SUNSHINE ON THE FARM. 383 



positions, and become integral parts of vital structures. 

 The great end of all work upon farms is to aid sunlight in 

 promoting those changes which cover our fields with herbage, 

 so that men and animals may exist in the season when the 

 sun is capable of shedding upon some portions of the earth 

 its full measure of light and warmth. 



It is only on the surface of the earth that the influence of 

 the sun can be exerted, and it is apparent that if our planet 

 was a fixed orb, only a part of its surface could be inhabited ; 

 but in accordance with the great plan of creation, the pon- 

 derous globe revolves rapidly upon its axis, and each portion 

 of its surface receives a share of solar influence. All the 

 movements of nature are brought into play only in an ap- 

 pointed way, and by appropriate mechanism, — there is no 

 disturbance in her mighty movements. 



The position which the laboring farmer occupies is that of 

 a director of forces ; he is not an originator : he possesses 

 no creative power. We observe, upon two farms occupying 

 positions side by side, that the products of one are double 

 those of the other, and this arises from the circumstance that 

 one farmer is a better student of nature than the other. One 

 has learned how to aid sunlight in its work, the other makes 

 no inquiries, wishes for no instruction, and the forces of 

 nature, so active all around him, receive no intelligent guid- 

 ance, no aid. The light that falls upon him and his acres 

 might as well be that of the moon, a borrowed e3"iilgence, 

 devoid of life-giving power. 



It has been stated that the two worlds of organization are 

 condensed from the unseen gases with which our planet is 

 surrounded. If livin<? beings are derived from these fleeting 

 airs, which are so rare and ethereal, may not this indicate 

 that there is a connection between matter and spirit, and that 

 the forces which control such wonderful changes have a celes- 

 tial origin? We have in the element oxygen an agent which 

 locks up in unchangeable forms all the products of our fields, 

 the organizations of our animals, our houses, barns, our 

 tools of wood, iron and steel, — all vitalized products of our 

 earth, including our own bodies. If this agent, which has 

 the power of pursuing to its fiual dissolution the entire 



