1883.] THE FARMER AND HIS FAMILY. 181 



Book-farming, in its truest sense, is only making use, in addition 

 to one's own experience, of the experience of others, as recorded 

 by them on the printed page. And these others are often men 

 who have been able to give much more time to the study and 

 practice of special branches of agriculture than it will ever be 

 possible for us to do. If the books be only on subjects where we 

 need light, and their authors known as competent to give it, the 

 more we have within reach, and the more we study them, the 

 greater becomes our store of experience, of that experimental 

 knowledge which, whether of our own obtaining or procured 

 from others, is so necessary in guiding our footsteps, every day 

 we live. 



In every farmer's home there should be good books on the 

 various branches of scientific and practical agriculture, which give 

 us the benefit of established facts; and good periodical journals 

 and newspapers should be coming in, to bring the latest intelli- 

 gence and experience in all farming operations. 



More important still, a taste for this class of useful reading 

 should be cultivg-ted by the farmer himself and formed in his 

 family by precept and example, to the exclusion of the raft of stuff 

 which goes under the name of literature, but which serves only to 

 assist in wasting precious hours. 



A demand has arisen, and is increasing, for a higher education 

 for farmers, and the next question is, of what shall it consist ? 

 When one comes to consider or describe a comprehensive agri- 

 C'g.ltural education, a big subject is presented. Agriculture is at 

 once a science and an art. "Practice with Science " is, therefore, 

 a good precept for its student, and it is well to keep fresh Davy's 

 excellent definition of science, as "refined common sense." The 

 educated farmer must be able to keep pace with the advance of 

 modern science and discern wherein its developments may be 

 brought to his aid. He should be a better chemist than his doctor 

 or his di'uggist, a better botanist than either, and should be 

 acquainted with geology, mineralogy, entomology, and somewhat 

 with meteorology. He should be as good a business man as his 

 grocer or his banker; especially he must know how to buy and to 

 sell. He must understand the physical powers, know the value 

 and strength of materials, and be a pretty good mechanic, if not 

 an engineer. He should be able to do plane surveying and level- 

 ing and to manage a microscope. The usefulness of Latin, 



