1837] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



63 



theory and reasoning, and probably had little if any ef- 

 fect in directing tlie course of any of our readers. But 

 enough practical proof has been furnished, and by those 

 who had not listened to our reasoning and advice, and 

 who even now attribute the elfects to any but the right 

 cause. It is stated, in the newspapers, that a remark- 

 able superiority appears in some crops of wheat pro- 

 duced from western seed, of the crop of 1335 — and for 

 which the writers seem at a loss to account. It is not 

 because of the origin, or the age of this seed — but sim- 

 ply that it was of good and well made grain, while the 

 other crops were sown with the defective grain of the 

 crop of 1S3G. Farther confirmation of this is presented 

 in the facts that the best growing crops we have heard 

 of, are on large farms where much care was used to 

 obtain for seed tlie best wheat that the crops of these 

 farms, or their neighborhood, furnished, out of the 

 universally bad crop of last year. The collection and 

 comparison of numerous facts of this kind, (to which 

 the crop of every farm may add something) would 

 serve to settle this important question, and prevent a 

 future reliance on bad seed. 



For the Farmers' Register. 



PROSPECTS FOR WHEAT. — SPRING V/HEAT. 



The wheat crop on James River, [in Gooch- 

 land,] as well as elsewhere, has sufiijred severely 

 from the winter's frosts, especially on light pufly 

 soils, not leaving enough, under the most favora- 

 ble future circumstances, I fear, to produce any 

 thing like an average yield; and this has, of late 

 years, become of such uniform recurrence, that it 

 increases our anxiety for the success of the spring 

 variety, of which I saw a most beautiful and pro- 

 mising lot in this ^'icinity, the other day, sown on 

 the 15th of February, and nearly or quite as for- 

 ward and luxuriant as any fall seeding within my 

 knowledge. It is 1o be hoped it may succeed, and 

 save iJs from this item in the numerous disasters 

 that crop is liable to in our climate. 



FAILURE OF THE AGRICULTURAL CONVEN- 

 TIOIV, AND OF THE PETITION FOR A BOARD 

 OF AGRICULTURE. 



The attempt to assemble an Agricultural Convention 

 in Richmond, this winter, was a complete failure. The 

 few persons who met, as delegates, very proper!}' de- 

 clined acting in an organized meeting, and thereby 

 exhibiting so humdiating a proof of the lethargy of the 

 entire agricultural body of Virginia. They, however, 

 as individuals, with the support of the hastily collected 

 signatures of a few other farmers who were then in 

 Richmond, prepared and presented to the legislature 

 the following concise petition — the objects of which 

 were designedly made so cheap in their money cost, 

 that it was hoped that such a pittance would not be 

 refused to agricultural interests — and that the most 

 thorough-paced grog-pen demagogue in the house, 

 would hardly oppose a measure which could not pos- 

 sibly cost the commonwealth half as much annual ex- 

 pense, as the time consumed by his own useless speeches 

 during the session. Nevertheless, we were mistaken in 



both respects. Though reported on favorably by the 

 Committee of Agriculture, the bill could not obtain a 

 hearing in the House of Delegates until within the last 

 few days of the session, when they were (save in one 

 single vote,) doing business regularly icithovt a quo- 

 rum, for at least two days together — the house being 

 very thin, because many members were absent, and of 

 those that remained, some were sick, some asleep, and 

 some otherwise unable to be in their places. Dur- 

 ing this time, the bill to establish a Board of Agricul- 

 ture, as asked for in the petition, came up in the 

 House of DelegatRS — and had some 25 ayes, and about 

 35 noes. This vote, though not final according to the 

 rule of legislation, (there being no quorum,) was a suf- 

 ficient indication of the fate of the measure— and fur- 

 ther, is sufficient proof that nolhing is to be expected 

 from the legislature of Virginia, in aid of the interests 

 or improvement of agriculture. We annex the peti- 

 tion, to show how little was asked, and refused; and 

 vje now are compelled to concur in the opinion of one 

 of our most esteemed correspondents, that hereafter it 

 will be as degrading, as heretofore it has been useless, 

 to ask any thing of the legislature to aid the interests of 

 agriculture. 



The petition of the undersigned, farmers and land- 

 I'.olders, respectfully sheweth : 



That it is of the highest importance to the agriculfu- 

 lal interests of Virginia, and therefore to the whole 

 commonwealth, that agricultural information should be 

 rxtensively diffused, and improvements in all the vari- 

 ous branches of her husbandry be promoted, by legis- 

 lative encouragement; that although sundry and im- 

 portant measures have been, or may be recommended 

 for this great object, which, if carried properly into* 

 effect, would doubtless be of great and enduring public 

 benefit, we will ask nothing that is of doubtful opera- 

 tion, or that requires considerable expense, or which, 

 if adopted, would demand any farther, or more costly 

 legislative action, should the first measure prove to be 

 of no public utility. 



That therefore, we now limit our prayer to the insti- 

 tution of a Board of Agriculture, on conditions and with' 

 duties somewhat of the following kind : 



The board to consist of eight members, two being 

 from each of the four great divisions of the state; all 

 to be practical and experienced farmers ; to be chosen 

 annually by the executive ; the board to meet annually 

 in Richmond ; to remain in session not more than four- 

 teen days ; and then to report and recommend for legis- 

 lative adoption, such measures and plans as may appear 

 to the board best calculated to extend the knowledge 

 of agriculture, and promote its improvement through- 

 out Virginia. 



For tlie Farmers' Register. 

 COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



It is painful to record the change, which, though 

 long foretold, the last iew weeks has realized. 



Commerce is almost annihilated. Confidence is 

 destroyed. The ordinary facilities of exchange, 

 foreign and domestic, no longer exist. There is 

 no market for the produce of' the country. The 

 value of stocks and of real estate can scarcely be 

 ascertained. Turning our view either north or 

 south, we see works of internal improvement sus- 

 pended — manufactories closed — buildings which 

 were begun, left unfinished. There is, in a word, 

 an utter prostration of commerce, and cessation of 

 connneicial intercourse. 



