Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1878-03-15
AN ESSAY on BOOKFARMiNG.

The following was read by
Daniel Dennett, lecturer OF New
Orleans Grange, No. 90, P. of
H., at the regular monthly
meeting of the grange at Grune
waldss Hall, in New Orleans:
Book-farmrng, as viewed by
poor and ignorant farmers, is
merly theoretical farming. of
no practical value. In reality,
book Turning is the very pillar
and corner stone OF agricultural
progress. The finest farms, the
finest breeds Of cattle, the finest
yield per acre, the most eco
nolnical farming, the best prac-
teal knowledge OF fertilizers
these are found where there
are the most books and news
papers devoted TO farming, and
the most learning and science
brought TO the support OF az
riculture.
A million genuine book-far-
mers. who can think, and reas-
on, and write, as well as follow
the pillow, or work the hoe. or
direct the affairs of a sugar, cot
ton or rice plantation. settled
in Louisiana, in addition to Its
present population, would in
crease the agricultural produe-
tions OF this State so that the
value of our staple crops would
be reckoned in hundreds Of mil
lions of dollars, unsteady OF tens
of millions.
Book-farming, or science APP
piled TO farming, leads to the
establishment OF experimental
harms and stations, to industrial
schools tor the peasantry. TO ag-
ricultural colleges and univer-
sites. 1t leads TO the analyz7
ing of soils and fertilizers, to
deep blowing, sto a thorough
draining and understanding. 1t
shows the value of fertilizers
that ignorance throws away as
worthless; it shows how crops
grow and why certain fertilizers
are best adopted to certain crops
and soils, how to increase the
fertility and value ofpoor lands,
how to make two blades of grass
grow where one grew before.
1t often increases the value of
poor lands until they have
market value of from one to
two hundred dollars per acre,
while ignorant tar:ning iInpov-
erishes rich lands until they
have little or no market value
and are sold tor taxes, or to pay
store accounts.
The German agricultural I'M
iversities and colleges, and ag-
ricultural schools for the peas
aatry, agricultural experimental
stations, and books, aud jour
nails devoted TO the agricultural
interests OF Germany, have adj
ded Immensely to the real value
and market value of German
soil. There is hardly farm
laborer or a gardener in all
Germany that does not under
stand the value aud importance
of fertilizers. Intelligent agri-
culture produces more wheat to
the acre from the old fields of
France, and from fields in Eng
land that have been in cul.iva-
tion thousand years, than can
be obtained from fresh lands in
any part of the United States.
We are sometimes told that.
certain book-farmers do not
succeed. This is true. But how
many ignorant farmers who can
not read or write succeedl Take
the educated farmers of the
United States, men who think,
and observe, read agricultural
books and journals, are willing
to profit by others experience,
and make note OF their success.
Notice the appearance of their
farms, their houses, cattle, crops,
and the weight of their purses.
Then make note of The igno-
rant farmers who sneer at book
farming, and laugh at the best
maxims of the best farmers
who do as their grandtathers
did, and are wiser in their own
conceit than those who can give
q reason. Look at their miser-
able fields, their ill-shaped build
ings, their poor horses and star
we'd cattle, and brush fences,
and slovenly tillage; then de-
eide upon the comparative
merits of book farming and il
norant farming.
Book and intelligent farming
are pillows and corner stones of
an advanced civilization. Ig-
norant farming iplpoverishes
and degrades a nation.
Intelligence in any business
is the road to success. A mer-
chant, a lawyer, an engineer,
manufacturer, a steamboat cap
tain, or .fmlot, must under
stand his business to succeed.
Intelligence may not always
lead to wealth, but it always has I
the advantage over ignorance
in any calling;;. and farming is
not an exception in this case.
a shrewd farmer, without ed
ucstion, may liave.thc advantage
of a book farmer who lacks
shrewdness and practical exper-
fence.