Bates, for instance
among the greatest, if not the greatest,
among Observation-Disclosures to Tx
poses-more especially for beef. lie
had fixed theories and labored to re-
duce them to practice. In doing so, he
sacrificed any thing that paevented sue
cess or retarged his progress. If an
animal was in any manner deficient, 1t
was ruthlessly slaughtered, and the
result has been perfect animal and
an inestimable blessing to breeders and
the world. II is our neglect to theo-
rize, together with our neglect TO re-
duce existing theories to practice that
is proving an incalculable injury to
our agricultural interests. In the for
mer wbeat-growing regions. or the
East, there is now scarcely any wheat
grown. The wheat belt of our conn
try has been moving constantly west
ward. Indiana, Michigan and Illinois
comprised the wheat-producing sec
lions. when the East ceased to produce
it. Now the the still more Western
states are the wheat-producing Sec
tons. Well. 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 wheat as formerly !!
Because they can't; and why? For
the reason that the natural richness of
the soil tempted men TO grow wheat
year after year, without returning to
The soil any of the elements taken
from it, until the soil was thoroughly
exhausted, and refused longer to nour-
ish this orep. But the same thing is
being done in tho present wheat re-
gions, and it will go on moving Wet
until we reduce TO practice the theory
hat the elements which the crops take
from the soil must be replaced Vest
e.R Rar0l.