Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1914-02-17
important Fruit of Institute Worl

Next to the farm papers IN tmpor'
tance to farmers are the farmers insti-
tutes when properly conducted. They
were beneficial when 6rst established,
they have been useful all along, and are
as valuable now az ever before. Mr..
Van Alstyne correctly says that the pur-
pose of farmers institutes 10 to bring to
the men and women on the farm and to
their children knowledge OF the funda
mental principles of agriculture, with
practical advice based on these princi-
Piles as applicable in practice on individ.
ual farms from an economical point OF
view.
1t Is my opinion, formed from attend
ance at farmers Institutes In PennsSl-
vania, that there 10 another important
purpose besides imparting agricultural
knowledge to farmers and their families
that Mr.. Van Alstyue has not mentioned,
aud that is enthusiasm. Knowledge Is
good. Lord Bacon said, knowledge is
power" knowledge is the difference
between civilization and barbarism; but
of what avail is knowledge II not ap-
piled? Ii is like faith without works.
1t resembles the tremendous waterpower
of Niagara, dashing down to waste, ex-
cepting the pittance that is used for gen.
Grating electricity. What farmers need
most is not more knowledge, but more
ambition. No person ever attained
great success in the pursuit of wealth or
honor who did not possess great ambi-
ton. Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar aud
Bonaparte would never have been heard
of had they not possessed overpoweriDg
ambition. 1t is the same with all the
great generals, statesmen, orators, law
yers, doctors, ministers, painters, archi-
,ects and farmers.
The reason why We farmers don't
farm any better and raise thirty bushels
OF wheat an acre instead Of twenty Is be-
cause we have no ambition. We lack
the proper pride. We know we could
raise the thirty bushels, but it would re.
quire more effort and expense, and We
are easy and content with less. We
read about the fine farm, great crops,
good cattle and big barn OF some noted
farmer who has been interviewed by a
man, and We say: "That
farmer has lain awake nights planning
and schemiug, has worked his fingernails
off and his hired men half to death, paid
no missionary money, lodged bis pew
rent, and We leave him alone In his
glory"
1t IL a mistake to think that farmers
generally do not know how to farm.
Many of them know how to do better
work than they are doing. They sllege
they have not the capital to hire more
help to put down drains, to build silos
and to buy fertilizers. The greatest pos
sible benefit that can be bestowed on
farmers is to excite their ambition; get
them interested In their own business
instead of politics; desirous Of excelling
in their profession and outdoing their
ueighbors at the county fairs.
This is Just what farmers institutes
are doing and will continue to do and
why they should not be abolished for
some new, untried thing OF doubtful ex-
pediepcy. The principal object OF an
institute properly conducted is not to
have three or four teachers to give In
struction so much ss to induce and call
out all the farmers present to speak.
Every farmer can relate some experience
of his own which would be interesting,
and its relation would assuredly tend to
heighten his ambition to do better farm
ing, and he will be sure to attend the
next institute and encourage his neigh
bors to 90, because instead Of being q
mere listener he may become part OF
the institute himself. Getting the farm.
ers to talk has been too much neglected.
The most important thing to do has not
been done.
In Methodist class meetings every
brother and sister is urged to speak and
give their experience; It interests each
other and inspires the Christian zeal OF
the speakers themselves. The insti, utes
are beneficial to farmers in making them
asha med of their inferior crops az CON-
pared with those Of others, and they re-
solve to beat the bully. /
A shoemaker In our neighborhood
bought fifty-acre farm and went to
farming. He took great pains 10 farm
ing, a. he had done in shoe making;
raised better crops than his neighbors,
and boasted Of it on every public ocoa-
sion when they were present. That
mans boasting "spunked up" bis neigh.
bors, and they afterward raised a. good
crops az he did, and better than ever be-
fore. That shoemaker was an agricul-
tural missionary, and did great good,
though never ordained nor loved by his
w. Durham in Tribune
Farmer.