Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-02-23
AQrifnltnral Department.
THE EDUCATION OF FARMERS.

THE EDUCATION OF FARMERS.
The following was read by j. Fair
man, Esq, at the farmers meeting
in Fairfax, Jan. Is, 1885,
The education Of farmers has been
a theme so much discussed, that it
may seem to be already threadbare /;
and yet the subject is one full of in
terest, and one OF great importance,
but it is necessary before educating a
farmer to get a farmer to educate.
All are not born mechanics, all are
not born lawyers, neither are all born
farmers but all irrespective Of their
calling need to be educated, and yet
we must not forget that education
will not make of itself a mechanic.
lawyer or farmer. What is to be a
mans calling, or rather what mans
calling should be, usually shows it.
self by certain characteristics at q
very early age. When boy is ready
to argue any question, and seems to
delight in trying to prove that black
is white, we put that boy down for a
lawyer; and when we see a boy try
ing to making bread pills, and ready
to declare without blushing their eff
cacious effect in all manner of dis
eases, we put that boy down for a
doctor; and when we see boy that
is not afraid of dirt, and always
ready to plant potatoes or corn in ev-
cry little unoccupied nook, and, for
want Of better place, will persist in
trying his skill on a rock, or had
rather stay at home and break steers
than to attend school, you can safely
put that boy down for farmer.
And now il we have found our farm
er boy we will talk about educating
him. In general terms, the boy
farmer should be educated just the
same as any other person; that IS,
he should have a thorough education
a college education will not harm
him, for he will be very likely called
to occupy some positions in life that
do not come directly in the line of
farming. A man whose occupation
is farming is not, and should not
consider himself, inferior to the pro-
fessional men, and yet we know that
men are very scarce who will feel
perfectly at ease in the best society
unless their education and training
has prepared them for that society.
The professional man expects to pro-
cure good thorough education, and
then he is prepared for the special
study of education which he hopes
will make him an expert in his pro-
fession and so the man that is to
make farming his business needs the
same thorough education, that he
may be we'll prepared for the special
training of education which is to
make him an expert in the calling of
his choice.
Now let us see what this special
training should be that the farmer
should be able to stand at the head
of his class. First, the farmer should
be a theorist. He should be able to
have and to give reason for all that
he does. Not one of those kind of
theorists that can figure himself such
on a very small piece of paper. Ev-
cry man should understand, however
good his theory, if he has not force
of character enough to carry his the
DRY into practice, it will prove but
poor stock in trade. A farmers the
DRY should be so sound, SO logical.
that there can be no doubt in regard
to the results. 1t is true that you
cannot control the weather, or the
seasons, but you should be able tC
tell with q certainty what your cIops
will be in an ordinary season, as re-
CARDS quantity and quality. Do moi
think too much of this experimental
farming. Agricuturists will some.
times tell you to try this kind anC
that kind of plant food, and wher
a you find just what your land, wants
then 90 ahead and put on the kline
of fertilizers that your land needs
, and you may be sure of good results
This reminds me of the old-fashioneC
, carpenter, who would say try every
lennon in its own mortise then mari
: every piece so you will know jus
e where it goes when you raise you
S building, and you will be sure of ;
good fit, and everything will come
out right. This may be true, but i
y costs too much. And so it costs too
( much money and valuable time t
e the farmer to experiment for years t.
: find out just what his land needs L
obtain desirable results. A tarme
should be educated to chemically an
alyze his soil, and thereby under
= stand just the proportions Of the diff
is ferent kinds of plant food needed il
u the soil TO produce the desired crop
He can then proceed at once to suppl,
his land with the necessary fertilizer
e so that the desired results, under or
" binary circumstances, will be Ger
< tainty. A farmer should he educat
: ed to manufacture his own phos
e pilates, and not have to pay for al
article of foreign manufacture, pass
ing through the hands Of a numbe
I'd of middle-men, all making a goo
profit, besides the tax or license, al
of which is sure in the end 10 com