The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-11-02
How to Learn Farming.

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It is impossible to learn farming in a
few easy lessons. Years of practical
experience are required, and though
such teacher may be the dearest. vet
it j. unquestionably the best. There are
at all times in this country many in
diyiduals who fancy that they would
like farming. and are anxious to learn
it's best methods. unfortunately, few
OF these are young men, and fewer still
are willing to commence at the begin
ming and plod upward. as one must in
so prosaic a business as farming. Most
of these persons have high notions OF
the Improvements they can make in the
common farm methods. All these facts
tell against the probability of success.
1t was, we believe, one of the best of
Dickens characters, good, honest Joe
Gargery, who advised Pip that the way
to become an Uncommon scholar was
first to make ones self a good common
scholar. There is sound philosophy in
this advice, and it is especially appli-
cable to farming Not to underrate the
good work done by amateurs and fancy
farmers, it is still certain that most Of
the great improvements in farming
methods have been introduced by those
born and brel on the farm and depend
C44b Ou II 1OI b4ibI lNGItuOOQ anu SUI
cess. John Johnston, who introduced
tile-draining in this country, is, per-
haps, the best example of this type of
farmers. If he had been man of
wealth taking up understanding as a
favorite hobby upon which to spend his
surplus money, he would have had few
followers. Being q poor man, heavily
in debt for his farm, and paying for it
by the judicious and liberal use of
money in tiles and sheep, his example
proved contagious. The great majority
of enterprsing American farmers were
in his condition. hence, that which was
good for him was presumably good Tor
them also.
Probably the best method of becom-
ing a good farmer. for one who has had
no practical experience, is to serve an
apprenticeship, working with and
for the best farmer in the vicinity,
and studying his methods. Of course
few or no wealthy men viii do this,
though so distinguished a parsonage as
Peter the Great, of Russias worked for
years as an apprentice at ship-building,
until he had thoroughly mastered the
art. But successful farmiBg is much
more complex than any trade, and de-
mands more constant thought than
most branches of professional life, to-
gether with executive ability equal to
the management of any business. Is it
to be wondered at that success rarely
crowns the efforts of those who begin
farming after middle age and with little
knowledge of its details.
1t must be remembered that farming
is now, in most localities, a much more
complicated art than it was thirty to
fifty years ago. knowledge gained
har nil - -Tr1c 500
tions the substitution of mixed husband
~ in place of one or two staples has
driven from their farms the original oc
cupants. who could not, or would not,
learn the new methods. It is no longer
possible anywhere to farm in the old
ruts, as was done by nearly everybody
when the country was new and the sue
cessiYe crops of wheat, cotton or tobacco
were the sole rotation until the soil be-
came too poor to produce q crop.
| There are few localities now where
some effort is not required to restore, or
at least to maintain, fertility. Such
efforts require thought and investiga-
ton.
1t is, of course, quite unprofessional
for an agricultural writer to depreciate
the value of what is called 'book-farm-
| ing But such teaching certainly needs
to be taken with due consideration and
caution. 1T requires a good practical
and thoughtful farmer to get the most
| benefit from agricultural books and
newspapers. There is not q periodical
in the country that will not be worth
many times its cost, by its practical
hints and suggestions. to the thoughtful
mind On the other hand there is none,
however carefully edited, that will not
result in heavy losses if its advice is
implicitly followed without due regard
to varying conditions. There is, in
fact, no method adapted to all times,
all localities and all circumstances. The
main office of the agricultural paper is
to incite thought, to prompt action and
to stimulate investigation.
1t may be added, however, that there
is no young, able-bOdied man, of fair
natural shrewdness, who may not hope
to become a successful land holder and
! farmer in almost any section of this
country, if he sets himself to work with
| that end in view. 1t is not necessary to
90 We I. as Horace Greeley advised,
| though undoubtedly that section has its
advantages, yet, dear as land is in some
of the Eastern States, there is no place
where iudicious management with GER
tain crops viii not pay for an acre in a
single year with the crop grown there
| from. This is emphatically true of
market gardeners in and around large
/ cities 1t S not for tyros, but for men
| who thoroughly understand their bust
| ness. that such successes come. Many
| of these successful cultivatOrs of the soil
/ began in poverty and worked their way
to financial prosperity. While it is true
that rose-colored views of the farmer 8
/ life may lead to sad failures, yet OppO-
! site views which exhibit success to farm
| ing as attaiuable only by those already
| in possession of accumulated wealth are
scarcely less deplorable. --BOston Catlti-
Gator.