Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-09-06
The Relation of Natural History 10 Agrl
cuIturp
(Concluded frOm IA paqe. }

OeaTS some OF ner lrutls so freely eNpOSeu
that he who runs may read and only the
veriest blunderer can mistake their mean
ing, but many, and these arc most impor-
tant. are not so easily discovered, they
must be sought diligently, and they often
are obscured by very misleading appear
ances. II seems sometimes as If nature
were playing at hide and seek with the
student, and if he be superficial and con-
tent with partial investigation he will be
deceived. Every student of nature must
have noticed how unlike the real charac-
ter of an animal sometimes is TO that
which seems to be indicated by some of
its actions, so that the seeming enemy is
found after all to be friend, or the SEEM
ing of f9end foe. Especially is ono
liable to fall into error If he observes an
animal, be it insect, bird, or other animal,
during but a part of the season, for it is
not at all uncommon for habits to change
with age or season. Only as one knows
the whole history of an animal is he com
petent 10 decide as to its character, and
he must know this in more than one place,
for the vote for or against an animal may
be materially affected by the returns from
other towns. Many local influences affect
largely the habits of animals-a great
abundance or scarcity of food, difference
of temperature, and many unexplained
and TO US unknown causes operate in this
manner. Where small fruits are abun-
dant and other food scarce, birds will com
init greater depredations than where all
food is abundant, though there may be as
much fruit in one place as in the other.
Another reason why farmers should get
together and discuss, among other topics
germane to their work, natural history is
the encouragement which such discussions
would certainly give to any who might be
weary or faint-hearted in the work.
The study of natural history is full Of
surprises. Intricate and wonderful struc-
lures, singularly beautiful adaptation of
part 10 part. and many other interesting
facts are continually appearing where
least expected, and many animals little
thought of, or thought of only with aver
sion, are found to be deserving of very
different regard. This may be illustrated
by the toad. This animal, which is not
often liked by those ignorant Of its habits,
| is found to be most valiant destroyer OF
insects, and If one will observe its habits,
he will find them extremely interesting.
So, too, we are just beginning to find ont
what angle.worms have been doing for
agriculture for centuries in the way Of
pulverizing the soil, grinding up vegetable
matter, and in other ways making the soil
more productive. Whether we shall find
! that we can accord to earth worms all
that Mr.. Darwin claims for them, remains
to be seen, but that future observations
will confirm US in our opinion of theil
value cannot be doubted. Certainly earth.
worms are common enough, but how
many of those who have for years seer
them have ever suspected the real nature
of their work. New facts are thus cor
tinually coming to light respecting com
mon animals. Only few months ago
was told of fact new to me and
presume to most, respecting the raccoon
The common white grub had been devour
ing the grass roots in some of the mead
ows in one of our towns, and one morning
the owner going over the field found tn,
earth rooted up in many places, and al
about were tracks as if company 0
babies had been dancing there. The rae
coons had come in the night and fallel
upon the grubs, roofing them out of tn
sod and devouring them. All such fact
we need to know, for very few animal
have so clear a record that we can at one,
decide how they stand. Most are some
times depredators and sometimes hcnefac
tors, and we must determine tho relation
} between the good and evil before We cal
strike balance.
Turning from zoology to botany, W
find another vast and important iiel
, opening before us. We have on the on
: hand the great group of weeds, some {
which prove no slight pests, and on til
other the structure, mode Of growth an,
development Of cultivated plants.
1t seems evident enough that those win
are engaged more than other men in th
: cultivation of plants, should more tina
} others understand how plants grow, who
conditions are favorable and what unE,
vorable to their growth and reproduction
how the different parts of the plant 'deve
t op and grow, how the whole plant
. constructed. Will not the farmer VIII
l knows something of all this be bette
: farmerP Will he not raise moro corn, o
l wheat, or potatoes on every acre plante
if he knows not only how to SOW an
f reap, to cultivate and fertilize the crol
: but also something of the wonderful pre-
} cesses of growth and development whic
, have produced each stalk and blade? Wi
, his crop be of less value to him, will ii
Q cultivation be less pleasant if, as he re
| ioices in its aourishing and the abundar
} promise OF harvest it may give, he remem
8 bers how those golden graius are ben
3 produced by the action Of mighty force
, silent indeed but unspeakably powerful
t Will he not harvest his larger crop wit
/. greater delight and be larger and bette
8 man for the knowledge. Other thing
being equal, is not an intelligent farmer
r better farmer, and the better the NOR
: intelligent? Yet some people have strang
, notions about this.
= A knowledge of the growth and mode
|. of scattering seeds. ETC.. of weeds will
], serviceable in helping the farmer to d
e stroy pests. There is department
/ botany little cultivated hitherto in th
# country, which is now coming 10 ho
! increasing importance science of 70
4 estry. So long as this country had MOI
: trees than 1t could use, no one but fe
botanists cared TO study the growth (
J, trees and the best methods of cuItivatin
d them, but now that a scarcity of timber
d threatening US in the not distant tutur
u more attention is very naturally paid
b forestry. Already has tree planting upc
g somewhat extensive scale begun, AZ
r it is sure to increase, and with the STUD
), of botany must also increase | migt
/, also speak of geology for, rs that scienc
e treats of the origin and formation OF so
a the disintegration of rock masses al
|, other similar subjects it has a prac'ic
use for the farmer, and the same is trr
s of chemists, but can only allnde 10 the
is and to meteorology, which also involv
d more or less of the science of physics.
Is Every art of science is, and of nccessit
n at the beginning largely emperical
J gropes its stumbling way along its u
s known course, often wandering far fro
Il the right path. often forced to turn baC
its steps, often in perpleXity and douh
20 often in error it yet on the whole max
e progress in the right direction. This
81 as true of agriculture as of other science
- AZ anyone may see who will compare
~ condition at present with that one or tw
d centuries ago and trace it's course throug
e the years that intervene. AS an N
=, agriculture Is Oldest of all unless, poss
d bly,, hunting and war preceded it, b