Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-05-17
Book Farming.
Cor. Country Gentleman.

conversation day or so ago with a
very nice hard-working young farm
err of our community, and told him of
some new thing in the agricultural
world, and he seemed surprised, and
was almost ready to say it was not so
when I told him. 1 supposed he did
not read agricultural journals. He
said, mo, l am opposed to book
farming" Now this prejudice has
grown deep, and is very injurious to
any section. 1t sets a bad example
for the rising generation.
To bring about change in this
state of things, I feel that the older
men should try all mild means to in
duce their sons and neighbors to read
such writings as those of Mr.. Terry,
and many others of the successful
farmers who write for your paper, and
create an interest, and try to get them
to follow their examples. But let us
see what "book- farming" is. 1t is
nothing more or less than the sue
cesses and failures of men who have
studied and tried experiments on va
rious subjects, and in various ways to
point how we can best utilize our la
Dor. Many failures have occurred by
such experiments, and they should
be as beneficial to us as the success Of
others. They should teach us to keep
off the breakers, just,a the mariner
does who guides the ship on the sea,
and carries his vessel safe to shore.
/ hold that science and knowledge
have been the cause Of all the success
full improvements, both in agricul-
ture and in every other pursuit.
Books have been published by which
the truths of science and knowledge
have been shown to the world, and
any of us can avail ourselves of the
information given us by others.
Book-farming is not any more to be
laughed at than book-law, book
preaching, book-preaching, or book
doctoring, for they are all the results
of study and experience, and only
the aritte11, instead Of the oral expert
ence which we hear our brother farm
ers giving every day.
1 told this young farmer, Of whom
spoke above, that Mr.. Terry sowed
twelve acres of clover seed before
ordinary breakfast time. He laughed
and said ten acres was a good days
work. But when / told him h01C he
sowed them, he said, sob, that is
nothing" Now that is very much
like the sleight-of-hand tricks which
we wonder at, and which when eX-
planned we see the simplicity Of
Books are the greatest source of infOr-
nation we have, and without them
we would soon retrograde rapidly.
have very often advised young mer
to subscribe for your paper, and
made the offer of paying for it if,aftel
a years reading, they would say thai
they had not derived four times the
benefit of the investment; but as ye
have never had one to demand the
payment, as they all appear pleased
who subscribe for it.
/ was forcibly reminded of TIT
great improvement in this part of thu
country in wheat raising, few year
ago, by a conversation with gentle
man who graduated at Mt. Airy
near Philadelphia, and came here t,
take charge of large farm. Having
learned the necessity of turning lane
and making grass, instead Of killing
it, he began by sowing largely o
clover. When the time for turning
under his clover in the fall arrived
he began in August with some larg
two>horse plows, and then subsoilin!
it, as it was heavy clay land. HI
had gone but a few rounds, when al
old farmer who had been living il
the neighborhood came by. He &C
costed this young man and in sever
language, told him he was working
against God; that God when h
made the earth put it right side up
"and now you, a fool, are putting i
wrong side up" The young mai
made no reply, but asked him t
come in the spring and see his whea
crop, and to tell him who had tn
best crop. In June following tn
work of harvesting wheat was goin
on, and the same old farmer cam
along when he StOnDpd and Wake