The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-01-25
AGRICULTURE.
Essay BY Joseph T. Grove, Read
Before Cecil Farmers Club
January 9, 1907.

piled after moments thought: sit is power
full agent of which we know nothing about"
Agriculture has been defined as filling or cult
waiting the fields Though it originated before
the fall of Adam-Gen. II and 10 verses says,
"And the Lord God took the man Adamland put
him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to
keep tit has furnished employment directly
OF indirectly to the greatest number ever since
and will to end OF Time. We may truthfully say
Agriculture is the most wonderful subject OF
which we know nothing about
The first question arising after this statement is.
how then can so many follow it as livelihood
There are vast armies employed in the electrical
business but there is only one Edison and ne
freely admits electricity is only in its infancy
There are thousands of merchants making a
good living, but only one Wanamaker we all
know or think we know something about our
occupation, trade or calling When we stop to
consider what we know and what we DON'T we
are alarmed at the size of the volume OF DON'T
knows as compared with the little page OF do
know The knowledge of scientific Agriculture,
as we'll as the machinery necessary to carry IL on
have kept well abreast with the requirements OF
the times. The sickle was as efficient IN Its DAY
as our binder of the East or header of the west is
today. Treading the grain on the threshlng
floor and beating with the fail filled the require
ments of the times as satisfactory as our improved
threshers After the fall of Adam the ground
was to bring forth 'thorns and thistles' and to
this may be added bugs, germs, insects ana
scales But to all this the all-wise Providence
furnishes a way to escape or overcome and 10
meet and overcome these enemies requires un-
firing study, vast amount of knowledge, IN
GLIDING chemistry, botany, zoology and in fact
most all branches of science all languages to
understand the habit OF plants, animals ana In
sects in different portions of the world. that we
may know our enemies from our friends and how
to destroy the one and. develop the other. How
little anyone of us knows! True farmer can
succeed without this great knowledge within
himself, but he must have faith in and depend
on those who do know But the more he knows
the more easily he can understand the use OF
different fertilizers; what is the most economical
feed to use; how when and what to plant; how
and when to cultivate, prune and spray How
many who read this article in our proceedings
will answer similar to the young man OF old: "All
these things have known from my youth up.
All yes, wise men that we are; if you knew these
things, then do them and the whole community
will be benefited thereby. 1t is feeling the need
of this knowledge, whether obtained from books,
agriculture papers, farmers bulletins, the ex-
perience of ourselves and observation of Others
that We meet as club from time to time. Feel
ing the need of all the knowledge available and
not having the opportunity in our youth, be-
lieving farming though as old as the hills, as
lasting as the universe, having all of life and
every occupation from the lowliest labor to the
highest profession depending uponit. We ought
to encourage our Agriculture High School and
insist the principle of Agriculture being
taught in all our country schools thus giving our
children an opportunity of obtaining the theory
while getting the practical at home. The edu-
cation will give our country boys and girls good
foundation If their inclinatons lead towards
farm lite they will be better fitted to continue
this education by being able to understand the
terms used in agricultural periodicals and lee
lures. Neither would this knowledge of Nature
thus obtained be lost in other pursuits. What
will develop the mind and broaden our views
like the Study of Nature?
Do any become rich farming? If you mean b.
riches, vast amount of money piled up and not
able to enjoy nights sleep or square meal. the
answer would be no. If you mean to be able to
have good comfortable home with enough To
support his family in old age after educating his
children the answer is yes. Not meaning to he
sacrilegious what profit man if he gains the
whole world and lose his bodily comfort? Soc
rates says. Content is natural wealth" and Ad-
Olson adds. Living without it is poverty"
What would some of our SO called rich men give
to enjoy meals and sleep as soundly as one of the
well-to-do farmers of our land. The future looks
more encouraging to the wide-awake farmer than
any other business requiring the same amount of
capital Merchants are establishing department
stores and mail order establishments thus making
it harder on the small stores Large manufacture.
ers are making il hard for small factories. While
there may be desire among farmers to combine.
the small farmer can continue and. not be hurt in
the least; but we must make use of improved
machinery, doing more work with less help;
raise crops to feed our animals well as the soil
saving feed and fertilizerbill be neighborly two
or more farmers uniting in busy times thereby
doing work either could not do alone without
extra help; get all the ideas you can about farm
ing whether you have any immediate use for them
or not; watch the farm machinery advertisements
study the markets and try to raise what people
want for people must be fed and the land m st
produce it. True peopl- are focking to the cities
and it is just true they eat 1t is just at such
times in other business that the one that stands
Arm and those who have never to invest profit by
those who become alarmed ard quit Now, in
conclusion permit me to say there seems a
brighter outlook for farming today than since the
time of Adam, and in my candid opinion there is
brighter opportunity for wide awake well
educated young couple starting on a farm than
any other business. taking into consideration
health. home and happiness but it requires brains
as we'll as muscle and all should bear in mind
knowledge is as important capital if we hope
to succeed.
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