The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-09-27

ire exalted to the pinnacle Of producing ,
power. You are confounded with techni- 4
,al learning and terms, and with scientific s
names Of things There are the nitrates l
md sulphates aud phosphates. The ele- Z
nents Of wheat are explained, and you are {
Told what is required in the ground to !
grow and nurture it, You buy some one j
Of these, more infinitely as a relief from .
aud perplexity than that you ]
can give single reason why you bought
the particular one. You may think and
believe, but you do not know
There is no trouble in getting the right
kind Of fertilizer, did we but know the
right kind. We have the soil Now If
the farmer knew the special properties Of
all fertilizing agencies, and then knew the
special needs Of his soil, then he would
be getting upon underground. The very
thing that he ought first to know is never
in thought, the constituent elements Of the
soil be is TO cultivate. And without this
knowledge he caunot farm intellgibly or
as be ought to farm. For the want Of this
primary knowledge there is the most reck-
less waste Of money, of time and Of labor.
He has the remedies for the special weak
ness in his soil, but has no knowledge Of the |
weakness. Like the physician with know
ledge Of remedies, but with none of the
disease Of his patient, he crowds them all
into pile under the hope that some one
Of them may strike the disease. So with |
the farmer, without knowledge alike Of the |
remedies and Of the needs Of his soil. He
may crowd upon it lime, and plaster, and
potash, and barn-yard manure and the
guanos, and he will likely strike the need;
but If he knew the precise deficiency in
his soil he could apply the special remedy
and save all the others.
Should not the farmer, to be a good one,
know all this? Is it not essential to good
aud economical husbandry that he should
know it? There are often different kinds
Of soil on the same farm, requiring differ
ent treatment, did we but know it, and
yet all receive the like treatment. There
can be no economy in this, even If results
were the same, for the reason that he might
have saved in some Of the applications.
And economy in farming now in our sec
ton is eyerything-for we are in competi-
ton with cheap and virgin lands, and our
only chance is in increased production at
the lowest possible cost. Perhaps for us
life is too short and old habits too confirm
ed to learn the science of farming. We
must continue, it may be, to SOW in faith
and reap as il comes. But take care that
the generation soon to take our place shall
not grope its way in the mist and dark
ness as we have done. Let the sunlight
Of knowledge pour its beams in upon il
and dispel the darkness that weighs upon
! the energy and thrift Of the farmer.
, In view Of the vast sums Of money spent
upon fertilizing agencies, should We moi
; come to realize the necessity of certain
: knowledge upon the subject? Toward Sc
9 curing thiswe should have competent chem
T lists among us to analyze our soil aud Civ
: to us its properties aud its capacities. You
J societies, or sufficient number Of gentle
: men outside Of them, should organize il
P the counties to obtain chemists. Fifty OIL
!, one hundred gentlemen could easily pay
b their several quotas, not SO great in amour
when compared to the benefit likely to &C
t crue, aud yet, when aggregated, woul
J. make an Inviting compensation. You OF
II ten spend $50, $50 or 500 upon object
+ not so worthy--mere matters Of taste an
0 pleasure than Of substantial value. Som
+ may say it is the duty of the State to d
I this; that it is more Of general than I
0 specific benefit. l say not. The State
z not constituted to raise wheat. 1t has il
!, assigned duties, and that is not one 0
4 them. The preservation Of public order
c the security Of person and property, 50 tina
D the citizen may labor in peace and rea
T the fruits Of it. When the State does thi
: it does that which gives to each of us tn
!. opportunity of attending to our privat
0 concerns and Of promoting our private 10
' terestS; and is not good, efficient intelli
gent farming, with all the instrumental
: ties within our reach, among them 7
9 want no paternal government to interven,
+ in our industries and everyday walks
: Government is not parent TO surpervis
= our conduct, but an agent to execute th
r public will expressed through the form D
law. GGreat Applause.
a The primary fact is, there must be ed
u ucation, and in the right direction. Their
Il must be systematic education to ct GU
: children for the great work Of agriculture
r 1t is the great factor in all industrial forces
4 and as such should be under the direction
! Of intelligent an intellectual labor.
+ As some may say in their running
a thoughts as speak, you educate the yout
e in all the high branches Of learning, ant
e instead of hardy, industrious farmers 20
r will have them idle or lazy, or off int
t one Of the learned professions. Do 70
y think, they may contend, that boy tina
: is learned in the sciences, reads history
y poetry, INDUCES in music and painting
could ever be brought down to the ploc
c ding work of farm THAT is what
g mean to say. The time will come whe
c you will have as much learning on til
], farm aud at tho pillow as elsewhere. TIL
IS whole sentiment upon which the highs
Il branches Of education arc acquired 70
= your children must be reconstruct,
y Parents must change the system. Instea
= Of sending their boys to be taught to q
e rid Of the farm and to be lawyer, a dot
/ tor, minister, or gentleman Of leisure
Q or an otfice-hunter, they must be taught |
4 stick to the farm, 10 make the old HON.
s stead or new one more charming, MOI
Q fertile and more profitable by cultivate
n knowledge and by intelligent labor.
] The thorough diffusion OF education wi
do this, when it becomes so that the hun
Q blest shall have their full share, and i
e common to all that il cannot be the adyar
Z tage Of the few. Often aspiring youn
Z men think that, as lawyers and learnc
men occupy mainly the high positions Q
: trust and honor, that they must also be Q
} such, and therefore rush into the over
: crowded rnnks, with the consequences
: sometimes, Of finding themselves livinI
/, upon their wits and finally ending 10 shor
hand-to-hand encounters with the Law
Intelligent aud educated men with III
usual accompaniment win always com
is1nd pivotal position. The ignoran
and unlearned confde ia them. Their
} may be vulgar prejudicss against thom