264 
Aug. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
ber this analysis, and be interested in it, as the far¬ 
mer has, who is constantly raising grain, mixing 
soils and manures. The man who is applying ashes, 
lime, or plaster of Paris to his soil, will be more 
interested in an explanation of the mysterious and 
diversified agency of these substances, and of the 
adaptation of each to particular crops, than a man 
who is writing sermons, or pleading law, or making 
shoes, or selling goods. 
The farmer, therefore, has extraordinary facili¬ 
ties and motives to become acquainted with science, 
for almost every science aids him in his work, gives 
him skill and power, as well as pleasure and profit. 
He can read the theory, and then test the theory 
by his observation and experiments. Science comes 
not only to please but to profit; not only to enrich 
his mind with knowledge but to enrich his farm,— 
to improve his fruit and stock—to fill his barns and 
granaries. Formerly, it was thought a farmer had 
no use for knowledge. Now it is found that no la¬ 
borer has more use for knowledge. Even the profes¬ 
sional man has less use for science than the farmer. 
It is not true, then, that field occupations “ tend 
to stupify the mind” as Foster remarks. But they 
have the opposite tendency, to awaken intellect, 
and stimulate curiosity in the pursuit of knowledge. 
Nature is constantly before the farmer, proposing 
problems for him to solve; questions for him to an¬ 
swer; tempting and provoking him to read her laws; 
by making knowledge contribute to his health, 
as well as to his happiness. He need not travel out 
of his way, or leave his work, to find the book of na¬ 
ture, and observe her lessons and laws. No other 
laborer has so many facilities, or so many induce¬ 
ments to pursue knowledge and read nature, as the 
farmer, who is constantly experimenting upon the 
laws of nature. 
6. I observe in conclusion that the pursuit of 
agriculture is favorable to the general development 
and cultivation of the mind. It furnishes a home 
for the farmer and his family, a pleasant, rural home 
—one of the most essential means of moral, social, 
and intellectual improvement. The. farmer and his 
children are free from many temptations to vice, in¬ 
temperance, idleness and extravagance, which are 
the bane of intellectual improvement. His life is 
adapted to develop self-reliance, energy, manly in¬ 
dependence, as well as habits of observation, com¬ 
parison and reasoning. In the rotation of crops, 
the application of manures, the cultivation of fruit 
and raising stock, and in planning the work of a 
farm, as well as in buying and selling, there is abun¬ 
dant exercise for the judgment of the farmer. The 
business of the merchant is said to be favorable to 
developing the judgment, but we submit whether 
the occupation of the farmer does not afford a more 
enlarged and healthy sphere for the exercise of the 
judgment, than that of the merchant or mechanic. 
I noticed, recently, a paragraph from Elihu Bur- 
ritt, the import of which was, that the mechanic was 
more favorably situated than any other class of peo¬ 
ple, to obtain knowledge and cultivate his mind. 
But is not the occupation of the farmer quite as fa¬ 
vorable to health, and elasticity of both mind and 
body? Does it not afford as much or more leisure 
for improvement? Does not his occupation, which 
is a series of experiments on the laws of nature, 
give him a far better opportunity to observe these 
laws, and become acquainted with and interested in 
them, than that of the mechanic? Do not the nu¬ 
merous successful applications of science to agri¬ 
culture, afford a greater stimulus to pursue these 
sciences, as well as a better opportunity for the cul¬ 
tivation of the mind, and the exercise of the judg¬ 
ment, than can be found in the more monotonous 
employment of the mechanic? 
If the farmer, therefore, remains ignorant and 
stupid, it cannot be for want of opportunity for im¬ 
provement. He is a workman, an experimenter in 
the great Laboratory of Nature, where all he sees 
and hears invites him to observe, and inquire, and 
learn ; where he can employ in his daily labor, what¬ 
ever knowledge he may possess, and find motives to 
obtain more knowledge. The means of knowledge, 
too, are within his reach, so that his life need not 
be a life of drudgery and toil, unless he chooses to 
make it so. To be sure, the farmer must work 7 
and work hard, and therefore he needs the stimulus 
of knowledge; for knowledge will stimulate and 
encourage him to work, so that he can, not only do 
more work, but do it also to better advantage- In¬ 
telligent labor is the most successful labor . Many 
men who find no stimulus to labor, when it is a 
mere exercise of physical strength, will labor with 
zeal and enthusiasm, if the mind is only interested, 
at it may be in almost all the work of the farmer. 
The occupation of the farmer, then, should be 
chosen, not merely as favorable to competence, con¬ 
tentment, independence, health, morality, and the 
social virtues, but also as favorable to the pursuit 
of knowledge and the cultivation of the mind. 
James Tufts. Wardsboro , Vt., June , 1850. 
Poultry and Poultry Books. 
The Poultry Book : a treatise on feeding and general manage¬ 
ment of fowls; with numerous original descriptions and portraits 
from life. By John C. Bennett, M. D. 
The publishers of this work state, that “ to the 
author, is due the credit of having originated the 
interest now felt in respect to poultry.” The au¬ 
thor himself states that he was frequently requested 
to publish the book, by poultry breeders and fan¬ 
ciers; and in proof of its important character, he 
tells us that in preparing it, “all accessible author¬ 
ities have been consulted,” though he deems it 
unnecessary to mention the books which have been 
laid under contribution, as it would only make a 
“ pedantic display.” In addition to this, we are 
told there has been “ a vast mass of correspondence” 
which has brought out much important matter, “ not 
elsewhere to be found.” He also congratulates 
himself on one or two other points. “Special at¬ 
tention,” he says, “has been given to the descrip¬ 
tion of the varieties of fowls, and it will appear on 
examination that great labor has been expended on 
this department; and the author flatters himself that 
a remarkable degree of accuracy has been attained .” 
The “original portraits” of fowls which are given 
in the book, are deemed by the author to possess 
“ great importance and value,” and he thinks they 
“ will add to the fame of the eminent artists” by 
whom they have been executed. Finally, the author 
prides himself especially on the character of the 
department of the book relating to the breeding and 
management of poultry—a department which, we 
are told, “ is designed to be a vade mecum,” and 
he complacently concludes, that “ in no other work, 
can similar information be found.” 
These are certainly high claims; how well they 
are supported, we shall see, as we proceed with our 
examination of the work. 
The chapter on the “ origin of the Domestic 
Fowl,” comprising seven pages, is, almost every 
word, copied from Richardson, with no intimation 
of credit, except in a few of the latter paragraphs. 
