52 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



and denies himself needful rest and relaxation, is hurtful not 

 only to his body but to his mind. Manual toil pursued without 

 intermission from early morn till late at night every day in the 

 year, is benumbing in its effect upon the mental powers. Some 

 degree of physical exercise is necessary to the healthy action of 

 the mind ; but such hard work as some of our farmers do, is far 

 from being conducive to mental activity. The introduction of 

 machinery is a great advantage to the farmer in this respect ; it 

 makes his burden of toil much lighter, and renders it possible 

 for him to perform all his work without experiencing the dead- 

 ening and stupefying effects which are so apt to follow severe 

 and protracted bodily exertion. Still the farmer has need to 

 guard against mental sluggishness and torpor ; and that is one 

 reason why he should cultivate a love of reading. The stimu- 

 lus which he gets from newspapers and books will keep him 

 mentally awake, even if he goes out but seldom. He ought not, 

 however, to shut himself up at home, even in the good society 

 of good books. His business will carry him occasionally to the 

 neighboring village or city, and his contact with the intense life 

 of the close populations will quicken his pulses and do him good. 

 In the winter there will be a course of lectures perhaps within 

 reach ; and if he buys a season ticket, and takes the trouble to 

 attend with his family, he will hear some utterances that are 

 wise and some that are otherwise ; but on the whole, because of 

 the stimulus thus given to his mind, the lecture ticket will be a 

 good investment. And if I were not a minister, I should say 

 that the habit of church-going would be of considerable advan- 

 tage to him, not only spiritually, but also intellectually. Besides, 

 it seems to me that it would be good for every farmer who can 

 spare the time and the money — (and most of you can if you 

 think so) — to take a shortjourney every autumn after the crops 

 are gathered, into some region which he has never visited be- 

 fore, keeping his eyes and ears open, and learning what he can, 

 not only about the best methods of agriculture, but about men 

 and things in general. In such ways as these the depressing 

 and stupefying effects of seclusion and muscular toil may be 

 averted, and the mental wakefulness and vigor which are essen- 

 tial to the highest development of mankind may be secured. 



The slow gains of the farmer are sometimes a stumbling block 

 in his way. With unremitting industry, with the greatest fru- 



