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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, DECEMBER 16,1882.
Affrlcnltnral School*.
Editor Southern World:—Such is the na
ture of things and language that definitions
are very indefinite. This difficulty, in all but
the exact sciences, has been the cause of end
less discussion—the cause of division into
parties—in politics, morals and religion,—of
wars, of persecution and martyrdom. In
one sense all human knowledge (from the
Latin verb, teio, to know) is science, but it
is now confined generally to a knowledge of
certain troths or principles, which can be
generalized and classified, so as to form some
rule of guidance. Science Is one thing and
art another; science is the discovery of
truth and its classification; art is the appli
cation of those truths to the formation of
tastes, human action, or the physical, natu
ral productions, or their modifications.
Hence, all the fine and useful arts are based
upon previous science, or such isolated
truths which have not yet been developed
into the generic rule, called science. Agri
culture, then, is an art and not a science.
It Is the art of production by means of the
natural forces, just as the cabinet maker is
an artist by the modification of wood or
other material intj new forms. It is just as
absurd, then, to say agricultural science os
to call cabinet making a science. The ab
surdity of attempting agricultural scientific
schools is apparent. The art of agriculture
can no doubt be taught in schools with pro
fessors teaching some of the sciences, and
working lit the fields; but it is better learned
at home, or with successful cultivators of
farms or breeders of.stock; for in those
schools the professors are about bs ignorant
of the art of agriculture as the studen ts them
selves. This obvious result has been worked
out by the stern law of experiment And
all the schools or colleges, with agricultural
basis or appointments have turned out a fail
ure. The sciences which are most needed
by tillers of the soil can best be learned in
schools devoted entirely to mental action;
and the art of agriculture can best be learned
and practiced when the ownership of the soil
and personal interest lead to the greatest re
sults. .
WHAT TUB STATE CAM DO.
The State can not make a scientific agri
culturist, but it can teach such sciences as
are most necessary to agricultural art. It
can establish a^bChool Where the sciences
—"~moat important to agriculture and stock-
breeding may be taught, such as chemistry,
botany, anatomy, geology, climatology, etc.,
which assist the agriculturist; And when the
ancient languages, history, the higher math
ematics, the bases of the fine arts of painting
and sculpture, morals, law, etc., which,
though aiding the general scholar, may be
dispensed with in agricultural education.
The State can fit a portion of its subjects to
enter upon farms and agriculture. The
Btate can do more, it can form agricultural
stations, where learned professors can assist
the farmer and stock-breeder in applying ag
ricultural science to agricultural art Let
them use hired labor. Let them tell us what
, cio*the chemical properties of wheat, maize,
apples, potatoes, etc. How much starch,
sugar, ash, etc., each has; and how much of
such elements certain soils, manures, agri
cultural chemicals, as salt, and ashes, agri
cultural sulphates, phosphates, etc., can
supply. Let them assist the farmer in class
ifying his grains and fruits, and weeds, and
insects and "all that.” Let this be done by
the States at the public expense, and the re
sults distributed in printed tabulated form
to the leading agriculturists in the several
States; and then let a national bureau col
lect all these data for national distribution,
and international exchange.
SKIDS AND LIVE STOCK.
It should be the business of the State agri
cultural schools and stations to select the
best seeds and live stock from all the world;
best suited to certain soils and climes; and
^ distribute them—aided in the selection and
distribution by the national agricultural sta
tistical bureau. I have thus given a few
hints at what the government can do in aid
of the development of the greatest and most
useful of all the arts—agriculture; leaving
many things untouched which should bo
done; my object being to set the govern
ment and people upon the right track, see
ing what can be done and what should not
be vainly attempted. C. M. Clay.
Whitehall, Ay.
The Thomasville (Georgia) Times says:
Sometime last spring, the Southern World
offered a premium of $20, in gold, to the boy
under sixteen years of age, who would re
port the best yield of any crop, on a half
acre of land. Master Mark Battle, son of
Rev. J. It. Battle, saw the proposition and
contested for it The results ofliis labor WM
two hundred and fifty bushels of fine, large
sweet potatoes, on a half acre. A specimen
half bushel of the potatoes, and proper ac
companying certificates—sworn to by disin
terested parties—were forwarded the other
day to the Southern World, at Atlanta.
We commend the worthy example of young
Mr. Battle to the young men and boys of
Thomas. It shows what a boy can do, when
be tries. Boys make a great mistake, when
they think that farming is only drudgery,
and can not be made to pay. What the
county needs is fewer clerks, with their hair
parted in the middle, fewer professional
drones, and more manly youths who are not
afraid and ashamed to take hold of the plow.
But make the country prosperous, and the
towns will take care of themselves. It is in
the soil where the surest chances of success
in life are found; it is on the farm, where
the truest contentment is found; it is around
the country family fireside where the purest
virtue is found. Despise not the country.
Georgia Gold Mine*.
A. J. Nichols, of Habersham county, is
having the Chattahoochee river turned so
that he can work out the bed of it for gold.
We are officially informed that the placers
belonging to the Loud Company, are paying
largely, the largest nugget recently found
weighed fifty-five pennyweights. This,
though quite handsome, does not compare
with pieces that were found years ago. I
think the present Company has found larger
nuggets than this, one weighing 190 penny
weights and many others of less value.
Borne of these contain quartz, rongh in char
acter, au evidence that tiie gold had been
carried but a short distance from the vein.
Auraria is situated one mile southeast of
the Etowah river, and six miles southwest
of Dalilonega, and near the conter of the
great gold belt, that has attracted so much
attention throughout the land. The name
itself indicates gold. In its early history, it
took the name of Knucklesville, not from
the fact that the name was taken from a resi
dent of the place, os some suppose, but from
the innumerable fights that took place be
tween the placer miners, years ago. They
were so fond of this sport that they could
not get satisfaction among themselves, so
oftentimes the weary sojourner was com
pelled to stop and participate. But now
those days are past, anil all is quiet. Though
the population is small, there is a con
siderable amount of trade, on account of the
rich mines that are actively operating from
day to ,day. At all times the stamps of the
quartz mill can be heard, pounding out gold
from the golden ores. Off to the north, but
a few hundred yards is the Chicago and
Georgia, which has been running a consider
able time, and will, no doubt, for years to
come. To the west are the Wells and Aura
ria, both active and well managed. To the
south and southwest are the Cleveland, Bell
and Chestatee. The latter is of 40 stamp ca
pacity, and beyond a doubt one of the finest
mills in the State. Two and one-half miles
northeast are other well organized compa
nies that are doing an immense business and
are realizing large profits, and still others
that are just getting under headway with a
view to success. Aside from the properties
that are being worked in this vicinity are
various other tracts that are rich in gold,
and in a future day there will be many other
stamp-mills at work with equal success. - The
question now to be considered is water. Of
course there is enough for the present de
mand, but if there was more the mining in
terest could be increased ten-fold, and Aura
ria might be able to compete with Dahlonega
as a mining center.
- A Voice From Middle Florida.
Editor Southern World:—This is some
distance north of that “frost line” to which
Southern Florida real estate agents so per
sistently direct your attention, and yet the
orange I have jnst finished was the product
of this section; so the orange in Florida—
as should our National President—knows no
North, no South, no East, no West
We, of this section, are beginning now to
see the gray streaks of silver light that are
following after a night of blackness and al
most of despair. The railroads and saw
mills have held out inducements to the ne
groes of middle Florida, and Quite a number
have left. Whether that had anything to do
with it or not, I know that our future looks
much brighter, and as I have said, we see
silver streaks. We are having a greater di
versity of crops—truck gardening is growing
profitable and hence popular—and improve
ment of stock andsoil are marked features of
the change we are undergoing. With a prom
ised outlet via Thomasville to the North and
Weet, and a fertile, productive soil, middle
Florida promises to be the fairest portion of
the State, and money invested here now Js
certain to return a handsome interest in the
increased value of property.
Thomas W. Conrad.
tfonticello, Fla.
Why Farmers do not take Agricultu
ral Papers.
Editor Southern World.—There are two
reasons why farmers do not take agricultu
ral papers.
1. For many years past, a large majority
have found it very difficult to make any
thing more than a scanty living, and it has
been very seldom that they have bad a dollar
that was not needed to supply what was in
dispensably necessary for the support of
their families. The unfortunate farmers
have been much abused for this very un*.
pleasant state of affairs. The papers ail over
the country—North and 8outh—say it is the
result of bad management on their part—
too much cotton, too much waste and ex
travagance, etc., but such is not the case. It
is the result of bad, shameful, sinful govern
ment. The farmers’ hard earnings have
been wrested from them and given to rich
monopolists by the strong arm of wicked
laws, and they have thus been reduced to a
condition that rendered good management
impossible—a condition that placed them
completely in the hands of men who hap
pened to have money, and who have ruled
them, regardless of the farmers’ interest or
choice, so as to get their hard earnings into
the most convenient shape for converting
into money. To say that if farmers would
do this and so, they would succeed, is about
os consistent as to say a monkey would
weigh as much os an elephant if he was
heavy enough. But to my subject.
2. A large majority of farmers are igno
rant of the principles involved in the science
of agriculture, and as a general thing they
think they know all about farming; conse*
qucntly they do not know the value of agri
cultural publications, and it is impossible
(or them to know it until they get a certain
amount of information on the subject of
agriculture. If it was possible to make them
understand the value of agricultural publi
cations they would soon find some means to
get a dollar for a journal that would be
worth so many dollars to them in the course
of a year, but that is impossible, and they'
are in a pitiable condition and are entitled
to the sympathy of those who have been so
fortunate as to learn the value of agricultur
al papers; and it is certainly the duty of the
latter to work faithfully, intelligently and
patiently with their unfortunate brethren to
get them to avail themselves of the light of
agricultural publications to help carry the
unreasonable, unconstitutional and unjust
burdens that are forced upon them by an
unwise and unjust goverment, and for carry
ing which they get no equivalent, either di
rect or indirect. It would be an easy thing
for the present subscribers to agricultural
publications to get one new subscriber each.
Many no doubt might easily induce a dozen
of their unfortunate brethren to become sub
scribers by a little well directed effort, with
no appreciable cost to themselves, and thus
do an incalculable amount of good. Now
what say you brethren? Will not each one
of you take at least the little trouble neces
sary to get one new subscriber? Is it not
your duty to your neighbor, your editor and
to the public ? It undoubtedly is your duty,
and if you will consider the matter intelli
gently you will take great pleasure, every
one of you, getting in as many new subscri
bers as possible. If every farmer could be
induced to become readers of agricultural
and other papers, and inform themselves of
their true situation, we would soon be able
to relieve ourselves from the Shameful, sin
ful robbery that is being practiced upon us
for the benefit of rich monopolists under
false pretense of protecting American labor.
So here brethren let us go to work in good
earnest. M. H. Zellner.
Athville, Ala.
[We commend the above to the careful at
tention of the farmers who do read The
World. Those who are not readers cannot,
of course, be reached through this medium.
We think our correspondent "strikes the
nail on the head" in his second proposition—
"A large majority of farmers are Ignorant of
the principles Involved in the science of ag
riculture, etc.” They do not appreciate the
value of the information that may be ob
tained through the medium of agricultural
books and periodicals. There is a very deep
seated prejudice against what is contempt
uously called "book-farming.” Intelligent
reading men know that this is an unfounded
prejudice,—almost as ineradicable as it is
unreasonable. It is almost useless to attempt
by mere writing to remove this prejudice,
for the reason that those whom we would
convince will not read. The most that can
be done is to furnish good papers, filled with
interesting and instructive matter, and aid
our readers in their mittionary effort* by sug
gestions and arguments. Every intensive
reader knows that valuable, practical infor
mation in every department of industry
(especially in the professions) sooner or later
finds Its way into newspapers, agricultural *
journals and finally into books. . How a
valuable suggestion or fact can lose its value'-• —
and practical character by putting it into
type is beyond comprehension.
The appeal of our correspondent to his
brother fanners (readers of the World and
others) is practical and pointed and needs no
further comment than to assure them that
the proprietors and editors of the World
will endeavor to do their part by furnishing
a good paper at the bare cost of printing and
paper.
Practical and Nuggestlvc.
Editor Southern World.—Parties with
whom I have talked about your paper have
asked me if it had an inquiry department.
I am going to do all that my limited means
will admit of to extend the circulation of
your journal. Every one that writes to me
about cotton seed or anything else by which
I know he is a farmer, is recommended to
take your journal, and one wrote me that be
did so and was highly pleased with it. The
Southern World is so cheap at one dollar,
that every subscriber ought to take advan
tage of every opportunity to get subscribers
for you. It is their duty not only to you
but to the public. Thousands of farmers
have no knowledge of the principles i n volved
in their occupation, and millions are lost to
them annually on that account. There is
no other way in which a man can do as much
good at so little expense as by getting a sub
scriber to a good agricultural journal, but
very few ever make any effort to lead their
benighted brethren out of darkness. This,
it seems to me, is the selfish age—don’t think -
I can be mistaken about it, and every editor
ought to devote considerable time and space
to correct this ruinous evil; but be sure you
don’t encroach on your agricultural depart
ment to do It Enlarge that if possible so
that you may have abnndan|^pun-tO£JUba^^
quiries and other communications from
your subscribers. I regard it the duty of
those who write for publication to sign their
names to their communications, and have
always done so and expect to continue doing
so, notwithstanding the annoyance and ex
pense to which it subjects me. When I
read a communication—a good one especial
ly—I have a great desire to know the name
ot the author. M. H. Zxllnir.
Athville, Ala.
Plowing in Green Crops.
Editor Southern World.—I see an arti
cle in the World, on the subject of plowing
in green crops, and the writer wishes to
know which is the best, to plow in green or
let the crop die first and then plow in. I
think nature answers that question for him.
The leaves never fall to the earth green.
They first die then fall and decay and enrich
the soil. Let him put dead leaves in one
furrow and green leaves in another and plant
the two rows at the some time, in the same
crop, and he will find that there is a great
difference in favor of the row with the dead
leaves in it. I think the proper way to do,
is to mow the crop down and let it die and
then plow it in. Jas. D. MacRae.
Brunswick eo. N. 0.
Crops in Alabama.
______ 4
Editor Southern World :—Colonel Fur
man’s address on intensive farming and
DeKalb’s Model Farmer are calculated to do
much good. I will contribute occasionally
as I may find time to do so. I will just here
remark that our Dallas crops are better than
for some years, oats, corn, cotton, potatoes,
peas and sugar cane. The last is being al
most universally cultivated, even sorghum
is quite abundant—came in well to supple
ment the great meat deficiency.
U. J. Crompton.
Pleatant Hitt, Ala.
According to a writer in the Britiih Medi
cal Journal, the opium habit may be discon
tinued with perfect safety and without dis
comfort by gradually reducing the doses of
morphia and substituting bromide of potas
sium in increasing doses. The point is to
keep up the proper proportion between the
two drugs and hence the necessity of mod-
ical supervision, f •