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Agriculture is the most Healthy and Honorable, as it is the most Natural and Usefiil pursuit of Man. 



VOL XII. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y. — JANUARY, 1851. 



NO. 1. 



THE FARMER TO ITS FRIENDS -THE NEW YEAR. 



At the commencement of a new year — a new era in 

 our lives — it is not unprofitable to look back upon 

 tiie past — to note its teachings — to call to mind its 

 lessons of instruction. Too apt are we, in looking 

 forward to the future, to forget tlie past — to neglect 

 its warnings. It has been said tliat man needs to 

 live one life to learn hoiv to live. Can we not learn 

 in one year how to live the next ? Who can look 

 back even upon tlie past year, without remembering 

 many things neglected that should have been done — 

 many things done that should not have been — still 

 many more that might have been better done. The 

 wasted time — the misspent moments — how large an 

 account they roll up against us at the end of each 

 year. A moment lost can never be recovered, but 

 we can take heed for the future — we may learn to 

 improve the moments as they fly. There is no fitter 

 time than this to think of these things. There is no 

 better time for young farmers (yea, for old as well 

 as young,) to improve their minds, than during the 

 long winter evenings. If we stand at the base and 

 look up the hill of science, it indeed looks formidable. 

 Its sides are steep and rugged — its summit almost 

 inaccessible. But, take courage and ascend a little 

 way, and the distance to the top is lessened — the 

 work accomplished is less difficult than was antici- 

 pated. The path that seemed so rugged as almost 

 to frighten us from all attempts, has become smooth 

 — the hard road is comparatively easy. The suc- 

 cess of the past gives courage and strength for the 

 future. As we look abroad from the position already 

 gained, a new world is open before us — a new crea- 

 tion is presented to our view. That which was once 

 a strange language is now become familiar as house- 

 hold words. We now see beauty and design where 

 before we saw no beauty — nothing to attract our 

 attention. We now hold converse with nature, for 

 we have learned its language. The rocks, the trees, 

 the insects, speak to us of their age, construction, 

 and destiny. The broken rock that once we would 

 have passed unnoticed, is now examined ; and it af- 

 fords food for thought — we trace in it the leaf or the 

 insect, and thus learn that it once belonged to the 

 vegetable or animal world. Science teaches that 

 this rock is crumbling and forming soil — that it con- 

 tains elements that assist in forming bread and sup- 

 porting life. From this position the student of 

 nature beholds the power of the Creator as wonder- 

 fully displayed in the construction of the smallest 



insect, as in man. He learns, too, the matter and 

 composition of the various plants, and what is neces- 

 sary to their support. 



We do not ruppose that farmers can gain that 

 eminence in science which men attain whose whole 

 lives are devoted to study and investigation. But, 

 we can all learn enough to understand the writino's, 

 and apply what is valuable in the discoveries of these 

 men. We can all learn enough to enjoy the glori- 

 ous " feast of reason" which a bountiful Providence 

 has provided for us. A little determination — a little 

 application is all that is necessary. Good books are 

 now published very cheap, and can be obtained, we 

 think we may safely say, by all. The want of time, 

 that old excuse, is about worn out ; it has acted its 

 part — served as an excuse for the idle long enough, 

 and all are now ashamed of it ; so let it die. 



In the pages of the Farmer, while we have endeav- 

 ored to urge the importance of science to agriculture, 

 A3 have not forgotten the necessity of heeU ng the 

 teachings of experience. More than one halt of our 

 pages each month are filled with articles written by 

 farmers who hold the plow and swing the scythe. 

 The aversion farmers have felt to giving the results 

 of their observation and practice on paper, is fast 

 passing away, and now, instead of lacking guch 

 practical articles, we often have to defer some, and 

 even then find ourselves almost crowded out. But 

 of this we do not complain. We are willing to be 

 crowded even into silence, if farmers will take the 

 work into their own hands. No man, of even com- 

 mon observation, can labor on a farm for years, with- 

 out noticing some fact in regard to crops, or weeds, 

 or soil, or stock, of importance to those engaged in 

 the same profession. Farmers know this, and feel 

 the importance of the facts thus learned, as is shown 

 by the willingness with which they communicate 

 them to their neighbors. If farmers meet at each 

 other's houses, or travel together to market, they 

 discuss these questioes. If you have learned any- 

 thing of importance, you can talk through the farmer 

 to a hundred thousand at once. Certainly a large 

 and respectable audience. If any matter is stated 

 contrary to the experience of any of our readers, a 

 reply will soon be furnished ; and thus, by bringing 

 the minds of farmers, with their experience, in con- 

 tact, we learn the facts, and axe prevented from rash- 

 ly jumping at conclusions. 



We never commenced a volume of the Farmer 

 under more favorable auspices, never with as much 

 confidence in our ability to furnish a paper worthy 



