FARMERS' REGISTER— ADDRESS ON AGRICULTURE. 



483 



would seem, ngainft this hour of need, and we 

 have only to applj' them and receive a rich reward. 

 Upon other farms not favored with calcareous 

 treasures, there arc almost universally, other 

 Bources oi" enrichment, which preclude doubt and 

 despair ass to the possihility of recovery. I cherish 

 the hope that a chansre has already commenced, 

 which portends much good to Virginia. The es- 

 tablishment of an airricultural paper among us, 

 edited with great ability, well sustained by contri- 

 butors, and supported by an extensive patronage, 

 is a most favorable omen. A spirit of improve- 

 ment appears to be abroad: experiments in culti- 

 vation, investigations into the modes of culture in 

 other countries, and an examination of the princi- 

 ples of agriculture are now heard of among us. 

 These are auspicious signs. 



But there is wanting some bond of union among 

 farmers — something which may connect them in 

 one body, dignify the profession as a separate in- 

 terest, and give it power and consequence. Agri- 

 cultural societies are what are now wanting. In 

 eome places where such institutions have first been 

 proposed and formed, prejudices have arisen 

 against them. It is possible that .some of the same 

 feeling may exist here. They have been pro- 

 nounced of no practical utility. It is a general 

 truth so clear that no one has ever had the folly to 

 deny it, that individuals associated for a common 

 purpose, whose feelings and energies are enlisted 

 in the attainment of one object, may enlighten, 

 aid, and benefit each other. This being obvious, 

 what constitutes agriculture an exception? What 

 is there in the nature of the case to prevent the 

 usual effects of union and concert? It is an axiom 

 that union is strength: why may not this force 

 be as effectually apphed to the improvement of 

 the cultivation of the soil as to the colonization of 

 Africa, or any other object which societies have 

 accomplished. Men coming together from differ- 

 ent parts of a district, of unequal capacities and 

 experience, brought up under different circum- 

 stances, and having had diflerent opportunities of 

 observation, would be able to conmiunicate much 

 that was new and valuable, one to another. What 

 one may never have tried, another may have sub- 

 mitted to the test of experiment. What one may 

 never have thought of, another may have exam- 

 ined. What may have been invented by one, 

 another may have improved. What is unintelligi- 

 ble to one, another may explain. Thus would 

 there be mutual improvement,each contributing his 

 Btoreof observation and information, and I'eceiving 

 in return that of all the rest. What was private pro- 

 perty, would become a common possession. The 

 collected wisdom of the body would be attainable 

 by each member of it. There is no art that can 

 be so perfected b}' individual skill, as by mutual 

 communication. The sublimest geniuses that 

 have made discoveries and inventions both in sci- 

 ence and art, could have received assistance and 

 benefit from the co-operation of others. In the 

 works of Newton, errors have been detected by 

 far inferior men, and corrections made. Upon the 

 inventions of Arkwright and Fulton, improve- 

 ments have been made. Thus it is useful both to 

 the skiltul and the ignorant, to avail themselves of 

 the experience and information of others. Agri- 

 cultural societies furnish one of the best means of 

 diffusing usefiil information. At their meetings, 

 ii^e reaults of experiments are detailed, the bsst 



modes of management canvassed, and the expe- 

 rimice of members elicited on the various points of 

 husbandr}-. They promote experiments. There 

 is nothing more wanting in our section of country 

 than a series ol accurate experiments on the va- 

 rious modes of" culture and improvement here, and 

 elsewhere, with a \iew to ascertain wliich are best 

 adapted to our soil and circumstances. This is a 

 new field for investigation — lor such has heretofore 

 been the extraordinary apathy of ourcitizens, that 

 notwithstanding the reports lliat have reached 

 them of the wonderful products of farms in New 

 York and elsewhere, ihey have, lor the most part, 

 walked in the gocd old ivay, that has come down 

 to them sanctioned by ancestorial usage. The 

 information which we have derived Irom books, 

 and periodicals, has been, until recently, obtained 

 exclusively from experiments made in other sec- 

 tions of country. These should be made on our 

 own soil and among our own citizens, and I doubt 

 not, that many facts would be ascertained of great 

 practical utility. Another advantage of these so- 

 cieties is, in the manifestation of the value of va- 

 ried knowledge and science to the agriculturist. 

 The subject is susceptible of a division into two 

 parts — tiieory and practice. There is much im- 

 portance to be attaciiedto each, and unless both be 

 correct, there is danger of fatal errors. 



One would scarcely expect to find an able sur- 

 veyor, or a skilful statuary who had not studied 

 the theory of his art. Much less need we expect 

 to see an able and successful farmer who manages 

 his estate to the best advantage, Avho has not 

 learned the principles on which his art is based. 

 There are good theorists whose practice is bad, 

 because they do not carry their principles into ex- 

 ecution; but, there can scarcely be good practition- 

 ers of any art, whose theories are incorrect. Aa 

 well might we expect figs from thistles, as good 

 husbandry from erroneous principles. When ag- 

 riculture is more studied, perhaps it will be found 

 that there is as mucli necessity for the establish- 

 ment of schools tor its promotion, as for the en- 

 dowment of military academies and other institu- 

 tions—such as are the usual objects of the support 

 of governments. If the patronage of the state 

 should be regulated by the importance of the ob- 

 ject, there is certainly none more worthy of ita 

 support. It is as much within the province of our 

 legislature to establish a professorship of agricul- 

 ture in our University, as that of Moral Philoso- 

 phy, or any other. There are manj- examples of 

 this kind in other countries. 



Again, the farming interest, by uniting in asso- 

 ciations of this kind, will increase its strength, en- 

 hance the respect due to the profession, and be 

 able to act wi'li more efficiency when its rights are 

 in danger. It cannot be doubted, that the culti- 

 vators of the soil constitute more than nine-tentha 

 of the population of the United States. Here ia 

 much the greater portion of the Avealth, and piiy- 

 sical, and moral strength of the country. Let this 

 power be brought into harmonious action, and itia 

 perfectly irresistible. The manufacturing interest 

 is indebted for the power it has wielded, principal- 

 ly, to its acting in masses. Being collected for the 

 most part, in establishments of from 100 to 1,000 

 persons, they have produced an impression by no 

 means commensurate with their numbers. Ten 

 disciplined soldiers will keep in subjection a hun- 

 dred citizens not united. Upon a similar princi- 



