The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-05-01
Cecil Farmers Club.
April Meeting Held at the Residence of Jos.
S. Scarborough, Near Pleasant Hill.

and consideration. 1 believe that every
farm should be an experiment station and
everv farmer a director of that station, for
the following reasons, viz: Because the
soils of our State are so diversified that
the same crops or the same treatment
will not apply successfully to all parts
alike, and while one plan is success in
one locality it may be an utter failure in
another. And indeed this is applicable
to single farm or particular field on
a farm, and to the truth of this assertion
there are many farmers who. know from
practical experience that this is fact
beyond controversy. Hence the impor-
tance of every farmer studying his own
farm, and chemistry CONES to our rescue
as help. 1t teaches us of the thirteen
natural elements of plant food as laid up
in the soil for all generations to draw
from, just as one draws interest from a
permanent investment, but so entailed
that no one generation can get more than
their legitimate share; and that is in pro-
portion to the amount of cultivation and
fertilization they put into this treasury
the soil. Therefore showing the wisdom
of God when he said while the earth re-
maineth seedtime and harvest shall not
cease.
And we may all rejoice that the soil
cannot become barren waste, as might be
the case if it were not for the above facts,
but will always respond to earnest, intel
ligent cultivation.
l shall not undertake to discuss this
subject at greater length for it is deeper
than the soil and as broad as the earth,
and is worthy the consideration of the
greatest minds the world can produce.
am pleased to say the Cecil Farmers
Club has been of great use to me i'll the
school of farm problems. Having its
monthly meetings, stating experiments,
successes and failures, make its sessions
a source of information to all that come
in contact with its influence
1t is sometimes said that the hope of
reward makes labor sweet, and while that
is fact we should not get the idea that
to make money is the only reward that
comes to the farmer and his family.
II we should be selfish enough to count
all by dollars and cents, many of US
would receive but small reward indeed.
The foregoing thoughts are only few
Of the foundation stones of the great
of the farm as school and
the farmer as a student. We cannot
bring out in this small paper, the beauties
of the study of this great volume of I'M
written truth as it unfolds its pages to the
inquiring mind of the faithful student of
nature. And this is particularly so at
this season of the year, when all nature
puts on its new life and vigor. as though
to show us new creation, in the germi-
nation of seeds, the blooming of the trees
and thousands of ways i'll which to in
struct and interest us, if we will only halt
in our haste to admire the beautiful and
receive lessons from the great teacher
Nature Indeed all we know comes from
this great source, and the person that
thinks he can learn all that is essential
FROM books is wonderfully mistaken,
although they are essential and should
have prominent place in the hands of
every farlner.) But they are only the ex-
perience of others, and while we are so
circumscribed as to use only the knowl-
edge of others, we become contracted
and cease to contribute to the field of
practical experience that will benefit
others as we'll as ourselves. This applies
to every department of science.
Then what school the farmer has in
this great field. His resources are uu-
limited and his school days as long as his
life; and the children may begin where
the parents left off, and so OH to the end
Of time with no fear of exhaustiug the
subject, for the farther on the more inter
esting and the farther in the deeper, like
a vast eternity in itself
Then let us all awake to our high priv
Ileges as we'll as to labor, and eat the |
bread of knowledge and drink the cream
Of pleasure, and pass it on to others, that
n all our studies and labor we may be
able to give to the profession at least one
little rosebud plucked from the garden of
our attainments on this important subject.
Let the farmer rise up in his intelli-
gent manhood and assert his rights, for
who is better prepared by practical edu-
,ation and experience to deal with the
great questions of the times than he who
las attended this great school of farm
experience. And if we could only realize
he power we would have by united effort
both in state and nation, by so doing we
would become benefactors of public good,
Is we have been servants of public COM
ort in the past.
On the call for comments on the
essay, Mr.. McVey thought it
paper well worth careful study and
hought, as it contains a lesson of
encouragement for all. He con-
iidered the title alone an essay.
Mr.. Rawlings considered it an
instructive and encouraging paper,
moving an optimistic spirit which