The Portland daily press., 1881-06-06
AGRICULTURAL
Self Education.

''Self education a necessity. for the far
mer'', was the subject of j. NJ Hubbard's
paper read at the winter meeting of the Con-
neticut State Board of Agriculture, and we
know of no one better fitted to treat the sub
ject Understandings than Mr. Hubbard.
With inherited ability, coupled with good
health, keen observation and close applI-
cation to the acquisition of practical knowl-
edge. he was eble to speak of what he knew,
and in style and manner that might well
be the envy of many an ]eXpensively educat-
ed college graduate If, as claimed by Pres
ident Buckham of the Vermont University
and State Agricultural College, that an ora.
tor is one, who, knowing something that
another wishes to know, can communicate
thatknowledge clearly, then the writer of
self Education" may justly lay claim to
the title of orator. First he took the ground
that education is a matter Of degree. Life
is too short for any one person to acquire all
knowledge, so there can be no prescribed
standard for all to aspire to, except that ev-
cry nc should aim to acquire all the educa-
ton he can use. The question what to
leave out, therefore, is an important one 4
little knowledge of great many things in
clines to make one superficial. 1t is well to
aim to know all that can be known thor
oughly, and to do all that can be done well.
The farmer who is well educated as
AL llNl blUoo DS lhdolCL VI lut USUAL O)-
erations of the farm. He must know how to
buy advantageously, and to use economically
as well as how to raise crops proiitably and 10
sell them well in the market. He should al
so have some knowledge of the constituents
of soils, the composition and character of
plants; should understand something of life
and vital force, and enough of town, State
and national affairs to be able to perform
such services as may fall to him. How shall
Il, III, fitN,,h he Al.
common school, that can only lay the foun-
daiion not in the college, for the college leads
rather from than towards the farm; but the
farmer who would acquire that Knowledge
which be most needs must gain his educa-
ton while engaged in his work, as Elihu
Burritt did his. He should read the litera-
ture of his profession DIS found in papers and
books, and he should learn to read by the
page or column and skip whatever he does
not need. He must also learn by observa-
ton. first learning how to observe Then
he viii investigate and study nature, ask her
how such and such thin3s are done, apply
ing the answers to practical use in the man
agement of his own soil. He should learn
TO think clearly, and sto discern the
adaptation of things AID then to use them.
In following course of investigation and
re. soning, his rule should be, hew the line
wherever the chips may fly. And when he
mas Thought out a SUBJECT ne should try to
express his thoughts either in speech, writ
lag. or by action. In speaking, learn to
speak carefully, and with exactness. VITA
mauy, writing is more difficult than talking.
but remembering that things that are easy
to acquire are no always the most useful
things to have, the thinking farmer should
learn to write out bis thoughts, that they
may reach out through the press into a larg-
er field of thought. Writing and publishing
is profession of faith, but to confirm ones
faith he must put his thoughts into action
1t will require experiment. and investigation
Do not lay away too many jobs to be done
ON rainy days. The farmer should not need
TO work 313 days in the year, but should
take time for reading, writing and study. He
should have recreation too, though much
recreation can be taken while the hands are
not absolutely idle. Much work may be
done automatically, while he is busy in
other fields. In short, the farmer should be
student through his whole life. For his
own part, he never enjoyed being compli-
mented as the bone and muscle of the ma
tion.-N. f. Farmer.