Democratic messenger., 1888-08-25
THE FARMER.

IL we sit and watch the hands OF the
clock we cannot see them move, and yet
they are never still. We cannot observe
the growth ofa plant or Of an animal
from day to day, even when that growth
Is greatest. To form correct idea Of the
progress Of anything we must compare II
with some previous standpoint. In look
ing at the farmer Of to-day, In order 10
get proper estimate Of his advanced posi-.
tion In life, and comparing him with what
he was generation or 80 ago, we will
find that In almost everything pertaining
to his methods, his surroundings and his
manhood he has made greater progress
than men in almost any other calling In
life. We need not go very far to find
proof Of this. The improved implements
with which he cu'''vaios the earth, the
;:::'si; IL: :s:' y ;s' I; %:s s;s %,::s
Of the man and arSs',X GO0hk. to at.
tract our attention. n. IS u rs less
encouraging to note thu. 1t has ai seen
accomplished without any sacrifice of
,horOughncss-thc quality Of the work
being as well, II not better, sustained. as
the quantity and ease with which II Is
done are made manifest. Look at the
many new kinds Of implements that have
been introduced within the last half cen.
tury, and compare them with the few
crude makeshifts Of fifty years ago-ihc
sickle and the cradle supplantcd by the
reaper In cutting his grain, and steam
power used instead Of handled fails In
thrashing 1t out. Indeed there Is not
single farm implement that was In use a
few days ago but what has been so great
ly improved that no farmer would ever
think Of going back to the old ones. But
the change in the surroundings Is still
more noticeable, II possible, than in his
methods. The wood pile In his front
yard has Disappeared; the old familiar
worm fence has been superseded by one
more elegant II not more serviccablc; the
hogs no longer roam the highways, nor
are fed near the doorway; the market for
his products, once so miles OF, requiring
a weeks travel to reach and return, Is
now, since the introduction Of railroads,
brought almost to his very door; the pub
lie roads, which were once almost impass-
able to the loaded wagon, are now being
made In many places more like macada-
mizcd streets than country highways; the
burdocks and other nOxious weeds that
once infested the front yard have disap'
pcarcd, and their places are occupied by
rare and beautiful flowers; his stock shows
better breeding, and his family is SUPPLE
cd with more useful rs well as more In
,ercs,ing books and papcrs. Even him.
self shows the hand OF improvement, in
that he reads and thinks more, and ceases
longer TO snecr at what he once derisivc-
ly called book farming" Agricultural
colleges have now been established In al
most every State, and although they may
not be doing all for the farmer they were
designed to accomplished, yet each year
is bringing them nearer and nearer to
what they were intended to be-schools
for teaching farmers boys the principles
of farming-and which are To be the chief
study of their life. Experimental sta
tions, too, arc being established in many
of the States, and to which we may look
forward for the solution of many impor-
lant questions in farming which are now
in doubt. Indeed, there never has been a
time or country where the calling of the
farmer was more honorcd and respected,
nor any other cass of men who earn their
living by their own labor so independent
ly as In this.