FARMERS CLUBS. 



245 



Men's Literary Association of Stonington, Ct." and we could name a list a yard 

 long of such Associations of classes of people, of all pursuits, except that of 

 Agriculture, who have their libraries, their lectures and their laboratories. 

 Farmers ! can you think of these things and not rouse up from your Rip Van 

 Winkle lethargy ? Do you wonder that not only the capital but the elite of the 

 young men of the country, should concentrate in the towns, where, owing to su- 

 perior enterprise, so many aids are provided for sharpening tlie intellect and pre- 

 paring it to cut its way through every obstacle to competence and distinction ? 

 Rouse up, then ! if not for your own sakes, for the sake of your sons — those 

 who inherit your name and your blood. As for giving them money — base lucre ! 

 — consider it but as trash, when contrasted with inherent personal capacity for 

 self support and usefulness to the country. How many of them fool away in- 

 herited fortunes ! How few even of the largest estates descend to the third or 

 even to the second generation ! How much oftener large expectancies enervate 

 and ruiu than invigorate, and elevate, and bless those on whom they descend ! 

 Give them knowledge, give them character, and you give them the best sort of 

 estate. Let us quote a passage from a noble address which we read last night 

 after ten, and then retired deeply impressed with admiration of the author and 

 his sentiments: 



" I repeat it, I know no move honorable 

 object for a riglit-minded tarnier to propose 

 to hunself, than to teach his sons, by economy, 

 and by improvements learned by expeiiment 

 and observatitjn, or i'rom books, each to get a 

 comfortable living on his portion of the jiatcr 

 nal acres ; just as tVie Roman fanner, in the 

 classical story, portioned oft' one daughter af- 

 ter another on a full share of his vineyard, 

 reserving for himself only as much as he gave 

 to each one, and yet continued to produce 



In the author* of such noble thoughts, now, we believe, elected to Congress, 

 the plow will have at least one honest, earnest advocate. Let us hope he may 

 be put on the Agricultural Committee. 



But we could not, in any language of our own, describe in fewer words, or so 

 well, the utility and the objects of such Clubs, as we find it done to our hand : 



tural implements, or in the manasrement of 



just as much as when he possessed the whole. 

 Such a laiTner is a good economist ; he is lay- 

 ing up the best resource for his old age, in 

 keeping his children about him, witli their 

 affectionate society. He is a good parent, for 

 he provides lor lliose who look to him the 

 best chances of respectability and happiness. 

 He is a good patinot, for he does his part 

 toward making the community stable, well 

 ordered, prosperotis, and safe." 



" By means of these institutions much valu- 

 able information is diffused, different modes 

 of cultivation are compared and their residts 

 ascertained, improvements are suggested and 

 made public, and the interchange of thoughts, 

 opinions and observations promotes good 

 feeling, and in various ways exercises a bene- 

 ficial influence. Among tlie objects sought 

 to be obtained by P'ariners' Clubs are the 

 following : To ascertain the nature and (juali- 

 ties of the soils and subsoils of the district ; to 

 inquire into the comparative value of different 

 sorts of raaimres ; to test by experiments al- 

 leged improvements in cultivation, m agricul- ) 



Now, the probability is, that most of those who read this will say — 'Yes, 

 doubtless, it's all very well ; but how are we to go about putting your advice into 

 force ? What can / do toward it V — Hold on, reader, and we will tell you ; for 

 our aim has ever been, in our humble way, not to amuse our readers with some 

 humbug of the moment, as children are amused by tying on a siring and letting 



* John G. Palfrey, of Cambridge, Mass. 

 (533) 



stock ; to discover the most profitable varie- 

 ties in corn, seeds, or roots, and the most ad- 

 vantageous rotiitlon of crops ; to collect in- 

 fomiation resj)ecting the state and progress of 

 Agriculture, by correspondence, by the es- 

 tablishment of agricultural libraries, and by 

 sucli other means as may be deemed expe- 

 dient ; in a word, to advance the interests oj 

 As-ricii/tiirc in every possible n-ay — reducing 

 theory to practice, and throwing the light ol 

 knowledge and science over the most useful 

 and unportant of the arts of life." 



