, 1881-07-06

" W rs tS-' 1890
new, plant as a vagary of. a ok-farmer,
and treating it as something to be despised
and rejected because the knowledge of it
came TO them in a book. But the fact
should not be lost sight of, because it
goes to show that some things may be
learned from books that never could be
learned in the field. p 4J 5di
But it may be said, why lay SO much
stress. upon this matter, now that we are
learning better about it To which might
be replied, it is very well so far, that farmers
are discovering that some knowledge can be
gained from books, and are frequently
ready to SIT on the fence Of a book-farmer /;
and watch his new methods and criticise
them, and when be sees their value aud
advantages to adopt them /: to borrow the
services OF his breeding animals, and the use
OF his improved Implement all this is
we'll so far as it goes, but it does not 60
far enough, Tor we would have every
farmer to be a book farmer himself, that is
to be- a reading farmer, a studious and
thoughtful man, and one that finds a
delight in knowing oil the ms and outs
and the secrets OF his business, H.
And this leads us to notice what a
farmer may gain from q habit of reading
AMI study Of books on agriculture, and
agricultural papers and journals, and what
he loses BY neglecting them or treating
them with contempt. Farm Jag is an art,
as much of a mechanical and technical
nature as working in metals, cotton man.
ufacturing, dyeing, painting, or house
building. and all these arts are described
and discussed and taught in books,
Perhaps there is no other art which de-
ponds so much for its proper practice
upon q. thorough knowledge. of its princi,
pies than agriculture. 1t is an art and
a science, because its fundamental prin-
ciples are based upon facts that could never
have been learned or understood by the
mere practical handiwork of the field or
the stable, and are only to lie discovered by
the help Of the s~trictest scientific methods
Of investigation. The termination of
seeds, til growth of plants, the fertilizing
and exhaustion of the soil, the action Of
manureS and fertilizers, the nutrition OF
animals. the sanitary regulations upon
which their feeding and health depend-all
these are questions of chemistry and
physiology and not of practical work.
Indeed the practical business Of farming
may be easily learned by any active and
intelligent youth who will give his mind
to it in the course OF any season. Two or
three days of careful practice will enable
any man to become a fair plOwman and
to learn all that can be taught him of the
mechanical part of his work, and so with
narrowing, sowing, reaping, moving, and
%cultiyatipg crops. Sleight of hand only
and a facility for initiating the actions of
others are required TO make a farmer Of
this kind. There are few American far
mers who can compete i'll blowing straight
and even burrows wlthsan English pow
man who never read a line or word in his
life, and whose knowledge is confined SOLE
~ to this mechanical operation of holding
q pillow and making his burrows straight
and even in depth. But while good plow-
ing.is important as q part of the art, it is
mulch, more important to know why the
blowing should be good and the burrows
even and straight and we'll turned. Prin-
ciples first and practice afterward. For
practice grows out of the knowledge of
principles. An art, the mere sleight of
hand of it, may be forgotten and lost, but
SO long as the principles upon which it is
based are remembered and understood the
practice can be regained without any
trouble. A man who understands these
can be his own teacher. He need serve no
apprenticeship to a master and go through
a dull routine of mere h%andiwork. And SO
when a young man goes to learn a trade
or an art at a technical school. he is taught
the principles, the science, of his business,
as well as the practice, and he merely