92 The Fanner's Calling. [^'^b., 



it ; but that Is not the kind of I'armliig that we have to do with. 

 We are speaking of the farming by which a man is to get his liv- 

 ing and make provision for his family. The farmer of this sort 

 must work himself, and not to do enough for exercise, and then 

 to read the newspapers and talk politics the rest of the day — this 

 will not do. Such a man will find every day that he needs less 

 and less exercise and more talk,until by-and-bye his farm calls out 

 for another owner. But he must keep at it, for he will always find 

 enough to do. The true farmer's work is never done. He may clear 

 up the w^oods, and kill out the noxious weeds, and fence his land 

 well, (a work that many of us have not come up to yet,) still his 

 work is not done. If he is an observing man he will always find 

 something to be done by way of improvement ; and if he has the 

 right spirit, it will be no hardship. A man to whom labor is not 

 a pleasure had better not take to farming." 



The following are the author's views of science in connection 

 with agriculture. 



" There is a great deal said in our day about scientific farming ; 

 and a great deal is expected from it. Far be it from me to say a 

 word against it — the more science the better, if it is only sound. 

 But almost always, there are a great many things said of every 

 thing when it first comes up, w^hich do not turn out to be true. 

 So with this matter : there is, no doubt, a great deal in science 

 that may be useful to the farmer. But science alone will not do 

 it all ; and every thing that is called " science" is not to the point 

 in farming. The man who has spent his life in the study of sci- 

 ence, can give information and hints which the practical farmer 

 can apply ; but he cannot do away with the necessity for ex- 

 perience. Hence I never w^ent into the idea of an Agricultral 

 College, where men are to be turned out farmers as spools are 

 turned out from the turning lathe. My idea is that every far- 

 mer must have a home school to teach farming, and he must be 

 master of it, and his boys and hired help must be the scholars. 

 He must read and observe, and guide himself by his reading and 

 his experience united. I believe every farmer should have a good 

 education, and for this purpose the standard should be raised high- 

 er in our common schools ; and they should study things having 

 a bearing on their business ; but practical farming is to be learn- 

 ed by working in earnest. I know it may be said that I am not 

 exactly the man to give an opinion on the subject of education ; 

 but let it be remembered that there are two classes of men who 

 have a right to speak on the subject of education — those who 

 have a good education, and those who have felt the want of it. 

 It does appear to me that people are disposed to look in the wrong 

 direction for the improvement of education, as regards the farm- 



