Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-11
Farmers Should Write More.

Farmers Should Write More.
1t is not only time that farmers should
read and study more, but they should also
write more. Lord Bacon said that writ
ing made an exact man, and whenever a
farmer finds out a good thing he should
commit it to writing, not only for the good
of himself but also for the good of his fell
low farmers generally. If he makes 1t a
practice of keeping a record of his work
and its results, he will find that it will
make him much more ''eXact" in his farm
management than he would be without it.
A farmer may so on for years working a
piece of land when, is he had kept record
of the results at the start, would have
soon discovered that he was throwing
away his labor and money in doing 50 and
would have been led to make a change.
1t is desirable that farmers give their eX-
perience whether it be good or whether it
be bad. A farmer should be willing to
give as well as receive. and if he should
receive some helpful suggestion from some
farmer in his faYorite agricultural paper
he should in turn be willing to impaTt
something good from his own experience.
THAT man may last but never lives
Who much receives but nothing gives"
He is under no enforceable obligation
to do so, but he should find a pleasure in
imparting useful information to those who
need it. Every man must feel more or
less interest in the advancement of his
own country if only from selfish cOnside-
ratiOns; for just in proportion as the coun-
try about him increases in mature pros
perity, he will be individually benefited in
one way or another. 1t may be that the
value of his land is increased or wages
are made higher; in some way or another,
both classes, the rich and the poor, are
benefited by the general prosperity of their
section.
To-day, so far as the South is concerned,
there is no cause operating to more effect
in bringing about more prosperous con-
ditiOn of affairs than the wOrk.Of our bet
ter class of agricultural journals. Though
we are increasing our manufacturing in
terests greatly, it is only through her ag-
riculture that Georgia can hope to make
herself great and prosperous State.
Progress is being made in our agricul-
ture without question, and much of this
progress is due to agricultural papers,
aided by our Southern press in general.
Our best dailies and Weeklies have done,
and are doing, much to encourage higher
aims and improved practices among the
farming class. Their columns are open
to the farmers, and it is the fault of the
latter now if their cause is not properly
advocated. 1t is through the press that
the farmers should appeal to the law
makers for such legislation as is desired
in behalf of the agricultural interest. 1t
is only through the press thatpublic opin-
ion may be affected in behalf of move
ments to advance agriculture, and the
farmers of the country cannot afford to be
silent themselves and leave the advocacy
of the cause to newspaper editors alone,
ably as it may be advocated by them. I'M
less the farmers themselves demand legis-
latiOn in behalf of their cause it is not
likely to be made unsolicited. Radical
changes are not to be effected in one year
or two or half dozen years, and when
changes are sought public opinion must
be worked up slowly and gradually, if no
other way. 1t is the agricultural interest
above all others that the governing or
lawmaking powers should study to pro-
mote and build up; but it is only las the
farmers of the country exhibit an inter-
est in having it built up Will it claim the
serious attention Of the lawmakers.
S. A. G.
4Nitledde0dle, Ga.