The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-02-11
READING OR BOOK FARMING.


CoNcLAvE, Richmond Co., N. C.
This is subject that is derided by
many: We have all heard men say,
you can't learn anything from books
about farming; tell them you saw this
or that in newspaper they will tell
you OIL that book farming, it is not
worth cent, it will not do in the field
at all.
This, I assure you, is mistake.
There is many, very many hints and
suggestions toebe cleaned from books
and newspapers that are worth dimes
and dollars to US. If we wait to learn
everything we know by experience
we will live and die knowing very
little. Life is too short. We should
take up farming where our fathers
laid it down, not where they com,
menced, and how are we going to do
this? How are we going to profit by
the experience of others, but by read
ing2
Some men are born generals, some
mechanics, some orators, some farm
ers; some adapted to one profession
and some to another, but the great
mass of men have to read, study and
practice to become efficient in any
calling they may select, and if they
apply themselves faithfully and per
sistently, and do not rise above the
average, they should quit that business
and try some other. Whatever has
been accomplished by man can be
done again, and ought to be done bet
ter with all the accumulated knowl-
edge of the past before as.
What is book farming? 1t does
not mean that you should take your
book or paper and go to the field and
sit under the shade of persimmon
tree and there read, but it means you
should read and study everything that
you can possibly bring to bear on
farming, and store it away in your
head, study bad practice as well as
good, and learn to avoid the former
and adopt the latter. This is the
science of agriculture. Read books
until we become so perfect in theory
that we Will have confidence ta1.e3i tti1ae
nerve to go forward and act at once.
Fortify ourselves with books, such
books as will teach us everything
necessary to our success; and let us
not forget the fact that we can learn
something from almost every profes,
sion. The idea of farmer knowing
all about farming and knowing moth
ing else is falicy; he must have a
knowledge of almost everything. The
farmer has more to learn than any
profession l know of, his knowledge
is as varied as it is important. Book
farming means for the farmer just
what book learning does for the
physici IN.
There is not man in North Caro-
lima of ordinary intelligence that
would send for doctor who had not
studied his profession, then why ex,
pect the farmer to be skillful and
successful, when he knows next to
nothing theoretically about his pro-
fession?
The medical student must read all
the books, attend all the lectures and
the dissecting room until he can pass
q rigid examination, then take his
medicine and instruments, 60 out to
practice and test his knowledge. So
with book farming, we must read and
study not only agricultural books, but
all books that will apply in any way
to that profession.
We need the knowledge of gen
eral to enable us to control and dis
cipIine our laborers. We want the
knowledge of a book-keeper that we
may keep our accounts correctly. We
must have some knowledge of me-
chanics and machinery or we will
never know how to keep imple nents
and machines in order or use them,
and if the farmer is ignorant, how can
be instruct the laborer? We should
even have a sufficient knowledge of
aw to keep out of the courts. We
should study banking and finance to
enable us to keep out of debt. We
should have some knowledge of COM
nerce and trade, for we have to buy
md sell. We should learn from the
order and punctuality, and
ct me say this is no small item in a
lifetime business. And if we had a
of medicine our doctor
pills would not be so heavy.
How is all this to be acquired? By
'eading and hard study and making |
application of the knowledge acquired. |
knowledge is power in agriculture /
10 less than other things, and how
re we to get knowledge but by read |
ng, study and application? Agricul- |
ural reading begets spirit of mula-
ion, quickens energy and imports
and confidence. Agricul |
ural papers have the same effect on
he farmer that political papers have
N the politician. The farmer has
rain and nerve that needs To he stiTo.