The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-01-28
Thinking on the Farm.

A writer in the Farmers ReUietp
sharply, yet justly, criticises farmers for
their lack of intelligent thinking. We
so thoroughly believe that there should
be great deal of thinking on the farm
that we present his idea to our readers:
at is somewhat surprising that men
who are seemingly methodical about
matters of another kind have so little
method in their system of farming.
They seem to give it but little thought.
They plant corn in this field, and sow
wheat in that one, simply because it is
most convenient to do so, not because
these fields have any special adaptation
for the crops they attempt to raise from
them. If they were to engage in mer-
camille business they would quite natu-
rally look at each transaction from diff
ferent standpoints. They would con-
slider well before making purchases.
They would aim to purchase of reliable
parties and where they could buy to the
best advantage. They would consider
well, before buying, the needs and de-
mands of their customers. They would
endeavor to buy only in such quantities
as would meet the requirements of the
case. They would exercise prudence
and caution, and nothing would be done
thoughtlessly. With most farmers it
seems to be very different thing in
their way of conducting affairs. They
are farmers who work without trying to
bring the same faculties to their assist
ance which they would call into use if
they were to embark in any other enter
prise. They seem to work instinctively
rather than intelligently.
~ have too much regard for the
farmer to be willing to see him go on in
this mechanical way. He ought not to
consider that others who have gone be-
fore him have thought out all the prob
lens of the business, There is thinking
for each one to do. They are not in a
groove, though, from the manner in
which most farming is carried on, the
most farmers seem TO take it for granted
that they are. Such men as Johnson
and Furnas, and scores of others, who
have thought oUer their work, who have
broken loose from the cut and dried sys-
tenn, and have worked intelligently and
| brought the wisdom of common sense
and good judgment to their assistance,
ought to prove to those not accustomed
to think much about their farm work
that it pays to do so.
81 would not be severe in my stric.
lures on the farming class, but good
deal of close observation has convinced
me that no other men are so little given
to using brains in their business. They
/ let others think for them, and when
others have thought for them they are
too slow about using the thought to
any practical purpose. The scientific
aspect of farming seems to have but
little attraction for them. If they could
be made to realize that in an intelligent
knowledge of the science of the soil
and of the productions it gives them
lies vast amount of benefit they would
not skip the scientific corner of the
agricultural paper, as so many do. To
grow crops intelligently and proftably
requires knowledge of the soil and
what it is capable of producing, and OF
the nature and needs of different plants.
Until we understand this we are in a
great measure working on a kind OF
"hearsay'' system. We don't want to
plant corn on sward ground simply be-
cause our fathers did, but we want to
understand why it is advisable to do so.
We don't want to do anything about the
farm because it is customary to do so,
but because intelligent thinking has
convinced us that it is the proper thing
to do after considering the qualifications
of the soil and the requirements of the
crop we plant. We want to know what
our farms lack and how to supply that
lack. We want to look at the matter
from all sides, as the 'merchant does, anG
not go it blind