Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1883-03-17
Fancy Farmers and Book Farm
ing.

misses the good done by fancy farmers"
as follows "They tested theories
while others raised crops for market;
they have given the glory to farming
which it would not have otherwise pos
sessed. Fancy farmers have changed
the wild hog into the Suffolk and Berk-
shire, the wild cattle Of Britain into
Shorthorns, the wild mountain sheep,
with its long body and hair fleece
INTO the Southdown and Merino.
They brought up the milk of cows
from pints to gallons. They have
heightened the sirloin of the bullock,
enlarged the ham Of the hog, given
strength to the shoulder of the OK, rem.
dered finer the wool Of thesheep, added
ffeetness to the horse, and made beauti-
full every animal kept for the use of
man. They have improved and has
tened the development of all domestic
animals until they scarcely resemble
the ones from which they sprang. Fancy
farmers introduced irrigation and I'M.
derdraining; also grinding and cooking
feed for stock. They have brought
guano from Peru and nitrate of soda
from Chill. They have introduced and
domesticated all the plants we have of
foreign origin. They brought out the
theory of the rotation of crops as a
natural means of keeping up and in.
creasing the fertility of the soil. They
ground gypsum and bones, and treated
the latter with acid to make manures
of particular value. They first ana
lived soil as a means of determining
what was wanted to increase its fertili.
ty. They introduced the most i'm
proved method of raising and distribu
, ting water. Fancy farmers or fancy
! horticulturalistS have given us all our
varieties of fruits, vegetables and flow
ers. A fancy farmer in Vermont few
years ago originated the Early Rose pc
tato, which added millions of dollars tC
the wealth of the country, and proved
a most important accession to every
part of the world. Another of these
same fancy men introduced the Wilson
: strawberry, and another the Concord
grape. But it is unnecessary to emu
u merate; any one who will take TIT
$ trouble to investigate little or reflect
IS will readily see and cheerfully accorC
g the praise that is justly due to the mel
Il who are called fancy farmers"
IS Listen to Major Alvord, in tn
e Christian Union. He puts it well
1.-The farmer must apply to himself
II and to the son or sons to succeed him
d standard similar to that by which h
n measures the qualifications of his dot
or tor and his minister. 1t is unfortunat
m that farmers are 50 slow in doing this
a No one ever heard of a physician
e. fresh from his schools and his books
III being sneered at as "book doctor
y On the contrary, all doctors without
at complement of book learning, scientf
e. training, are stunned and denominate
G "quacks." Yet, very recently it WI
lg common for the farmers of the olde
DE- style to look with pity, if not suspicion
u upon those who study agriculture as
10 science and undertook its practice vii
ry progressive spirit, and to call SUI
n, "book farmers" Happily such erro
1T are passing away; book farmers, we
ly educated farmers, are making ther
re selves felt, winning respect and findil
ire an appreciation of their enterpriS
zee Let US hope the day is not far dista
i>t when book farmers, in the best sens
I'm shall be in the majority. Then, pc
rn hnps, "quocks' will be found in fart
es' ing. The fact is, at present, qua'
is farmers are too plenty and book fl
~. mers too few"