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Pennine what can be done. There is no prejudice more con- 

 temptible and senseless than that which prevails against what 

 is called book farming, and professes to disdain all instruction, 

 which comes in a printed form. If by book farming be meant 

 that a man undertakes to cultivate his farm by mere theory 

 without any experimental knowledge or observation, I only 

 say that no such instances have come within my knowledge ; 

 but if it be meant only that an intelligent man avails himself 

 of the history of the agriculture of other men and other coun- 

 tries, as far as it is applicable to his own condition, and of all 

 the aids which science or art, chemistry, botany, zoology, 

 anatomy, entomology, natural history, natural philosophy and 

 mechanics can afford in relation to the subject ; and of the 

 actual and exact experiments of other men faithfully made 

 and fully detailed, I am not able to see how he could pursue 

 a wiser course, for his own interest and success, the general 

 improvement of the art, and the benefit of society. 



It is to be hoped that the intellectual improvement of the 

 agricultural classes will keep pace with that of other classes 

 in our favored community. In that impetuous struggle for 

 advancement in knowledge, which is every where hurrying the 

 working classes forward, may the farmers neither hold back, 

 nor get out of the traces, nor lag behind. Their opportunities 

 for improvement are great. Books are universally accessible. 

 Small associations or circles for mutual improvement are highly 

 useful as well as agreeable ; and the long evenings of winter, 

 instead of being worse than wasted in the senseless gossip and 

 idle talk of the shop or tavern, afford most favorable oppor- 

 tunities for useful reading, for the instruction of our families ; 

 and the enjoyment of the innocent and delightful recreations 

 of domestic life. 



The respectable farmer occupies a most important and res- 

 ponsible moral station in the community. Coming in contact 

 with a numerous class of young men, whose manners and mo- 

 rals have been too often coarse, vulgar, intemperate, and dis- 

 reputable, it becomes his duty, and he should deem it a great 



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