The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1880-08-19
Agricultural.
THOUGHTS FOR THE MONTH.
rpnblished by Request. |


The summer crops being layed
Nv a short respite from active heIt
work is given the farmer. lie car
now attend the neighborhood barbe
cnes the agricultural and social
meetings SO promotive of pleasure
and Improvement. And this h
ought to miss no opportunity of do
;ne-it will bring him immense goot
70 get for awhile out of his own littl'
world and see and mingle with th'
GREAT big world around him. Hi
head will get new ideas, and hi
heart will be quickened with warm
err and more generous impulses
Visiting clubs ought to be made uF
in every neighborhOod to visit esct
others farms, compare methods anc
processes, observe effects of ditferen
modes of culture, times Of planting
kinds of seed, and numberless Other
things which enter into the making
of crops. The best farmer to be
found does not know everything, and
such an one may sometimes get an
excellent suggestion from the prac'
tce of comparatively poor farmer
To q very large extent farming is a
matter of trial and experiment, and
a very dull man may accidentally
stumble upon an excellent thing -
knowledge tends to make men eau
tious, keeps them from venturlng
suddenly and far from received
practices-the unwise, not so re-
strained, strike ont boldly; otttimes
back ards it is true, but sometimes
forward.
For this, end many other reasons,
all the farmers in neighborhood
ought to be urged to join the neigh
boThood clubs No obstacles, such
as expensive dinners, harsh crltl>
cisms or ridicule even if clothed IN
the garb of jest-should be allowed
TO deter any one from joining. The
contrast between a we'll and badly
managed farm, will be sufficient re-
buke for the owner of the latter,
without wounding and driving him
away by unkind remarks. We are
sorry to say the spirit of ridicule is
too prevalent among our farmers
they are too much given to overrate
their own skill and management and
underrate that of their neig hbors
and the result is, they are repealed
from each other, instead of being as
band Of brothers. The vigorous
efforts of so we'll organized an assoN
citation as the Grange has not sue
ceeded in overcoming this strong re-
pusion, and our farmers cannot be
induced to pull together. If they
could, what power would be de-
veloped for advancing their own
calling directly, and indirectly by
purifying the political atmosphere
Above all men, farmers are inter-
ested in low taxes and an honest,
economical administration of govern
ment, because the profits of their
business, whilst sure, are not large
enough to bear heavy taxation. -
And yet, from lack of association
and harmony, and consequently OF
leadership, they have exerted almost
no influence in political matters
The shire wd crowd of oflice-holders
and ofIice>seekers have had things
their own way In Georgia, at
least, the politicians have insinuated
themselves into all the agricultural
organizations, and are using them
for selfish purposes.
But to return to our neighborhood
meetings After examining the farm
and discussing matters pertaining
thereto, let conference be had
touching the best man for the Legls"
lAture, county Offices, etc. Let no
reference be had to those put for>
ward by the papers or the village pol
iticians, nor to those who may want
said offices, but find out who the offs
fee wants--who is honest and capa-
ble--who will discharge the duties of
office with an eye to the public good,
not to self interest. This done by
all the clubs in a county, when a
county meeting is called, it would
be easy to compare notes and agree
upon suitable men, In any given
case he may be a farmer or he may
not be--do not be carried away by
a partisan cry even for yonr own
cslIing-get the best man. BY so
doing you will advance your own in
terest and everybody else's Also
Through the ding longing of news
papers and street corner talking,
men will become greatly excited
over political races--just as they do
over horse races and cock fights,
where it makes not the slightest diff
ference to them which side beats
The partisan feeling in US is very
easily aroused we take sides on al
most everything and get greatly ex-
cited on most trivial issues. But in
government like ours, the most
important point, the putting forward
of right candidates, except little or
no interest. The Office seekers and
their friends are allowed to manage
that, but as soon as the nominations