The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Studies en- the Farm.
WAR

The farm is probably the best school
for studying nature, for although there
are high grades OF scientific institutes
which, so far as chemistry and Il few
other branches of natural philosophy are
concerned, rive minute instruction, yet
the farm offers Il wide field for practical
observation. We have before us little
book Of letters writlcna hundred years
ago by Gilbert White, entitled Natural
History of Selbornc." 1t has become an
English classic. Mr.. White lived in a
little village in Hampshire, England, and
it was his habit to go out every day to
study natural history. He kept mcmo-
ranua Of little events, and he wrote 0cca-
Si0nal letters to men OF letters and science
in Il very nice style. lie thus, i'll Il mod
est way, did much for science. lie stud
led the habits Of birds and animals, and
sought to know the uses of the common
plants and trees. We advise every boy
who has any desire to learn the simple
and pleasant method by which this mod
est, genial man pursued his inquiries, 10
obtain the book. Ii is not expensive. 1t
would he we'll if our boys on farms made
Il study of the familiar objects around
them. 1t will make their minds acute.
The trouble is that so familiar are the
farm scenes to the country boy that he
does nut stop To inquire into them. Does
he know that the familiar ant lives in
colonies almost Us well regulated as those
of men, so far as pursuing the right to
1--we is concerned? The ant will climb IL
Il plant to find one Of the light green in
sccts TINT may he seen plcntitullE on the
under sides Of rose leaves. lie prickS
one of these aphi1Cs and obtains a sort OF
milk. Ants have workers, slaves, aris-
,,,, ,,,J .nlflinpc Sir. Jnlr,
Lubbock has written 4 book on this sub
.jrct from simple patience and obsrrva-
ton, and what Il man 20 great as he can
apply himself TO is not unworthy any
ones attention. Look, too, at Thomas
Edwards, the great Scotch naturalist.
From his boyhoOd he has been invcsti-
eating the lives and habits of insects,
fishes and birds, and yet he works on Il
shocmakcr's bench for a living. Great
scientific men consult him. Hugh Miller
the great gcOlogiSt, was q poor stonccut-
Ter. Vet he made geology possible TO
many who were not scientific. How few
of or boys study botany or pursue in
tcrcSting discoveries in the plants around
them. Do YOU know that seeds i'll plants
are produced only by the female flower,
and then only by the sprinkling on them
Of the powder or pollen that the bee or
other lllSCcJ pctS Oh us WHY'S iioil oIit
plant and which it cannot help carrying
TO another? BUNDLE bees and red clover
arc particular friends. of each other. Let
a boy get Il familiar book OIL botany and
90 TO work for himself. 1t is the children
who have not the fine appliances of study
who usually dig out the most. Audubon
who became the great authority on birds,
was of this kind. However, he could
paint well. 1t is not unintcresting to
learn that bright colorcd birds usually
make Il nest that conccals them and lay
light eggs. while dull colored birds, hay
ing no need for conccalmcnt, usually
make Il more open nest and lay dark
eggs. How many of your children know
the names or the meanings OF tile earth
and rocks around them, when no farm
ing ncighborhood is without interesting
specimens? We knew a fairly educated
Young lady Of twenty who did not know
what Il fern was, although she was tread
ing on q 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
the farm.-N. y. Herald.