The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-08-30
WHAT FARMERS OUGHT TO READ

MIR. EDIroR.-The day is not far distant
'e trust when farming, like the other pro.
essions, will he conducted on scientific nr;n-
hPies; but before such is the case, the farm
hg classes must be educated-not merely TO
KNOW now to read, write and cipher but bv
informing themselves OH the leading tonics
oi the day, to improve their minds and broad
en- their ideas
Think OF the many newspapers, hooks
ana magazines, which are within the reach
OF almost every one and from which 10 much
entertaining and useful information could bo
obtained, and we are surprised to find thom
60 little used. Often do you find the farmer
reading nothing except his comfy paper
and too often not even that.
The man who claims inability as n reason
Tor not taking needed literature is certainly
moi progressive farmer.
y prosperous farmer ought to take at least
his county and some other good secular
paper, and his church paper; all of which
VIII hardly cost more than five dollars a year.
The county paper, besides keeping you
posted on the current news throughout your
own county, all legal procedures which may
concern you, will now and then refresh your
inlnd with some new idea about agriculture.
stock-raising, and perhaps other important
subjects.
II you pay strict attention to your church
weekly, twelve months will hardly have
elapsed before you will have learned some
thing about the origin, history and doctrine
OF your own rs well as other churches.
You know precious little about such things
now. 1t would be quite interesting to know
how many farmcrs-Methodists Baptists and
Prcsbyterians-could give the numerical
strength of their respective churches and
yet these things come under their observa-
tion daily.
Your secular paper will give you
much information on almost every sub
Ject. Had you been careful and thoughtful
read or you would have known something
about trusts and corporations something
about the cotton exchange, and that you
didn' get pay for the bagging and ties long
before the bagging question was first agi-
tated.
Ii what the newspapers tell you is not ex-
haustive enough, or if you should like to
become well informed on the leading quos-
tions which agitate tho world to-day, then
you might add to your stock some good
monthly magazine, viz: The Farm or the
North American ReUiew, or the AHiance
No"hly, and others any one of which,
notably The Farm, would amply repay for
money invested.
BE it far from our intention to say this
IS all the progressive farmer onght to read,
for it is his privilege rs well as duty to read
everything that tends to cultivate and inn
prove
man need not make of himself a.."book-
worm in order to cultivate taste for read
ing Almost every intelligent person
knows that when the taste for good company
IS once formed that it is never pleasant nor
agreeable to he among the base and unre-
hned. Just so when the taste for good read
ing is formed; it never forsakcs us, but il
ever afterwards q source of infinite pleasure.
as well the means by which our store of
knowledge is increased, our IDEAS broadencd.
md our opinions formed without prejudice.
Then read good books whenever time
will permit. The great authors did NOT
write to please the book-worm. but thot
everybody should be pleased and benefited
with what they write
The Georgia Legislature has ma 10 the