118 LINCOLN SOCIETY. 



nient from every good government since the earliest formation 

 of societ}'. If time would permit, it would be interesting to 

 trace its progress through sacred and profane historv, from its 

 ^rliest operations to the present time, to carefully examine 

 the various laws that were established by the ancients for its 

 encouragement, to compare the situation of the people of past 

 ages who were engaged in cultivating the soil with those who 

 were engaged in conducting long and bloody wars, to trace 

 the improvements that have been made in farming implements 

 from the time of the primitive plow made of a single root, to 

 the state of perfection displayed in the stock of tools of 

 a thorough farmer at the present day. Such an (examination 

 would be interesting and instructive, by it we should see the 

 troubles and difficulties of the early cultivators for want of 

 proper implements for farming purposes. They were almost 

 ignorant of the productive powers of the earth ; had little or no 

 knowledge of geology or chemistry; were constantly exposed 

 to the devastating influence of long and bloody wars, destroy- 

 ing their products and rendering their lands of little or no value. 

 History shows that there has been a constant improvement 

 in the condition of the agriculturist, in every civilized nation of 

 the earth. 



Laws have been constantly established for their protection, 

 and special encouragement given to their various pursuits. The 

 inventive talent of the mechanic has been successfully engaged 

 in the improvement and addition of farming tools. Men of 

 science have devoted themselves to the study of vegetable anat- 

 omy and physiology, enabling them to show what nourishment 

 is required to support the growth of the various plants and 

 fruits, and what fertilizers are required to restore barren and 

 exhausted lands; placing within the reach of every practical 

 farmer, certain sure and correct principles upon which the suc- 

 cess of his operations depends. 



The progress of agriculture has been very seriously retarded 

 in this State on account of the extensive emigration of the 

 young men. And much has been written and said upon the 

 subject, and many plans devised to check it, but with little suc- 

 cess. The advantages and disadvantages of the different States 

 have been so often pointed out, tiiat it would be useless to re- 



