The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1880-11-13
SeIf-EducatiOn in Country Life
Desirable

The man or woman who has
learned to read can master almost
any branch of knowledge, if posses.
sing average natural abilities. Books.
are abundant and cheap which treat
on any branch Of art and science
the student may choose to pursue
And in addition to standard w orks
on all branches of useful and practi-
cal knowledge, there are pero ideals
specially devoted to dispensing in
formation on these branches of art
or science, which give all the de-
tails and experiments relating to ev
cry new discovery that takes place
in their particular field of labor.
While the ordinary newspaper in
the course of year contains large
amount of valuable information on
every subject, its pages are necessa-
rily filled with an immense quantity
of idle gossip to satisfy the curiosity
of its mass of readers which is of no
particular value While smatter-
ing of general information is gained
by habitual newspaper render,
thorough practical knowledge can
not be acquired by this class of
reading. It's composed of too many
broken and disjointed parts.
1t should be the aim of every
young man and woman who are
just entering life, to make special
study of one or more branches of
knowledge, and in making this
choice it should always be with ref
erence to the line of business they
propose to pursue as a living occu-
pation-that is the employment by
which they propose to earn their
daily bread. This point having been
determined definitely. systematic
course of reading should be laid
down, and all books and periodicals
treating that particular branch of
knowledge should be sought out and
carefully studied. Any young man or
woman who will pursue this course
for one year Systematically, devoting
the spare hours to reading and gath
ering all available information hav-
ing a bearing on the object of pur-
suit, while avoiding waste of time
in light, trifling and promiscuous
reading as much as possible, will be
agreeably surprised at the amount
of solid knowledge that will have
been gained in the idle hours OF
this short period. If you will en-
quire into the lives of any of our
great specialists who have become
famous in some branch of science.
as explorers, inventors, and discov-
erers of new truths, you will find
that they have pursued diligently
one or two branches of knowledge
exploring and tracing up every ave
nue. carefully until a thorough un.
Outstanding of the subject is OBJ
tanned. This complete learning is
then put into practice, and it almosr
invariably proves a source of valua
bic income for life, by which large
fortunes are frequently accumulated
There is no class of persons thai
possess SO rare an opportunity fol
this plan of study as the farmers
Farm work is such that it must bt
performed by the light of the sun
i When the shades of evening Close
around the farm, active labor cease
and a season of rest and idleness in
tervenes. ldleness is not health
| ful rest, but change of labor,
| change from the severe physical ex
ertion imposed by the active dutie
of the farm to mental activity, viii
the body is in complete rePose,
the most healthful rest that is posi-
lie to take. The mental and physi
cal powers are well balanced by sue
a system, and the most robust healt
and vigor are impaired to both min