Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1902-06-06
AarifuItnral.
Brain and Muscle In Farming.

1t is q very ancient idea that the
farmer should be the very hardest kind
Of worker with his hands and with his
hands only; that intelligence is super
tluous and education thrown away on
him, and that his hours Of labor, to in
sure success, must begin about cock
crow and end little short Of midnight if
the moon holds. Something Of this kind
has long been the popular opinion of
the penalty for original sin pronounced
against the first farmer, who was told
that he must expiate his disobedience
by earning his bread by the sweat Of
his face. Even the ancient heather had
the same idea. Xenophen himself, an
experienced farmer, whose reputation
as such has been overshadowed in the
modern mind by his great renown as
general, says: at is not difference Of
knowledge or opportunities of knowl-
edge that make some farmers rich and
others poor, but that which makes some
rich and some poor is that the former
are industrious and thrifty and the latter
negligent and lazy" While, as in ell
general statements Of this kind, there is
a substratum Of truth in this opinion Of
twenty odd centuries ago, it is not true
now as a complete statement Of the case.
Industry and thrift are essential to sue
cess, and negligence and laziness are
inseparable obstacles to it, but lack of
knowledge is also bar quite difficult to
pass, for the successful farmer Of to-day
must not only make effort but we'll d.
rected effort.
The schoolmaster is abroad in various
forms, in agriculture as we'll as in other
pursuits, and progressive farmers know
that they must plan wisely as we'll as
work industriously, and that wise plan
ming saves long hours. Thrift and in
dubtry are not to be deprecated in any
calling, but their results are only at
tanned when under the guidance Of
knowledge, und with this guidance the
hours of labor are reduced. Every one
knows the difference between thirty
bushels Of corn to the acre and xty,
and between thirteen bushels Of wheat
and thirty; every ono knows the differ
ence between eight-cent butter and that
which commands twenty-five or thirty
cents every one knows the difference
between good live stock that responds
to generous feeding and poor stock that
keeps its owner poor The sixty bushels
of corn, the thirty bushels Of wheat, the
thirty. cent butter, and the profitable live
stock represent knowledge. 1t takes
fewer hours to grow the same number
o. bushels with the larger yield than
with the smaller. and the larger yield in
turn depends upon soil in which fertility
has been maintained and the land we'll
prepared and we'll cultivated, all of
which is the result of knowledge wisely
used. Mind saves hours to muscle
Well-planned buildings and conven-
fences for doing work save time and
steps, and thus shorten the hours Of
farm labor The farmer must observe,
question, read must use his brain 10
planning zach seasons work. With the
use Of brains each years work will pro-
duce better results with shorter hours
and less grinding toll. Every farmer
should make up his mind to use his
brain to the utmost and see the extent
to which he can make his mind save bis
body Mere muscular labor always has
been and always will be the least re-
munerative work one can do. Mixed
with brains it becomes profitable and
Thrift and industry are also
essentials, but they must be accompanied
by knowledge and its employment if the
most that is in them is to be gotten
out Geneva March in Epitomist.