Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-11-05
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE NEW FASHIONED FARMER
self of All Methods of Mating
Farm Life Easier.

With, tie -cld-fashioned farmer" who
believed that the only qualification for
his business that farmer needed was
| to have been the SON of an old-fash-
| toned farmer and born on afarm As
| for -book-larnin,' of course teachers,
and doctors and lawyers had to have
| it; but farmers didn't need anything
of the sort, except to read and write,
| for he must consult the almanac for
| the phases of the moon and to see if
1.-The sign is right for planting. As
| to studying sciences, farmers had
| neither time nor use for any such nom
sense As he had been taught, plow
| ing and hoeing and harvesting was all
| farmer need to know, and all this
he could learn by seeing it done, or by
actuallysdoing it. AS to the why's and
| wherefores of any sort of farm work.
| it was useless waste of time to both
er his head about such things. The old
| fashioned farmer can be found in
places even in this enlightened day
| men whose HEREDITARY characteristics
and opinions could not be changed by
any array of object lessons. AS q
mans nature or the color of his eyes
ment or evidence, SO are hereditary
prejudices ineradicable. But the old
| fashioned farmers are rapidly disap-
pearing. Soon they will all be dead of
old age or hamilton, and the places
where they were we will find the STIR
ring, energetic new-fashioned farmer.
The old bow-backed, frazzled-out farm
er, who is superannuated before mid
die life from the effort to overcome OBJ
stacleS by main strength and awk-
wardness" just as chicken thief pulls
a hen off the roost, has no reasonable
excuse for his condition, unless it be
that he prefers to carry in his person
the curse of Adam, rather than to
straighten himself up like man and
require his head to help his hands.
Fortunately, the old-fashioned farmer
is disappearing by the operation of ma
ture; for he can not live always. On
the contrary, he gets rid of his youth
early in life, and gradually fades
away.
1t can not be said that the Iew-fash-
toned farmer has taken his place, for
the up-to-date, new-fashioned farmer
wouldn't have his old rundown place,
or he would make it over, and oblit-
crate the tracks of his woe-begone pre-
decessor and this could not be termed
filing the place of the old-fashioned
farmer. The new-fashioned farmers
may not outnumber the old, but
knowledge, vigor and success puts him
in the majority as to results Secretary
Wilson, himself new-fashioned farm
er, has this to say about him: "He
must be practical scientist The man
who does not understand the science
of the soil has no business on farm.
If boy wants to become a farmer, 1t
is just as necessary that he take a
course at an agricultural college, as it
is to the boy who wants to be a lawyer,
a doctor or preacher, to be educated
in his profession" and again the sec
rotary says: at is in everything the
farmer has to cultivate and grow that
the reason for his being an agricultural
scientist is found If he knows the
reason why things don't grow or do
grow, or his crops are large or small,
he gains the wisdom that will help him
to increase his crops the next year. and
SO make his income greater
The old-fashioned farmer was, and
what there is left of him still is, q
plodder The new-fashionei farmer
avails himself of every modern i'm
provement in methods and imple-
ments, attends farmers Institutes.
reads agricultural books, papers and
bulletins, but does not necessarily be-
lieve everything he sees in print, but
considers the source, and exercises his
Judgment, discriminating as best he
can between well-educated Judgment
as to the reliability of persons and pa
pers He may not be a graduate of an
agricultural college, but he has eyes
tc see, ears to hear, and desire to
know, regardless of obstacles which it
Is his delight to overcome. Such a man
is usually well-developed physically,
mentally and morally. He raises first
class live stock, which he takes pride
in using, showing to his neighbors, or
at fairs, or selling If he las not
comfortable home. and happy family,
it is because he has not had time to de-
velop his estate; but he will always he
found on the road to sure success
along this line, and providence permit
ting, he will be found at the top of the
hill of success in due time. He does
,c% h Is off fv,
and stock and marketing his products,
but home comforts and ornamentat;on
claims a portion of his labor, time and
study If he breeds an extra fine horse,
he does not give all his attention To-
training the animal, but his children
are trained with even more care ard
affection than the finest animal These
fashioned farmers can be found
all over the country; but at farmers
Institutes. and at farmers congresses,
they may be seen in large numbers;
and where they are instantly recog-
nized as the hope of the country. The
greatest producers of wealth, and the
firmest supporters of the laws, and be-
yond question the only large class of
citizens who always favor prudent and
honest government, for they compose
the only important class who ask no
special favors at the expense of 9TH
ers, and who can not be benefited by
partial laws or political corruption of
any kind When the new-fashioned
farmers predominant. as they will, the
perpetuity Of free institutions will be
assured, and the intellectual and moral
status of the country will be built-up
after praiseworthy models and made
perpetual. The new fashioned farmer
has faith in his business, faith in his
farm, faith in himself, and can, when
called on, give "a reason for the faith
that is in him." He also entertains a
well-grounded opinion that the best
things that earth affords are none too
good for him and his: hence he is care
full to provide for all the rational COM