The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-10-05
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An ancient philosopher remarked thai
I" he who expected 81 succeed nsa far-
mer should unite activity to Avaoction; to
experience and to I'll necessary know.
ledge" and there is much Of tralh in this
statement. Tho experience Of the past
and tile present so to prove that in none
OF the occupations Of life, is q more varied
and extensive knowledge required than
IN that Of agriculture TO be II Thorough
farmer and to be able to MANAGE tRo
business OF farming III the best manner.
nn acquaintance with most OF the natural
and chemical sciences il not only desira-
BILE, but Indispensable. We are aware
that there are many successful farmers
who do not possess this scientific know
ledge, farmers who have learned the art
Of filling the soil from experience and
from what has been Taught them by their
fathers, but this knowledge is not scien-
tific and exact, and in their daily and
yearly routine OF business, questions are
continually presenting themselves which
they cannot solve Some farmers are SO
vain as to think they have learned all
there is to be known OF their business,
and sneer at scientific or as they call it in
derision, shook farming" but it is afact,
nevertheless, that no man can achive
complete success in agriculture unless he
possesses a knowledge Of the science as
well as the art.
The farmer lives in n grand laboratory,
and should be able to influence or con-
troll many of the operations that are con-
stantly going ON around him; and to ac-
complish this he must have knowledge
Of the processes required. Insects, plants
and animals nre continually around and
before him, and the habits of one, the
structure and qualities Of another, and
the physiology Of the third, should be
understood by him, in order on the one
hand to avoid damage, and ON the other
to secure profit. He must have not only
an inclination to the profession, but he
must be strongly attached to it, and if
he has been brought up to the observa-
ton and practice of farming, he will be
quite, sure to succeed, provided the basis
of necessary knowledge has been laid
broad and deep; without the latter he
may get living aad lay by something,
but the highest results cannot be
reached.
Farming, for long period, was re-
garded rs on occupation fit only for
those who could do nothing else, and the
odium which. during the feudel ages,
rested upon tn English serf, and which
still attaches to the Ignorant boor of Rus
STA, is not entirely gone out OF the minds
of many when they think of the cultiva-
ton of the soil. But times have greatly
changed and farming as well us farmers
have changed with them The most
honorable, the most useful and the most
independent of men, is the well-infCTmed
farmer who cultiyates his own soil, and
enjoys the blessings that health, COM
petence and Intelligence are sure to be-
stow. 1t is to this higher plane Of farm
life that We would invite intelligent
young farmers; dc not be content to fol-
low in the ruts Of your ancestors who
were noble men and true, but whose OPP
portuGities for obtaining q knowledge of
their profession were confined to the
traditions of their fathers, largely con
fused mass OF superstition AID error, and
their own limited experience The al
manic was their Ddd1 u, 3citn4. and the
place of the moon ii the zodiac must be
ascertained to be favorable before any
farm labor OF Importance could be under
taken. But we have advanced beyond
that and the ''signs" are for the most
part disregarded by the farmer in the
performance OF his work; other import
ant advances have been made, but we
are still far from that degree Of pertec-
ton In our business which it should be
the ambition of every Intelligent far
mer to obtain.