44 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Feb, 
Suggestions for Jarmers. 
The Study of Nature Recommended. 
Editors Cultivator —Much has been said and writ¬ 
ten within the last few years on the importance of the 
study of Natural Science to the farmer; still, we think 
the subject is so important that there is little danger of 
too much being said. The study of Natural History 
has received so little attention in the United States, that 
very few farmers have a familiar knowledge of Chemis¬ 
try, Geology, Mineralogy and Botany, not to mention 
Entomology, which may be said to be in its infancy in 
this country, a large portion of our insects yet remain¬ 
ing unknown and undescribed. Let the votary of Na¬ 
tural Science travel to collect specimens, and he will 
often be questioned respecting the use of his specimens. 
If he-gather plants, the general impression will be that 
they are for medicine. He will rarely meet with any 
one who knows the utility of a cabinet or a herbarium, 
almost every body supposing that they are to be con¬ 
verted into money in some way; yet to what practical 
use many of the specimens can be applied, they can¬ 
not imagine. 
It is an old saying, that “ knowledge is power,” and 
this maxim is most strikingly verified in the pursuit of 
farming; so much so that individuals, farming in the 
same neighborhood, with farms of an equal natural fer¬ 
tility, meet with widely different results. The one has 
large profits on his capital invested, and the other, per¬ 
haps sinks money, or with difficulty raises sufficient to 
defray all expenses and support his family. The one 
obeys nature and her laws, and the other manages 
without system and contrary to nature. It may be said 
that many farmers make money and are highly success¬ 
ful, with little or no knowledge of Natural Science.—■ 
Granted; yet it must be admitted that they have deri¬ 
ved benefit from the example of others, who were ac¬ 
quainted with natural science, or they have more or 
less followed the instructions of men who, by experi¬ 
ment and observation, have obtained at least a partial 
knowledge of the laws of nature. Besides, if we exa¬ 
mine closely, we shall find that most of our very igno¬ 
rant rich farmers, have acquired money by great indus¬ 
try and economy, carrying the latter virtue to so great 
an extent as to deny themselves and families many of 
the conveniences and comforts of life. All w T iil admit 
that a knowledge of Chemistry, Geology and Botany, 
embracing a knowledge of vegetable physiology, would 
be of great practical utilty to the farmer. Were he a 
chemist, he could analyze the soil, and to do this, suffi¬ 
cient for all practical purposes, is within the capacity 
of all. By analyzing the soil, and knowing in addition 
the composition of the plant cultivated, the farmer 
knows what his soil needs, to grow that plant in its 
greatest perfection; or, in other words, he can feed the 
plant its proper food, and in suitable quantities. The 
farmer deals with nature. The greater portion of his 
life is spent amid the scenes of nature; hence, the more 
he understands nature, the better will he know' how to 
manage her in her varied changes. The great improve¬ 
ments that have been made in Agriculture during the 
last few years, are mainly owing to the appplication of 
science; and as yet we are but in the commencement 
of the improving era. Then it behooves us as farmers, 
to study nature, and let the youth of our land, the fu¬ 
ture farmers of the country, be taught the study of na¬ 
ture. Then, by knowledge joined with experiment,'in¬ 
dustry and economy, they will scarcely fail to enjoy a 
-competence, bosides having a greater opportunity to 
make new discoveries in agriculture and science, than 
the professor whose life is spent in the laboratory or 
academic hall. 
Withstanding the great assistance science affords 
in the acquisition of wealth, we think the greatest re* 
commendation to its study, is its power of affording 
happiness, which, after all, is the chief end and aim of 
every rational being. Our best and most permanent 
happiness, is mental, or derived from the mind. All 
other enjoyments are shared by the brutes, in common 
with man. Hence it follows, that the highly cultivated 
mind is capable of greater enjoyment than that which 
is uncultivated, because the cultivated mind has a great¬ 
er variety of food to satisfy its desires. We say its 
capacity for happiness is the greatest; not that, in 
every instance, the cultivated mind is alw r ays the hap¬ 
piest. We think the cultivated mind, versed in Natu¬ 
ral Science, is the happiest of all, because the study of 
nature is more congenial to the mind in its natural state 
than any other. Most of us recur with pleasure to the 
period of childhood, when we roamed in the woods and 
fields, gathering flowers and hunting birds r nestsy or 
chased butterflies and played in the brooks. Then was 
the time that all nature looked smiling, and then was 
the time to have instilled in our breasts a love of na¬ 
ture, by instructing us in the first principles of natural 
science. We have been told that Mr. Barnes, whose 
name is identified with the eonchology of this country, 
many years ago had charge of a public school in the 
city of New-York, and was highly successful in mana¬ 
ging and improving his boys, besides implanting in 
their bosoms a strong love of nature, without interfe¬ 
ring with their other studies. He encouraged the boys 
to gather curious stones, pebbles, shells, &c., during 
times of intermission and vacation, and to bring them 
to him. He would then name them, and talk about 
them, returning to each boy his own specimens, and 
the boys began to form cabinets for themselves. The 
effect was, it kept the boys out of mischief, besides af¬ 
fording them useful knowledge. Many of the boys of 
that school preferred gathering specimens in Natural 
History, to play, and several of them afterwards became 
distinguished naturalists. But the present system of 
common school education tends to deaden, instead of 
strengthen, a love of nature in children. Even in our 
higher schools and colleges, the study of Natural Sci¬ 
ence is considered of secondary importance, and there, 
if taught, it is genenerally done very superficially; how¬ 
ever, a brighter day begins to dawn, and its importance 
is seen and felt by many. 
A great proof of the power of the study of Natural 
History to afford happiness, is its health-giving prin¬ 
ciple. It leads its votaries to spend much time in the 
open air, amid the glorious scenes of creation, where 
their minds are agreeably entertained by the surrounding 
objects, whose order and beautiful adaptation of means 
to ends, excite both wonder and admiration. That the 
state of the mind has a great influence upon the health 
of the body, is well known to all. Its power to restore 
to health consumptive and dyspeptic persons, is magi¬ 
cal. We know of several distinguished naturalists, 
who think that they are indebted to their love of na¬ 
ture for thefr health and life. At one time, the state of 
our health was such, that our friends supposed we 
would not live long, and we almost despaired of life. 
Away from home, in the University at Middletown, Ct,, 
we began the study of mineralogy, and the formation 
of a cabinet. With congenial spirits, we roamed over 
the glorious hills of New England, examined her quar¬ 
ries, mines and stone fences, in search of specimens. 
We had happy times. Our health was restored. 
A great recommendation to the study of nature, and 
one which should induce parents to have their children 
thus instructed, is that it is a great preventive of vice 
and dissipation, because the mind of the naturalist is 
never at loss for employment, for suitable food. Let 
him be where he may, the great book of nature is ever 
open, inviting his study and attention, always present- 
