Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-10-29
The Representatives Of Two Classes.

The Representatives OF Two Glasses.
Among those farmers who are accus-
toned to write for the agricultural Journals
and those who speak at our fairs aud farm
ers' meetings we find two quite distinct
classes, who are TO 4 considerable degree
representatives of the great body OF our
farmers all over the country. There are
few who are bent on science, who talk
learncdly about all the ologes that
pertain in any way to the operations of
the farm, who handle scientific terms in
the most dignilied manner, and who seem
to think the common, practical matters OF
hard handed farm labor-the labor which
turns out bread for hungry children-is Of
little consequence unless brain and science
and education are put into it. There are
some farmers who talk in this Wayne
mean farmers who employ poor methods
and who reach low results; and there are
also writers and speakers for our papers
and conventions who say learned things
in praise of science, and but little in
praise of steady, intelligent, courageous
work the work which clears the forest
sublucs the prairie, and grows meat and
grain
These are journals which are we'll
meaning and honest, but which in almost
every article, upon almost every page, fire
so high over the heads of our good hard.
working intelligent farmers, that their
charges burst into the air in glitter Oh
petty theories, doing no harm only to daz
z!e the brain Of cur real farmers, who
stare and say: " How much some folks do
know" bat they never hit the mark OF
common farming, they never bring pull
of mel p over II hard place, they never tell
how the working farmer may grow a
larger crop at less cost. or put him on the
road to Improvements he may make of
himself and for himself.
These are, we say, among writers and
speakers, representatives of Il quite small
class Of American farmers. Having some
knowledge OF science, they Try to bring
every operation of the farm up to their
standard. They take the results of scientific
experiments obtained in foreign countries,
apply them TO our different conditions,
and, not taking into consideration all the
variations and modifying circumstances,
think certain results must follow their
adoption. Nothing is of value that has
not Il scientific basis to it,; good practice
is, perhaps, well enough, but it is not in
accordance with certain scientific theories;
there is doubtful shake Of the head, even
though good practice brings thirty bushels
OF wheat to the acre.
Now, on the other hand, we have Il large
body of men who are representatives of
I'm of in,a oil
over our country. east us we'll ~ west.
We find some who are writer's. journalists,
speakers; but more are farmers them
selves, who know their soils rs well Us the
chemist; their farm animals and bow TO
breed tie best and most desirable speci-
mems better than the psychologist, and the
nature of farm fertilizers and their uses
better than the manufacturer of patented
manurcs. These are practical men.
Though not skilled in books they know
enough to understand that farming in
America is a sort of primitive or pioneer
system; that it is Il system which raises
bread and produces meat; that we have
yet no scientific experiments from which
our farmers can get much help, because
these experiments have nowhere been
undertaken and carried on for sufficient
length of time to yield results that can be
/ depended upon, or adopted upon the aver
: age farm with positive success; and that
d after the primitive system, long way
c must come the systems which, in coun
t tries hundreds of years older than our own
e are but just now beginning TO be practc
I ed. They understand, too, that all ovel
e our great country thousands of farmer,
n are poor; they have not the means to dc
:, rs they would, so must do as they can
: If not able to have thoroughbredS, they
/ must put up with grades; if not able tt
:. have The best, they must be content will
: that not SO good; if they cannot farm by
| science, they must yet try and get IL living
! by hard work. They understand, too
&c that none Of our methods or systems Of
n organizations are perfect and complete
II and capable of doing Just what the scien
st tilic lecturer would have them o-bu
is that this is no reason for discouragemen
D." or II refusal TO get all the good possible
1t out of existing systems. They recognize
ii that it will only be in the coming age
E. tliat perfection will be attained; and So
! i, t cir duty to work on, accomplishing n
. much rs possible in the best directions an,
towards the highest ends with the mean
is at hand. They do not forget that, not
Is outstanding all our scientists have laugh
IL us, they, us well us themselves, have 90
IS much to learn, and they intend to learn
IS patiently.
o. Between these two classes there shoul
ie be no conflict. The intelligent fnrmer
II while he may not accept all the theorie
re of advanced teachers of agricultural sci
re ence, SO called, should be, and we believ
" is, ever ready to accept the aid of scienc
y when that aid is not disappointing. Blu
ID science applied to agriculture. in our coun
I'd Try, has held out SO many false lights il
lc the past, and put forth SO many theorie
id that have not stood the test of actual prac
I'd ticc, we do not wonder the intelligent
ct level. headed farmer, who has tested wha
Sc understanding and barnyard manure ant
vs. hard work will do, puts little faith in il
Of Still, II disposition which is charitable an
generous towards scientific teaching i
at manifest wherever farmers are found VIII
h read and think; and when the pionec
is system OF our American farmers has ha
e. its day, the intelligence of science tina
1T has been tested for II hundred years vii
1t come in to make of old farms and oil
ut methods new life and new activity, il
of which will be seen better system thai
I'd we have now, and one which shall com
he bine the highest practice with the result
b. of the truest Characterization CUIlira
j. tor