The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-16
The Science Of Farming. Some
Points Wdrth Considering,
and Sailing away in your
knowledgo-Box.


There.are two kinds of Farmers who
never succeed. One kind works alto
gether with his hands, and depends on
his daddys lessons, like a Parrot, who
can repeat what he hears, but knows no
more. The other kind, works altogether
by his head, and soon finds that scientific
farming doesn't pay, because the same
rules wont fit every farm alike He wastes
BY mistakes as much as the other kind Of
farmer wastes by drudging, and dragging
along. But there Is a Third kind of Far
mer, and HE-succeeds Because he uses
both his Head and his Hands; his brain
and his muscle his book learning" and
his common sense observations. The
same is true of all branches of Industry ;
the town Mechanic as well as the coun-
try Farmer. The Printer who sets type
soon learns to do it mechanically almost
like woman using her knitting needles ::
but the printer who aims to rise, and
master his business, and do his work
rapidly, and save labor, must use his
brains and eyes, as we'll as his hands.
North Carolina is second to none of her
Southern sister States in the number of
her successful farmers, and we could call a
lengthy roll of such men as the Capehearts
Thigpens, Stanton's, Battles, Kings,
Holts, Kerrs, SCOTS, Alexanders, Mills,
Harris ,Finleys. and their compeers, who
have combined Head work with Hand
work until they have made their farms
not only profitable to the pocket but
beautiful to the eye. And year after year
the number of these Book reading, Book
keeping, Pocket-Booking Husbandmen
will increase for our people are coming
| to see that Agriculture is Science, and
| as such is deserving Of the best thoughts
and Investigations of all who walk in that
pursuit Of life. Every school boy is
| taught the .science of AlgeL4aius, the
science of Geology, the science of Astron-
omy, the science of Botany, Physics,
chemistry, ct cetera, and Dead -Letter-a
But who teaches the Every day Science
upon which Southern wealth and progress
depends ? Who teaches him the science
of Soils, the nutritive values of different
crops, the fertilizing properties of certain
grasses, the aattening qualities of certain
| foods, etc In short, the science of max
| ing 2OO-acre farm support in comfort,
family Of ten children, (giving four
years schooling to each as he grows up),
and after paying the Doctor, the preach
er, and two or three newspapers'-put
away an yearly-nest- egg of 800 to 5000
1t can be done. and is done by tens OF
thousands of farmers in this land. But
to do it requires head work as well as
hand-work. And the first lesson in
head work" is to reflect MAYBE |
don't know it all! Maybe my daddy
didn't know it all, though he did well
enough for those times. Maybe my
neighbors don't know it all, for they are
just like me, in sticking to old fashioned
ways Of farming. Any way, | mean to
study, ask questions, send for information
on all points, and try to get some labor say.
ing machines, and blooded cattle, as soon as
| can. My cows, sheep, and hogs are as
good as my neighbors; but if there is a
better kind which is just as easy to keep,
aud twice as profitable for milk, meat,
and wool,-why then, must be losing
money to keep this common class"
POINTS WORTH STUDYING.
| There are some points in cattle keeping,
particularly in raising for market, that
ought to be kept in mind The purpose
Of fattening stock, OF course =
Is to obtain the largest quantity OF beef,
at the least cost. under three years of
age.
TO grow all the food required fer these
purposes.
The animals to weigh alive not less than
| 800 pounds each.
The net cost of production. giving