Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1869 — Learn Something Thoroughly. [ARTICLE]

Learn Something Thoroughly.

The trouble with the young people of our day is, that that they skim over a great many things, but do not know anything positively. They catch at the sound of words, as did the lad, who, when asked if he had studied German, answered, “ 1 have not, but my cousin plays the German flute.” They study mineralogy, botany, and ornithology, but how little do they really know about the rocks, the flowers, and the birds 1 For this reason they find but little pleasure in them. When a stranger comes to the place where we live, we feel very little interest in him, but after we are introduced to him, and become fully acquainted with him, and. find him very agreeable, we wish to be in* his society ak olten as possible. Professor Agassiz once placed a grasshopper upon his lecture table before a class of young men, and told them that this insect wodla be the subject of their conversation for the hoar. The class smiled at this, wondering wfrat new thing could be told of of this familiar little skipping fellow, urnping about their feet every summer. But they found the hour to be only too short, and wished for another, as the Professor opened before them all the curious and interesting facts about the grasshopper which his careful observation had revealed to him. We may have an active business, employing us daily, and still find time, if we are in earnest about it, to become no*

attainted with at least one cf the branches of natatol science. One of the mo*V active physicians In the Connecticut Valley collected a cabinet of inseoU and birds that was valued at fIO,OOO when he died, and a college coneidered l'self very fortunate in securing it, while the work of collecting It was the Joy of his life. Another,

in the same Valiey, became the most thorough scholar in the fossil tracks made In the sandstone formations of the vicinity. The writer well recollects the great pleasure exhibited by an eminent medical K* sor, who is also a very busy and nt writer, when shown a large elm tree; be whipped out his tape measure in a moment to learn its exact size. It proved to be a giant in circumference. All the facts about it were noted in his diary. He was acquainted with nearly every large tree In his native State, and every tiling of interest connected with them. It was delightful to hear him recount the incidents which he had gathered about them. We have often met a charming old gentleman, who wore a plain and neat Quaker dreas, and, until his l&mcutfd death, was interested In the charitable institutions of the State in which he lived He made a large fortune by economy and diligence. Wherever ho went he carried with him a convenient little fl iwer case, and whenever his quick eye fell upon a new blossom, or even an old one, if attractive, he gathered it as a great prize. He knew each flower by its own name, had learned alt its habits, and seemed almost to hold conversation with it. • What a pleasure to recognize every different bird by its form and note, to call them all by their appropriate names, and to know all their wonderful instincts shown in making their nests, gathering their food, and caring for their young! Choose one of these branches—the rocks, the flowers, the trees, the insects and fishes, or the birds, and then from books, from conversation with those who have information, and, above all, from careful observation, learn all about them; and thus an inexhaustible source of enjoyment will be discovered. —American Agriculturist.