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LM'f •\j f-~&4irr\L A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF THE FARM, HOME, AND GARDEN. VOL. VIII. INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1873. No. 15. [For the Indian* Farmer. . AGRICULTURAL READING. The season of long nights and stormy days is here, when fanners mast, from necessity) ipend considerable of their time in the house. This is the time for reading and study. No class of men have more to learn or more leisure from business to learn it than farmers, and consequently they should be the best posted in the things that pertain to their calling, of all men in the country. But what are the facts in the case ? Do not the facts bear me out in the assertion that farmers as a class show less regard.for the knowledge of their own business than any other class ? If I go into the office or house of a professional man or merchant I find books and periodicals treating on the various subjects relating to his business; and a little conversation will show him to be conversant with their contents. BUT HOW IS IT WITH THE FARMER ? In visiting the houses of farmers not more than one in one hundred will be found to contain any kind of a book on agricultural subjects, except it may be a copy or two of the Reports of the Agricultural Department at Washington, which has been sent as a cheap favor by some Congressman; but though containing much valuable information, it has cost too little to be worthy of special notice, so it has been laid aside as an ornament to the book-shelf. Perhaps ten per cent, take an agricultural periodical. But these are almost invariably the most intelligent and prosperous men in their community. There are about TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND FARMERS IN THE STATE OF INDIANA. Probably not more than ten per cent, of these take and read any Und of an agricultural paper. The popular idea seems to be that fanning is all muscle and no bran,—all drudgery and no intelligence. Hence, there, are no means employed in, and no time devoted to, the cultivation of the intellect in its relation to the business of farming. There, is even a strong prejudice in the minds of some farmers against scientific farmers. Of course there is a great deal of agricultural quackery palmed off in the name of science. But this does not destroy the fact that there ts a real agricultural science. And again at this no well founded objection can exist Scientific farming is fanning according to systematic knowledge, which would bo an improvement on much of the farming of the country. However well it may have done to ignore intelligence and neglect reading in connection with fanning in times past, it will do no longer. Farmers have taken A NEW DEPARTURE. And henceforth the brain is to be a co-worker with the muscle in the production of the necessaries of life. One of the grand results of the PRESENT UPRISING among the rural population will be a higher grade of intelligence applied, to agricultural pursuits. No farmer can longer afford to remain ignorant of the great principles underlying his business in its relations to the earth, the elements, and to society in all its phases. Every farmer's house should contain at least a fevr good books treating on agricultural and horticultural subjects. And above all, no farmer should attempt to live without one or more good agricultural papers in the family. I think the following among other . BENEFITS WILL FOLLOW the course suggested: 1. You will learn many new and improved methods of performing many of the operations of the farm by which you can produce better and heavier crops with the same outlay in their production. 2d. Your business will be elevated from mere drudgery to an intellectual pursuit, and it will become correspondingly inte-S eating and pleasant as well as profitable. 3d. It will keep your mind constantly awake to the best methods of farming and the saving and applying of manures so* as to keep up and increase the fertility of the farm instead of running it down as is too frequently the case. 4th. It will give pleasant entertainment to all during hours of leisure, and at the same time it will elevate and refine the mind. 5th. It will add to the pleasures of home, and to the attractions of farm life, thus serving as a strong cord to bind the children to tho old home-stead, and aid in driving away that restless, discontented spirit that drives so many of the boys to the town or city. 6th. Aa a mere matter of education in a family of children this plan will be worth many times its cost. In conclusion permit me to call especial attention to the importance of giving A nEARTY SUPPORT TO THE INDIANA FARMER, as tho paper for Indiana farmers to read The proprietors of this paper, in response to what they understood to be tho wish of the farmers of the State, have changed-it from a monthly to a weekly, thus adding greatly to its# cost, and are still proposing further enlargement and improvement at the beginning of the new year. But so far they have failed to realize that hearty response on Ihe part of the farmers that they had a right to expect. These worthy men hare labored zealously and faithfully to give us A PAPER WORTHY OF OUR SUPPORT; and in this they have succeeded. With two ' hundred thousand farmers in onr State it is a shame that this paper has not at least fitly thousand paying subscribers. It could and ought to be brought up to this figure by January 1st. Brother farmer, what will you do to help this work on ? While you read this, will you not determine at once to renew your own subscription, if not already done, and show this paper to your neighbors, and ■ not only ask but urge them to take it also? Present the subject to your grange if you are a member, and get all to take hold of this work. You all have the same interest in this matter tbat I have—that of building up an agricultural paper in our midst that will be an honor and blessing to our State. L. J. Templin. One hundred years ago England produced only 16,000,000 bushels of wheat, two-thirds ofthe crop of Minnesota. Now, having established good farming, she produces 100,- 000,000, four times as much as Minnesota. ^t_a$&&&_^
Object Description
Title | Indiana farmer, 1873, v. 08, no. 15 (Dec. 13) |
Purdue Identification Number | INFA0815 |
Date of Original | 1873 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | United States - Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or not-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Date Digitized | 2011-02-17 |
Digitization Information | Original scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Description
Title | Page 1 |
Subjects (LCSH) |
Agriculture Farm management Horticulture Agricultural machinery |
Subjects (NALT) |
agriculture farm management horticulture agricultural machinery and equipment |
Genre | Periodical |
Call Number of Original | 630.5 In2 |
Location of Original | Hicks Repository |
Coverage | Indiana |
Type | text |
Format | JP2 |
Language | eng |
Collection Title | Indiana Farmer |
Rights Statement | Content in the Indiana Farmer Collection is in the public domain (published before 1923) or lacks a known copyright holder. Digital images in the collection may be used for educational, non-commercial, or non-for-profit purposes. |
Repository | Purdue University Libraries |
Digitization Information | Orignal scanned at 300 ppi on a Bookeye 3 scanner using internal software. Display images generated in CONTENTdm as JP2000s; file format for archival copy is uncompressed TIF format. |
Transcript | LM'f •\j f-~&4irr\L A WEEKLY JOURNAL OF THE FARM, HOME, AND GARDEN. VOL. VIII. INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1873. No. 15. [For the Indian* Farmer. . AGRICULTURAL READING. The season of long nights and stormy days is here, when fanners mast, from necessity) ipend considerable of their time in the house. This is the time for reading and study. No class of men have more to learn or more leisure from business to learn it than farmers, and consequently they should be the best posted in the things that pertain to their calling, of all men in the country. But what are the facts in the case ? Do not the facts bear me out in the assertion that farmers as a class show less regard.for the knowledge of their own business than any other class ? If I go into the office or house of a professional man or merchant I find books and periodicals treating on the various subjects relating to his business; and a little conversation will show him to be conversant with their contents. BUT HOW IS IT WITH THE FARMER ? In visiting the houses of farmers not more than one in one hundred will be found to contain any kind of a book on agricultural subjects, except it may be a copy or two of the Reports of the Agricultural Department at Washington, which has been sent as a cheap favor by some Congressman; but though containing much valuable information, it has cost too little to be worthy of special notice, so it has been laid aside as an ornament to the book-shelf. Perhaps ten per cent, take an agricultural periodical. But these are almost invariably the most intelligent and prosperous men in their community. There are about TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND FARMERS IN THE STATE OF INDIANA. Probably not more than ten per cent, of these take and read any Und of an agricultural paper. The popular idea seems to be that fanning is all muscle and no bran,—all drudgery and no intelligence. Hence, there, are no means employed in, and no time devoted to, the cultivation of the intellect in its relation to the business of farming. There, is even a strong prejudice in the minds of some farmers against scientific farmers. Of course there is a great deal of agricultural quackery palmed off in the name of science. But this does not destroy the fact that there ts a real agricultural science. And again at this no well founded objection can exist Scientific farming is fanning according to systematic knowledge, which would bo an improvement on much of the farming of the country. However well it may have done to ignore intelligence and neglect reading in connection with fanning in times past, it will do no longer. Farmers have taken A NEW DEPARTURE. And henceforth the brain is to be a co-worker with the muscle in the production of the necessaries of life. One of the grand results of the PRESENT UPRISING among the rural population will be a higher grade of intelligence applied, to agricultural pursuits. No farmer can longer afford to remain ignorant of the great principles underlying his business in its relations to the earth, the elements, and to society in all its phases. Every farmer's house should contain at least a fevr good books treating on agricultural and horticultural subjects. And above all, no farmer should attempt to live without one or more good agricultural papers in the family. I think the following among other . BENEFITS WILL FOLLOW the course suggested: 1. You will learn many new and improved methods of performing many of the operations of the farm by which you can produce better and heavier crops with the same outlay in their production. 2d. Your business will be elevated from mere drudgery to an intellectual pursuit, and it will become correspondingly inte-S eating and pleasant as well as profitable. 3d. It will keep your mind constantly awake to the best methods of farming and the saving and applying of manures so* as to keep up and increase the fertility of the farm instead of running it down as is too frequently the case. 4th. It will give pleasant entertainment to all during hours of leisure, and at the same time it will elevate and refine the mind. 5th. It will add to the pleasures of home, and to the attractions of farm life, thus serving as a strong cord to bind the children to tho old home-stead, and aid in driving away that restless, discontented spirit that drives so many of the boys to the town or city. 6th. Aa a mere matter of education in a family of children this plan will be worth many times its cost. In conclusion permit me to call especial attention to the importance of giving A nEARTY SUPPORT TO THE INDIANA FARMER, as tho paper for Indiana farmers to read The proprietors of this paper, in response to what they understood to be tho wish of the farmers of the State, have changed-it from a monthly to a weekly, thus adding greatly to its# cost, and are still proposing further enlargement and improvement at the beginning of the new year. But so far they have failed to realize that hearty response on Ihe part of the farmers that they had a right to expect. These worthy men hare labored zealously and faithfully to give us A PAPER WORTHY OF OUR SUPPORT; and in this they have succeeded. With two ' hundred thousand farmers in onr State it is a shame that this paper has not at least fitly thousand paying subscribers. It could and ought to be brought up to this figure by January 1st. Brother farmer, what will you do to help this work on ? While you read this, will you not determine at once to renew your own subscription, if not already done, and show this paper to your neighbors, and ■ not only ask but urge them to take it also? Present the subject to your grange if you are a member, and get all to take hold of this work. You all have the same interest in this matter tbat I have—that of building up an agricultural paper in our midst that will be an honor and blessing to our State. L. J. Templin. One hundred years ago England produced only 16,000,000 bushels of wheat, two-thirds ofthe crop of Minnesota. Now, having established good farming, she produces 100,- 000,000, four times as much as Minnesota. ^t_a$&&&_^ |
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