The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-03-29
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
The Business of Farming.

The successful farmer, East and
West North or South is the one who
deyotes himself most diligently to the
business of agriculture He should
not delegate his work to others. nor
fancy that toll of mind or body for
which he pays can efficiently take the
| place of that which lie himself might
perform. The man who attempts to
| live by any other profession or bust
ness, finds that ,the first condition of
success lies in his full understanding
of lis work and his complete devotion
10 it. The lawyer. the physician, the
merchant, the manufacturer. the arti-
san. the chemist, all devote them
selves solely to the vocations that
they have chosen. all pursue the lines
of labor before them faithfully. stu
diously. with unflagging industry; and
in direct proportion TO the industry
and singleness Of purpose of each does
he excel in the work he undertakes.
or achieve the object that he has set
before his life to attain. The same
rule holds good of the farmer. His
thoughts and his interests should all
center about his farm, his stock and
his crops. His farm should be his
first interest and occupation; all other
matters in which he engages should
subordinate themselves completely to
that.
By this we do not mean that farm
er should become dumb slave to his
work. We do not mean that he should
make of himself a mere draught-horse.
toiling early and late under the self
inflicted goad of avarice or stupidity.
even as his OK and horse labor for him.
We do not mean that he should toll,
as farmers we know have done. I'M
remittingly, increasingly, allowing
themselves neither physical or mental
recreation, in their eager desire to ac-
cumulate wealth, until the health of
both mind and body had become i'm
paired, and their one desire was
thwarted by the very persistence of
their effort, to obtain it.
No. the life of slavish toll that many
farmers lead is not only unwise. but
wholly unnecessary. A fair degree of
effort. intelligently directed. will al
ways secure to him, if the conditions of
soil and surroundings are at all favor
able. more than living competence.
A farmer has it in his power to secure
more of ease and comfort, during the
time when he is amassing his fortune.
than the member of any other occupa-
ton. He is more Independent than
any other man. as entirely independent
as any man can be in civilized society.
The enjoyment to be derived from
pure air, fresh fruits and flowers,
and all the beautiful things in nature,
that other men seek az cost of ex-
penditure of time and money. may be
part of his everyday life. The con-
ditions of real pleasure and comfort
are his in far greater degree than is
granted to most of men of other voca-
tions. the question is how fully he win
avail himself of these conditions to
make his daily happiness.
Generally speaking. the more in
telligent a farmer is, the more con-
tented and successful is he. The man
who most thoroughly understands,
not only the nature of the soil he
tills. the character and value
OF all plants and other things
directly connected with agriculture,
but other departments of knowled ge
as well. and especially the nature and
needs of men. will, other things being
equal, prove the most succe ssful |
farmer. We never yet knew an
ignorant man who was good farmer
throughout, The most truly success
full workers in agriculture read and |
ponder and understand. With minds
active and devoted to their business.
they are ever ready to search for in
formation wherever it is to be found.
in books or papers. and to profit by |
its practical use. And the further |
they search into the realms of science |
the more thoroughly do they see that |
the mine of useful knowledge re-
vealed by the proper study |
OF agriculture and the rela-
1--WE physical sciences is well nigh in
exhaustible. Book farming is
often spoken of with great contempt, |
but this contempt is wholly I'M
deserved. Books on farming con-
tain the experience gained by many
practical farmers through direct con-
tact with their work for many years.
He who reads and profits by the les
sons which these men learned saves
himself not only the time spent
in learning these things by the slow
process of experience. but time, labor.
and money. often lost through the
mistakes of ignorance. Every man,
then, who puts his hand to the plow
should be, in every wise and reason
able sense, a book farmer. x Lewts.
IN Rural and Workman.
Covering for Tobacco-PIant Beds.
As the time ia neor Of ba,d +b.l