Year: 1873

A great deal has been spoken and
written concerning agriculture and It's
influence on the nation and on the IN
dividual, and it Will not be denied that
the advancement of the one IN every
desirable direction, and the prosperity
fthe other depend in direct degree
upon the proorass made in this funda-
mental interest And the prosperity of
of any section is in proportion to its
advancement in agriculture andits asso-
ciated interests. Agriculture Is now
understood, and properly so, to be a
science-the gaining of the mystery by
man over nature. and the acquisition of
such knowledgkof her ways, and her
laws of action, sswill enable him to at-
tain the control. necessary u secure Tie
result he has in A~w. 50 -


There can be no successful agriculture
unless it be made profitable and pleasant.
But before this result can be obtained
there must be an abandonment of old
preiudices These preiudices that stand
in the way of Improvement of any kind,
are the off spring of ignorance, and
they constitute the formidable obstacle
to anything like progress. Whenever
these exists, an obstinate determination
to permit no innovation of the rules and
practices of ones forefa theirs, no devia-
ton from the customs of other years, there
cannot possibly be taken any step fore
ward When mind is so constituted
that il can find nothing attractive in the
inventions of genius, or the discoveries
of science, we can confidently assert
that it is stagnant, and until its depths
are stirred by the power of enterprise
or learning, it viii remain dull and
sluggish, contracting always


We must get something to ,dispel old
prejudices. Obstinacy is the result of
prejudice and of ignorance, and when
we can dispel them, we can, with reason,
look for improvement. Now, this is a
fact that demands more attention than
1t has received. Unless farmers devote
more time to the cultivation of their
minds, how can they make any desira-
BILE advancement?


/ The wise men once wrote 'The
wisdom Of a learned man cometh 10y
/ opportunity OF leisure" And in that
sentence is food fer reflection and
thought sufficient for an entire sermon,
if we had time to preach. 1t is not the
skillful hand, the strong arm, or the
watchful eve alone, that will, in these
days, bring success and wealth to the
farmer. These are needed, but the
cultivated mind is far more important.
If thorough tillage is indispensable tc
profitable results, then an educated
mind, with experience and observation
are essential, for there can be no thorough
tillage in the sense here understood,
unless it be performed with intelligence
care and skill. Judgment is absolutely
worthless unless it is based upon know
ledge. An ignorant farmer is sometimes
successful. because the circumstance:
are fortuitous, but we urge a higher
standard of mental cultivation for far
mers that they may, at times, wres
success from unfavorable circumstance
that practical skill, learning, expert
ence and matured Judgment, may secur,
desirable results even when the elements
seem to oppose him. We have writer
a great deal on this subject, and it il
ever an interesting one to us, fol
throughout the whole country, we cal
see that agriculture is making rapid ad
vancement, and that farmers are increas
ing in their social and political influence
while their material prosperity is being
improved But the full power anC
grandeur of agriculture will never b'
acknowledged or known, nor will i
ever attain that pre-eminence it Is enti
tied to as the basis of national prosperit.
until farmers everywhere, large anC
small, powerful and humble, admit tn,
truths we have Just stated