The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-08-28
FARMING AS All ART.
The Study of Agricultural Science In the
United States.

increase. he found the task attended
with difficulties; and in surmountlng
those difficulties he acquired some OF
the elements of the art of agriculture.
In this art many ancient people became
very proficient. Considered from this
point of view, it is probable that an
Gent agriculture reached as high de-
velopmept as the best among modern
nations. We have types OF this to-day
in the agriculture of China, Japan
India and Egypt. Neither mechanic
arts nor science have contributed,
except in tritling degree, to its
progress. 1t began as manual
art simply, and SO it remained
practically unchanged. until the
opening of the modern era. In every
country, and in each district OF all
large countries, rules were gradually
worked out which wero found to serve
in practice; and these were handed
down from generation to generation.
Intermingled with them were many
superstitions-unfo beliefs in re-
gard to the action Of certain supposed
or real forces. natural or supernatural,
upon the growth OF crops. But it is
singular fact that the part played by
these superstitions was but slightly, IL
at all, unfavorable in their effect upon
results. They often made the work
difficult and tedious; but men III all
ages have had such an eye to the main
chance that superstitious notions, while
they might and did cause the eXpendl-
ture of much needless work, were not OF
sufficient force to greatly lessen results.
They did as much good, probably, in
restraining waste OF effort in vague
experiment as they did harm by in
ducing needless operations. Num-
bers of old agricultural maxims, super
stitions as they now seem, were really
we'll based and embodied the observa-
ton OF many in a pithy saying that
endured because it was in a way true.
Slowly body of facts were collected
and transmitted that enabled we'll
trained farmers to so regulate their
operations as to achieve success. AS
yet our modern science has done moro
in recognizing and explaining ancient
rules and placing them upon intelti-
gible bases. than in discovering valua
BILE additions to them. 1t is only just
now that the systematic collection and
comparison of well-observed and skill
fully-recorded facts have begun to lay
the foundations of a new agriculture,
in which a sound reason for doing a
needed thing will supersede gro
tesque or fanciful one.
When the activity of European effort
was transferred across the Atlantic to
America. new conditions were encoun-
tered that have not yet been rightly
understood or surmounted. The east
ern parts of North America much more
resemble Eastern Asia than Western
Europe. The consequences have been
unfavorable to our agriculture. The
maxims OF European agricultural art
did not fit American conditions, and
the result has been that the wisdom of
the ancients has seemed like folly
among us. Setting aside the slight and
slowly-acquired knowledge of scant
two centuries, under these strange
conditions, it may be said that, as COM
pared with the older nations, Amer
lean farmers hardly possess any true
art of agriculture. The European dog
mas misled us, and we have worked
out very few sound ones to replace
them. This is both an injury and a
benefit. 1t harms us to have no good
empirical rules transmitted from father
to son: but it benefits us to be entirely
free from obstructive beliefs, which
very slo WY admit the clear light OF
demOnstrative science.
The shifting character of our popu-
lation, in its efforts to overspread and
occupy a vast virgin continent, acts
continually to hinder the foundation
of agricultural art. Our bountiful
soil prevents our blunders from doing
us the injury that otherwise might end
in destructive and fatal loss; yet in the
settlement of many new States the set
tiers have crept very close TO the
verge of starvation, for want of an ac-
quired agriculture adapted to their
special conditions. Situated as we
thus find ourselves. American farmers
stand, in default of art, deeply in need
OF science. not only of general scion
tific knowledge, but of highly special
lied knowledge, as made needful by
local conditions. What will do in Da-
kota will not do at all in North
Carolina. What is right in
Florida is exactly wrong in
Oregon. The essentials of Iowa are
pernicious errors in Maine. Now,
mankind seems, under some ill-recog-
nizcd influence, to have always builded
more wisely than itknew; and have we
not done so here in America in the
foundation Of agricultural colleges
and experiment stations in every State
and Territory of our Union? The
plan has been much divided. and as a
fact it has been yet but poorly carried
out. But having no art, do we not
here in America, stand in special need
of Science of Agriculture, and hav-
ing the beginnings of these institu.