236 JSditorial Miscellany. 



propitious epoch, to urge upon those who think education, as im- 

 parted by the district school, sufficient mental lore to send their 

 children from the parental roof to dig and traffic, to impress tliis 

 class with a higher sense of duty to their offspring. 



The farmer, to thoroughly understand his vocation, requires an 

 equally large amount of scientific tuition as the lawyer or di- 

 vine. The question arises, in what manner is this to be realized? 

 We would answer, let the various societies throughout the coun- 

 try organize themselves into a bodj^ for concerted action, whose 

 business it shall be, (either by private or public enterpi'ise) to de- 

 vote their time and energies to procure the erection ot schools 

 and colleges, for instruction in good understandable common sense 

 science, as applied to terra cultural interests. Much can be per- 

 formed by individuals, of which fact we have a great living evi- 

 dence, in the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder le grand pere de pomona 

 et flore in America. Let all who possess the leisure and 

 means, contribute their mite to this gentleman's really arduous 

 labors. Somehow it appears to us that many of the societies of 

 agriculture and horticulture, existing in various districts, are ex- 

 tremely farcical. They lack, in many instances, leading men with 

 the requisite ability. They convocate at stated periods, throw 

 wise looks at one another, waste much valuable time in petty 

 preliminary proceedings ; occasional^ discuss a subject which is 

 postponed from one meeting to another, and finally goes under the 

 table without a decision. This is the i*esult of an insufficiency of 

 earnestness ; there should be more fixedness of pui'pose, more 

 energetic action, more unity, and more deference to the opinions 

 of those qualified to suggest subjects for discussion. And lastly, 

 let every man who grows a currant bush, contribute his share to 

 the support of some journal that advocates his interests. (We 

 are not giving 5'OU a hint, for independent of being able to take 

 care of ourselves, we have met with a success probablj'^ unparallel- 

 ed in horticultural journalism.) Many well conducted sheets, de- 

 voted to agriculture have been compelled to discontinue, after a 

 season of great vexation and pecuniary loss, for the reason that 

 they Avere credulous enough to believe that they would be abun- 

 dantly patronized, because the interests of an almost unlimited 

 class was the subject of their labors. Xow then, this same class 

 engage heart and soul in the contents of a trashy, naniby pamby 

 newspaper, emanating from some of our large cities — The Flag 



