No. 112.] 433 



in our power to properly husband the preseut abundant means of 

 life and support. The time is not far distant, notwithstanding 

 our immense territory, with our present ratio of increase, that we 

 shall be compelled to cease from cultivating, as we have in years 

 past, a piece of land until we have robbed it of its natural fer- 

 tility, and then abandon it for another, and so on from farm to 

 farm, from State to State, and from territory to territury. 



Perhaps there is no place in the known world where the yearly 

 and daily laborer, all things' considered, is better rewarded than 

 with us. Of this we ought not and do not complain. The man 

 who labors diligently and faithfully from early morn to the set- 

 ting sun for the sum of fifty cents to one dollar per day, as the 

 season demands, is richly and honestly entitled to that compensa- 

 tion. Still every owner or manager of a farm knows full well 

 that it is only from the strictest economy and perseverance in the 

 management of his farm, that he is enabled to pay even such 

 wages. The same amount of physical labor performed in almost 

 any other avocation produc«s a better reward. Is this not for 

 the want of a proper and scientific knowledge in the application 

 of such labor 1 Yes, gentlemen, we are groping in the dark. 



Who is there among us that are farmers, (and the same ques- 

 tion may be asked throughout our State and Nation,) but with 

 deep regret and mortification must acknowledge that he knows 

 far too little, yea, next to nothing of the scientific principles 

 which govern the growth and productions of his soil ? 



For myself, gentlemen, I feel it most sincerely. In view of 

 these facts, then, I claim that the most important demand both 

 for the interest of the nation and individual prosperity, is the 

 immediate establishment and endowment of agricultural schools 

 and experimental farms. It is true that an institution of this 

 kind would slightly increase the expenses of our government 

 and draw lightly from the purses of individuals. But, gentle- 

 men, the small amount talcen from our pockets would incrcabe 

 the knowledge of our heads, and like l)read cast upon the waters 

 return again to our pockets fourfold. Let us lose no time there- 

 fore in petitioning for this most important object. Give us an 

 institution devised by the best wisdom and intelli^jcnce of our 



[Aff. Tr. '53] CC 



