Middletown transcript., 1902-03-01
WHAT FARMERS NEED MOST


, When man was first created he va;
4 placed upon farm and surrounded with
R trees and plants and other natural OBJ.
iects necessary for bis sustenance and
3 wellbeing. Farming was the first occu-
patton of mankind, and it always has
been the occupation of the larger part 81
the worlds population. And as the
It wealth OF the world must be taken from
n the earth which is beneath our feet, it is
I necessary for the farmer to have all the
e help Which the world affords, not only to
b make his work easy and profitable. but to
make him free from drudgerv, his life
q happier, and his social and public life,
compared with others Of his kind. higher
! and more on level with theirs.
In different ways man has always taken
: his living from the farm, but, as a gem
> eral rule, he has been quite ignorant Of
any natural or scientific laws governing
: it. There is great contrast between the
, farmer of to-day and of century ago.
J Now he has the harvesting machinery,
J books, papers and all the devices which
men of science can give him. Then he
had nothing but his hands and few
simple tools. I believe that the educav
| ton of man is the main thing which has
wrought this change By education the
mind has been set to work, and has pro-
duced all modern devices which have
helped to tighten the farmers toll and
raise the level of his vocation believe
that the thing that is yet most needed by
the farmer is education. BY education
I do not mean high school or classic
learning. While such an education will
cultivate his mind so he can think for
himself and make him better prepared to
meet the world, it is not all he wants to |
be successful farmer
Every man is educated largely accord
ing to his work; the lawyer studies law,
| the doctor medicine, and the college pro-
fessor studies the subject he is to teach;
so the farmer should study the farm and
the things which there surround him.
Every man needs a certain amount of ed
ucation in general, and after this is ac-
quired, instead of taking up classic SUBJ
jects, as the professional man does, the
farmer might better take course in an
agricultural college; but as the farmer is
man of limited means, this is often ill-
possible. To meet this | believe that
not,ra ct,,d,, aud tha ala,napt,r,, yri,,o;
Piles of agriculture should be taught in
the common schools. This will interest
the children, and when they grow up, if
they cannot go to higher institution Of
learning, they will study for themselves, +
and not only make better and more sue {
cessful farmers, but better citizens as {
well. e
Technical instruction ends in the |
schools, but education ends only with G
life; so when man is once interested in q
his calling he will try to educate himself, I
and the longer he lives the wiser he will |
be. will mention few things the far {
mer needs to get this practical education /
which will make him more of man, L
more able to help himself, and thusfhake +
him more successful. s
First of all, the farmer must take an
interest in his surroundings. No man 7
can be successful farmer unless he is in- !
terested in his farm, appreciating and
loving the things which live and grow a
upon it. He should study the growth of !
his crops so he can tell how to till and 4
fertilize his soil for their proper nourish- n
ment. He should by his own observa- Il
ton find out the good and evil done by y
the birds and insects. He should study !,
the growth of his trees, so he can prop O
erly manage his woodlands, and plant g
them by his dwelling, where the music a
Of their leaves will give him help and J,
courage to perform his daily tasks. Thus
interested in outdoor life, he is better
to profit by the study of books,
of which he should have a goodly num-
Der. While some good books of fiction,
ior recreation, should be in his library,
agricultural, historical and re-
igious works should form the greater
part of his reading. The farmer should
yet the bulletins of his State Experi- A
nent Station, and, where possible, nature >
tudy publications for bis children. fhe
armers' bulletins of the United States
Department of Agriculture are likewise S.
# great value and should be in the hands
# every farmer. Farmers reading
courses have been conducted in some
'tates, and believe that every farmer,
With even common school eoucation,
an learn something from them.
Another thing which every farmer
leeds is the agricultural press. He
hould take one or more good agricul- =
ural papers, which will serve as guide +
ook for his work. believe that many
ines the price of an agricultural journal
an be gained by the use of the market -
eports alone. The farmer can tell what "
is produce will sell for in the large p
tiles, he can estimate what it will cost
D send it there, and is better prepared to
1eet the plausible buyer, as he knows n
that he ought to get for his produce or -
We stock. Besides the agricultural
apers, the farmer needs few good M
ewspapers or magazines, to keep him in
ouch with the outside world. He should ~
the work of good roads, rural i.
zee delivery of mails, and all other things
Ihich make the farmers life essier and
eep him in touch with the large centres OF
trade and commerce. He should
ttend public gatherings and meetings Of
lrmers and professional men, in order to
ct that public experience and confidence -
-hich will enable him to speak for him +
,lf in the world.
I might mention otlnr things, but l
elieye l have given enough to show that
1ucation is what the farmer most needs
, make his work the noblest and grand