THE FAKMER'tJ MONTHLY VISITOR. 



119 



which obliged, under severe penalties, the sons of the 

 cultivators of tlie soil and rearers of cattle, to follow the 

 occupation of their fathers ; seeing therefore the indis- 

 pensable necessity to follow the pursuit ol their ancestors, 

 and having no hope to rise to any office of lienor or rank, 

 their whole ambition was limited to fulfilling the duties ot 

 the rank in which they were born, to gain tlic esteem of 

 the citizens, and to earn the glorious remunerations which 

 were bestowed upon such as made important discoveries. 

 We cannot doubt that the love of the Egyptians for the 

 Sciences, and particularly for Agriculture, produced learn- 

 ed works upon that important subject. It is very proba- 

 ble that the libraries of Memphis and of Alexandria, which 

 contained seven hundred thousand volumes, possessed a 

 great number upon husbandry. It is known that these li- 

 braries have been destroyed and with them all tlie books 

 they contained. 



The Greeks imitating the Egyptians, who made t.ods 

 of every thing that was marvellous, created Ceres as God- 

 dess of Husbandry. This queen of Sicily came, accor- 

 ding to them, under the reign of Ercrhthcus to Atlieiis, 

 where she made them acquainted with Wheat, till tlien 

 unknown to tlieni ; she taught them the art of making 

 bread and of sowing the soil. But what confidence can 

 we put in this tradition amongst the Greeks ? Several au- 

 thors consider as fabulous all that is related of Ceres, and 

 hold it only as an allegory ; they pretend that we must 

 consider the arrival of Ceres at Athens, as a prodigious 

 abundance of Wheat which Ercchthem brought from 

 Egypt. Virgil, Pliny and others pretend that Ceres did 

 not invent the plough, but attribute it to a certain Buri- 

 ges or Triptokmtis, son of Calm, king of Eleusis, whom 

 the poets represent sitting on a chariot drawn by winged 

 serpents, because he distributed through Greece with in- 

 conceivable speed, corn, during a famine. 



Polidor Virgil places the origin of Agriculture at a more 

 remote age than the existence of Ceres. The Greeks, 

 according to this historian, attribute to themselves the 

 honor of the invention of husbandry as well as of other 

 arts which they had learned from the Egyptians. We 

 have only to go back to the remote peri'jds ot their histo- 

 ry, to be convinced that Agriculture was not known 

 amongst them at a time when it had made considerable 

 progress amongst the Phenicians, the Midianites and the 

 Egyptians. 



According to their own historians, tlie Greeks in these 

 remote ages wandered round in their forests like brute an- 

 imals; they fed upon wild plants and inhabited caverns and 

 crevices in the rocks or hollow trees. The first change 

 in their manner of living was to build cabins and feed on 

 acorns, to cover themselves with the skins of animals. 

 Pelasgits is supposed the author of thus reform. They 

 found soon the necessity to associate tliemselves, to assist 

 one another and provide reciprocally for their wants, they 

 united then, and the advantages of such association quick- 

 ly appeared. Tliey became by degrees more civilized and 

 relinquished the ferocious liabits which they had contrac- 

 ted in the forests. The moment they undertook their 

 travels to Egypt, they became acquainted with the Scien- 

 ces :md Arts and particularly with .\gr,culture. On their 

 return to their country they made use of the Plougli and 

 began to work the soil. Tliey soon found that this mode 

 of cultivating the land was preferable to that in use before; 

 they migmenled their products and diminished their labor 

 and expenses. . 



The taste of the nation for agricultural pursuits was then 

 increased by the advantages whicli it procured, or by the 

 improvements of which they saw it was )et susceptible. 

 Their whole political aim was turned tov. ards this branch 

 of public economy, and the Greek sages, renowned lor 

 their sagacity in legislation, enacted regulations upon .\g- 

 riculture, so essential to the prosperity of the empire. 

 Athens and Laceda!mon became in a short time flourishing 

 cities, and it is to Agriculture that they must attribute 

 their elevation. Every citizen in .\ttica in this moment 

 of enthusiasm strove for the glory of contributing to the 

 progress of Agriculture, and to enricli their country by 

 new Fruits, which perliaps h ould but lor them yet b.o un- 

 known to us. Aristaaus of .Vtliens was the first who cul- 

 tivated the Olive, and discovered the mode of extracting 

 its oil. We owe to the .\tlienians the Fig tree. This 

 same people imported successively the Quince tree from 

 the Island of Crete; the Chestnut from Sarjis ; the Peach, 

 the European Kut from Persia ; the Citron from Media. 

 All these foreign products and many more have come to 

 us or the Europeans by means of the Greeks. The Ro- 

 mans, after the conquest of Greece, tr.rnspoited to Italy 

 all these trees. It was at that time that the Olive was 

 introduced at Rome, because according to Fincstella the 

 Olive was not known in Italy during tlie reign of 1 ar<iuin, 



to create twelve Priests who offered to the Gods the first 

 fruits of the soil to propitiate them so that they might 

 grant an abundant jciop. They were named Arvalea, 

 from arva, fields. At the death of one of them, Romulus, 

 assumed his place and this dignity was aftenvards only ac- 

 corded to those who could prove themselves of illustrious 

 origin. Numa Pompiliu.i, one of the most sage kings of 

 antiquity, divided the Roman territory in several sections ; 

 the inhabitants of each had to render him exact accounts 

 of the manner in which tliey were cultivated— he intro- 

 duced laborers as an encouragement and recompense lor 

 such, where tlie ground was properly tended, and to re- 

 proach others who neglected their fields. The fruits and 

 products of the field were considered at that time as the 

 most just and legitima-c possessions. 



Ancus Martius, the fourth king of Rome, whose pride 

 was to walk in the steps of Numa, did not recommend 

 any thing to the people more forcibly, after respect for 

 Religion, than the culture of the soil and the care of 

 flock's. These favorable feelings were kept up for a long 

 while amongst the people ; in later time those who did 

 not acquit themselves properly of these duties, were sub- 

 ject to the reprimands of the censors. 



The husbandman constituted in Rome the first class of 

 citizens. When the Senate met, during these prosperous 

 ages of the Republic, the conscript fathers came from 

 their fields to dictate laws full of wisdom. The consuls 

 longed for the termination of their consulship, to resume 

 their rural occupations and preside over the labor of their 

 fields. L. Quintius, Cincinnahts and Aittilius were en- 

 gaged in the labors of the field when they were elected to 

 the highest stations of the Republic ; the latter was nom- 

 inated consul and the first dictator at a critical time of 

 the Republic— he left his farm and entered Rome amidst 

 the acclamations of the people, he put himself at the 

 head of the army, conquered the enemy and returned six- 

 teen days after to resume his rural labors and ordinary oc- 

 cupations. When the Ambassadors of the Samiutes 

 caine to Curius Dentatm to offer him, as a bribe, a great 

 quantity of gold, they found him sitting near the fire 

 preparing his^vegetables, they received from him this sage 

 Jinswer — " that gold was not necessary for him who 

 could be satisfied with such a dinner, and as for him- 

 self, he found it more glorious to conquer those that 

 were in the possession of this gold than to possess it him- 

 self" This illustrious Roman had then already received 

 three times the honor of a triumph. 



If Rome has never since been as thriving as during 

 thc=e times, the country also has never been as well cul- 

 tivated, so that we must believe that it is to the proper 

 cultivation of the soil, that the Republic owed its gran- 

 deur and elevated station amongst the nations. The ex- 

 ercises of this laborious vocation, says Pliny, created the 

 men who have distinguislied themselves so gloriously in 

 the military art. Coming from this school they became 

 brave captains and good soldiers, imbued with good sen- 

 timents and honesty ; but the glory of Rome did not last 

 longer than the principles by which it was at first produc- 

 ed " Luxury gave the first blow to Agriculture and com- 

 nlcted soon the ruin of the whole republic. The Ro- 

 mans eanerin thepursuitof pleasure and honors, abandon- 

 .■d the country and became inhabitants of cities, and they 

 left the care of their farms in the hands of slaves. These 

 mercenaries, not fearing the eye of their master, neglected 

 the duties with which thay were charged, and the fields 

 became less productive. This unliappy state of things 

 bean to be felt during the time of I'arro. We can judge 

 fro^n the reproaches of one of the Roman Senators to 

 Appius CloudiiJS respecting the magnificence of his coun- 

 try seat compared with the simplicity of his place, where 



are reservoirs, constructed with ingenuity, for the recep- 

 tion of rain and spring water. It is not uncommon to see 

 the bottom, summit and declivity of a hill watered by the 

 same canal by means of a number of engines of simple 

 construction, which save manual labor, and perform with 

 two men what could not be done with a thousand in the 

 ordinary way. It is erroneous to believe that the Chinese 

 are only industrious and laborious because^they inhabit^a 

 country naturally fertile, which recompenses them abun- 

 dantly for the labor they bestow upon it. China, like oth* 

 er countries, possesses steril tracts which can only be 

 made productive by stubborn labor. Where the plough- 

 share cannot be used the spade is employed. The spots 

 that are poor and steril are covered with new soil, often 

 from distant places. Upon most of the mountains which 

 are incapable of being cultivated for the subsistence of 

 man, proper trees are planted for building of houses or 

 ships. All the products of the Empire consist in mate- 

 rials of the first necessity. The northern provinces fur- 

 nish Wheat, the southern an abundance of Rice and 

 Vegetables. The Grape is not cultivated in China; the 

 government considers Wine only as an agreeable bever- 

 age for the rich, and discourage its cultivation. All their 

 political views are turned towards objects of direct utili- 

 ty ; they have, strictly speaking, no pleasure gardens. In 

 China the beauty of a country seat consists in its being 



nor was it known in Spain, nor even in .Africa. It is 

 doubtful whether the Almond tree was known in Latium 

 during the time of Cato, it was not imported at the con- 

 quest of Greece. It is certain that the Clierry tree was 

 unknown in Rome at the year fiBO after its building, and 

 that Lncullu.i brought it from Pontus after the defeat of 

 Mithridates. The first Pistachis tree was introduced 

 from Syria by L. Vitdlius during the reign of Tibirius. 



In those happy times, the Greeks, when they were only 

 engaged in cultivating the soil and to make husbandry 

 flourish, became powerful and redoubtable: no nation dared 

 to invade their country : but this prosperity did not last 

 long; that ingenious nation, inclined to everything within 

 the veri'e of imagination, neglected soon the most impor- 

 tant occupation, to attach themselves to the pursuits of 

 fancy. Fine .\rts replaced Agriculture, so that their mag- 

 istracy were obliged to import grain from other countries. 

 The Spartans, whose savage virtues are yet admired, 

 abandoned Agriculture to the Helots whom they consid- 

 ered as slaves. This decline was followed by the ruin of 

 Greece ; being eflTeminated by luxury and voluptuousness, 

 part of the -n.ation was subdued by a king of Macedonia 

 and finally the wliole conquered by his son. 



Agriculture was highly respected and honored amcmgst 

 the llomans. The first care of the founders of Rome was 



thM were at the time. Here, he says, are no paintings, 

 nor' statues, nor brilliant furniture ;— but you find every- 

 thing which is necessary to work the field and vineyard, 

 and to nourish the (lock. In your country seat everything 

 is brilliant with gold, silver and rare marble ; but no trace 

 of any cultivated field ; no ox, cow nor sheep, no hay nor 

 grain in the barn— no wines in the cellars. Is this a farm? 

 does it resemble those of your ancestors ? , , , 



During the time of Columella, Agriculture had already 

 much declined. He deplores this decline in most elo- 

 quent and pathetic language ; but his complaints had no 

 cficct ■ the love for labor and that praiseworthy ambition 

 for \rrricultural pursuits, which were once the mosig-lort 

 ous titles with which a Roman citizen could be decorated, 

 became extinct amongst the people. The neglected fields 

 did no more furnish sufficient gram to support Rome, it- 

 was imported from E-ypt. In this fatal disorder every 

 thill" contributed to injure Agriculture, the most hrm 

 foundation of the republic. They had no more those dis- 

 tin"uished men, those profound sages, who tdl that time 

 had kept no the .Agricultural pursuits by their writings, 

 uch as PaUadiits,Rnmu!s. TaKru! ;— -i'miitanits, who 



lived about 100 years alter Cohmella. was the last amongst 

 the Romans who has written about Agriculture, 



The CI inese contended with the people of which I 

 have been speaking for the antiquity of husbandry— they 

 oretcnd to have learned tins art from Chinnoug, succes- 

 sor of Fohy. Witliout looking for an origin respecting 

 Which we have nothing but incertitudes we must grant 

 that tliat county offers at present more traces of antiquity 

 of' human industry than any other. The high mountains 

 which form the inequalities of the globe, have here been 

 levelled by the labor of men and present only gentle 

 slopes to facilitate the descent of water and to irrigate the 

 soil They have restrained tlie rapid current of impetuous 

 rivers ■ they have changed with immense labor their 

 course in order to make them fertilize places which were 

 naturally dry and steril. Instead of naked and stenl de- 

 clivities so abundant in other countries, we see in China 

 the mountains covered with a luxurious vegetation pro- 

 ducing an aliundant harvest and extending from one ex- 

 tremity of the Empire to the other ; the hills are gener- 

 ally cut into terraces from the base to the summit, which 

 rise as an amphitheatre off'cring tlie most charming views- 

 these terraces are supported by dry walls. Here there. 



happily situated, surrounded with an agreeable variety of 

 cultivated fields and interspersed with trees planted ir- 

 regularly, and with some heaps of stones, which at a dis- 

 tance have the appearance of rocks or moantains. This 

 spirit of economy, this love for Agriculture is kept up 

 partly by the propensity of the Chinese for labor and part- 

 ly by the honors conferred on the laborers who distinguish 

 themselves in their profession. If any one of them makes 

 a useful discovery, he is elevated above the other husband- 

 men for his application and intelligence ; he is called to 

 the court to instruct the Emperor in his discovery ; he ia 

 created mandarin, and the government make him travel 

 through the Empire to instruct the people in his new^in- 

 vcntions. 



In this Empire, where persona! merit is more considered 

 than hereditary nobility, most of the magistrates and men 

 clothed with the most important dignities, are elected 

 from the laboring class of the people. The Chinese keep 

 up constantly a high respect and veneration for the founcf- 

 ersof the Empire, who are the cause that the stability and 

 happiness of the land consist in the productions of the 

 earth. The names of the Emperors who have contributed 

 by their sage institutions to the progress of husbandry arc 

 always revered. 



The Chinese will never forget him who first instituted 

 the feast, celebrated through the whole Empire to recall 

 to the memory of his subjects, the care they must take 

 of the art considered as the principal source of the stabil- 

 ity and happiness of the government. This religious cer- 

 emony is perpetuated to the present day ; the solemnity 

 with which it is still celebrated attests the respect which 

 the Chinese have preserved for the cherished author of the 

 institution and for Agriculture. " One of the public func- 

 tions of the Emperor, says a modern author, (Raynal) is 

 to break up the ground in the spring ; and the parade and 

 magnificence that accompanies this ceremony, draws to- 

 gether all the farmers in the neighborhood of the capital. 

 They flock in crowds to see their prince perform this so- 

 lemnity in honor of the first of all arts. It is not, as in the 

 fables of Greece, a god, who tends the flocks of a king ; it 

 is the father of his people, who, holding the plough with 

 his own hands, shews his children what are the true rich- 

 es of the State. In a little time he repairs again to the 

 field he has ploughed himself, to sow the seed tliat is most 

 proper for the ground. The example of the prince is fol- 

 lowed in all the provinces ; and at the same season the 

 viceroys repeat the same ceremonies in the presence of a 

 numerous concourse of husb.andmen." 



It were desirable that a more extended intercourse with 

 the Chinese could enable us to obtain abetter knowledge 

 of the progress they have made in the Sciences which 

 they cultivate witli so much persevcrence, and particular- 

 ly in Agriculture, which they have so much advanced. 



I omit to speak of other nations which have had some 

 knowledge ofliusbandry— we are too little acquainted with 

 that part of their history to give precise outlines ol^ it. 

 Nor would the investigations amongst the present exist- 

 ing nations give us any light relative to this origin — I will 

 therefore finish this essay with giving a slight glance over 

 the ancient state of husbandry in Europe. 



It is certain that Gaul was cultivated at a remote age. 

 The great population of that land, which send numerous 

 colonies into Germany and towards the South; the facility 

 which Caisar found there to feed his army, show evidently 

 that they raised grain. The Romans, always eager to take 

 advantage from their conquests, neglected nothing to ad- 

 vance tlie progress of husbandry in Gaul — they made it, 

 by great expenses, the most fertile and flourishing of their 

 provinces. These sources of opulence became exhausted 

 when the barbarians from the North devasted the Empire, 

 and it was a long while before its prosperity was re-es- 

 tablished. 



Husbandry languished during the reign of the first race 

 of kings in France, and revived during the commence- 

 ment of the reign of the second race, when the monks 

 began to clear and cultivate the lands. The reign of 

 Charlemagne, when every thing assumed a new aspect^ 

 gave husbandry a new start, which was not of long dura- 

 tion, because the invasion of the Normans .and the feudal 

 government plunged Europe for a long while in a chaos 

 and ignorance, "Husbandry was considered for several 

 centuries as the most degrading occupation a man could 

 follow. It was a pursuit only followed by slaves, most of 

 whom bought their liberty, sometimes at an exorbitant 

 price— such as were not able to purchase their liberty re- 

 mained with their ofispring in bondage till slavery at last 

 was entirely abolished. The crusades and luxuries ol^ the 

 Courts two causes which were in several respects injuri- 

 ous to Europe, have nevertheless much contributed to the 



