Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-06-27
SCIENCE ON THE FARM.

The mere mention Of the word sci
ence or scientist appears to be obnox-
ious TO many Of our farmers, who de-
nounce scientific agriculture as q veri-
table cheat and snare, OF course, II
is not to be denied that there has been,
and is Mt the present day, an immense
amount of charlatanry among the self.
styled scientific agricuturists, but the
same is true of all other professions or
branches of science and art. The med
ical profession, important as il is 10
the welfare of mankind, is overburden-
ed with quackery, but that does not
inyalidate the claims of the skiltul
physician and surgeon to honorable re
cognition by the community. The
greatest obstacle TO the advance Of
true science il all the learned profess
sions, is the crowding of legitimate
channels with cbarlatans, who stand
in little fear of punishment if discover
ed, so that the unlearned OF even i'm
beetle frequently assume titles to which
they have no right.
But tho farmer, in a majority of in
stances, has misunderstood the mean
ing of the term science and scientific
agriculture, believing it to be some
thing far beyond the comprehension OF
persons who have not been specially
trained in school or college. Now,
genuine science, at best, is merely com
mon sense and observation combined,
and all preparatory studies are little
more than good tools, with which u
man works out problems in after years.
OF course a mechanic cannot do as
good work with 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 investlga.
tions rs some others, it does not follow
that no investigations should be made
The idea appears to have got abroad
that science in farming means chiefly
the analysis of soils and the food of
animals; this error, for it certainly is
one, originated from the investigations
and writings>oi such men as BOussen-
gault, Liebig johnson, and contempo-
raneous authors, whose life labors were
mainly in that direction, and were, in
many instances, carried far beyond
what was necessary tor practical utili-
ty. 1t is not, however, necessary for
a man to be a thorough chemist, geol.
ogist, botanist, or specialist in any
one branch of science, to be q scientific
farmer Good ploughing is a scientific
operation, producing both mechanical
and chemical results, there being an
abundant opportunity for the display
Of a high order Of scientific intelligence
in the simple act Of turning over the
soil. To ascertain just how deep to
plough in order to produce the best re-
suits on every different kind Of land,
requires great amount Of study, and
many carefully conducted experiments.
Then, the ploughing previous to put
ting in crop is often followed by the
stirring of the soil among the plants,
and the frequency, depth, the best time
Tor performing the operation, call for
some very close calculations, and in
vestigations, which are undoubtedly
of scientific order.
In the feeding and care of animals
scientific investigations are constantly
required, and although farmer may
not be able to conduct various analyses
in chemical laboratory and determine
the composition of his timothy or clio.
yer hay, and learn which is the richest
food for his stock, he can readily OBJ
tain tho knowledge sought by expert
ments IN feeding the two kinds sepa-
rately, and noting the effect upon the
animals. But il Is scarcely necessary
in these days of cheap books and peri.
odicals for farmer TO spend much
time in practical experiments of this
kind, for the value for food OF nearly
every known forage plant was long
since ascertained, and q man would be
very foolish to spend his time in re-
peating experiments where no new
discoveries are likely to be made The
great want of the day is not new dis
coveries In science pertaining to agri
culture, 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 plant or grain, but those we al.
ready possess should become better
known among the tillers of tho soil,
and this can only be brought about by
more careful perusal of books aud
periodicals devoted to natural sciences.
Every farmer should know enough
of botany to enable him to distinguish
the commonly cultivated grasses and
other plants from those growing wild
In his uncultivated lands. When he
has learned this much, he will know
the noxious species from the useful,
and enough of their natural habits to
enable him to more readily destroy the
one and encourage the growth of the
other than if he remained in total ig-
norance OF botanical science. The same
is also true OF entomology, for it re-
quires no great amount of study TO
learn the difference between the com.
mon moths and butterflies, or to dis
tinguish the bugs from beetlcsi and
yet this little knowledge would fire.
qucntly 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 "smatterings" OF scicnce in the
branches named become valuable when
applied or employed in farming; hence
the importance Of their accumulation,
and tho earlier in life the better
~ y Weekly Sun.
BASS VS. SHAD,
Az th, laat caoato, &c tho I.oo,tulo