17s 



FARMERS' REGISTER— REFLECTIONS ON FARMING, 



interests are intimately connected with and must 

 participate in their good or bad condition, is so ap- 

 parent, that I tliink lew will be disposed to ques- 

 tion the assertion, much less to attempt its relli- 

 tation. 



The present depressed condition of the state is 

 attributed to a variety of causes, by ditferent per- 

 sons. One will chai'gc it to the taritl^ — one to the 

 banks — another to the want of roads and canals — 

 a fourth to tubacco-tnakuin: — and a fifth to slavery 

 — but very few will own, (I know none that have) 

 that they are or have been, amongst the many 

 causes, or even connected therewith. It is almost 

 always ascribed to something, or some one else. 

 That all these causes have had m-ore or less ef- 

 fect, I shall not attempt to disprove, but as it is 

 more easy generally to give a theory than to prove 

 one to be incorrect, I shall content myself by stat- 

 ing my views on the subject, which are as follows: 

 Is it not much more reasonable to attribute by far 

 the greater part of our grievances and misfortunes, 

 to our own bad management in reference to agri- 

 cultural matters, and to the fact that men of talents 

 and wealth are, and have been, too much disposed 

 to exchange the simplicity and ^^otiimi cimi digni- 

 tate''' of the farmer, for the intrigues of office and 

 tlie allurements of political distinction; as well as 

 to the custom of estimating their wealth more by 

 the quantity of land and number of slaves, than 

 by the fertility of the one, or the profitable employ- 

 ment of the other? We all know that tlie lower 

 class in society, ape the higher — let the latter be 

 negligent, luxurious, and reckless — givmg to a 

 third or fourth jierson to do, what they should per- 

 sonally attend to — manifest an aversion to engage 

 actively in agricultural pursuits — leave their farms 

 and domestic concerns, in the hands of ignortmt 

 agents, with every inducement to conduct busi- 

 ness entirely with a view to present profit, regard- 

 less of future consequences — and it woidd require 

 no great length of time for the same spirit to per- 

 vade society generally — and the consequence 

 would be, that the same state of things would be 

 induced, as we have at present. But suppose a 

 difierent course to be pursued by the better in- 

 formed and more Avealthy people, and that they 

 had not suffered themselves to be idle spectators, 

 on the one hand, or aspiring politicians on the 

 other. (I mean in the general) — and, that they 

 had acted the part of good stewards over the com- 

 monwealth, and have taken as much interest in 

 teaching by example in the field and with the 

 plough share, as on the floor of legislation. 

 Would it be an overstrained deduction, to infer in 

 that case, that the condition of the state, would 

 be the very reverse of Avhat it is at this time — 

 probably with a high degree of agricultural im- 

 provement, we would have been enabled to have 

 retained our population, increased our wealth and 

 standing in the union, and by our thrifty condition* 

 attracting talents from one quarter, and wealth 

 from another, Virginia might have been spared 

 the reflection, much more the morhfication of being 

 jeered about her declension from the high stand 

 she once occupied in this repubfic. Of one fact 

 there can be but litde doubt, that with all the ad- 

 vantages in the world we need never calculate on 

 succeeding well, without good management, eco- 

 -nomy, and personal attention to business, and this 

 is equally as true when applied to farming, as to 

 ©ther concerns of life— but with these latter re- 



quisites in conjunctjon wi:th our other advantages, 

 we can achieve wonders, and cwnbat successfully, 

 a host of opposing elements, I know some farm- 

 ers who go to tloe bank for money — siome who 

 supply their famiJies in foreign goodst — others far 

 removed from improved roads and canals — and 

 other.5 who own many slaves and make tobacco 

 — oJl hajve been and are i'mproving theii" estates, 

 and accumulating wealth by jvadieious manage- 

 ment and wise economy, as last as most prudent 

 nferc need wish, notwithstanding all these draw- 

 backs. 



In giving my views, however, I do not intend 

 to assume, that the opinions of others are wrong, 

 and my own only, true — it is enough for me to in- 

 dulge in a little speculation, ending in the coavie- 

 tion that whether the disease has been ascribed to 

 the proper causes or not, that one fact is undoubt- 

 edly true, that our country is far from being in a 

 prosperous condition. With this conviction, I am 

 not very solicitous to know the causes which pro- 

 duced this decline — while the evil is apparent and 

 demands a prompt and efficient remedy. Indi- 

 viduals can, by a combination of efforts, applied 

 to different pursuits, all more or less convergmg to 

 one grand object, do much towards relieving the 

 state from its difficulties. That system which, in 

 adding to individual wealth and happiness, will 

 equally promote national prosperity, without legis- 

 lative interference, eminently deserves a thorough 

 consideration — and the more especially when the 

 fact is so notorious that the peo])le prefer a plain 

 and cheap government, and one that will interfere 

 as little as possible, in the control and regulation 

 of their lo.bor. 



An observing eye, in glancing over the state, 

 though it may see much to criticise and to deplore 

 — yet must perceive, that in our agricultural ope- 

 rations, a revolution has commenced and is pro- 

 gressing, which if vigorously prosecuted for a few 

 years, will materially improve its appearance. 

 Taking this for granted, may we not expect, that 

 with the aid of our talented men, a judicious de- 

 velopement of our physical advantages, and a 

 proper application of our domestic energies, we 

 would be able yet to obtain that high degree of 

 perfection, in an agricultural point of view to 

 which our cUmate and soil entitle us. A great 

 poet remarks, that " there is a tide in the affairs of 

 men which when taken at the flood leads on to 

 fortune,'' and now that the current is changing, it 

 is much to be hoped that Virginians generally, 

 would redouble their efforts, and by their conduct 

 proclaim, that if the "Old Dominion does not over- 

 come her embarrassments and stand first Eunong 

 the foremost, that she shall go down with colors 

 nailed to the mast." Let us only come to the de- 

 termination, and by our acts evince our desire to 

 carry on an agricultural reform. Let us, by hold- 

 ing out inducements, endeavor to attract public at- 

 tentioTi to the subject. Let the fiirmers, convince 

 their sons, that honor and w^ealth can be as suc- 

 cessfully obtained in agricultural pursuits, as in 

 either of the learned professions. Let the farmers 

 read and profit by the experience of other coun- 

 tries and other times — let them have their clubs or 

 societies and agricultural papers, and who would 

 be so skeptical as not to be convinced with all 

 these assurances, that our march would be on- 

 ward? 

 As I have indulged in the flattering assertion, 



