FARMERS' REGISTER— AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES— ADDRESS, &c. 



523 



omniscient in husbandry, the remarks are not ad- 

 dressed at all. But we will venture to alTirni, ol' 

 all others who could prevail upon themselves to 

 attend to them so lar as to undertake the making 

 of some such report once a year, that they would 

 not only greatly increase their own knowledge 

 thereby, but would render their farms and every 

 thing on them, both more profitable and interesting. 

 Their fondness for their proli?ssion and customary 

 employments, would augment in proportion to the 

 additional advantages and enjo3-ments which such 

 attention to it would procure; and they would soon 

 make a pleasure of their business, instead of a 

 business of their pleasure, as too many^ of our 

 land-owners in Virginia have been doing from the 

 earliest settlement "of our state. This dereliction 

 of agricultural duties — which seems to have been 

 hereditary in numerous fiimiiies — co-operating 

 with an indiscriminate, most Avasteful, and foolish 

 pride of hospitality, has done more to prostrate 

 the husbandry of "our beloved state, or rather pre- 

 vent its attaining any high imi)rovement, than all 

 other causes put together. Not that 1 am an en- 

 emy to hospitality properly so called — that I mean, 

 which springs from the heart, and increases pari 

 passu with the means of indulging it: no, God 

 forbid. But the kind which is to end in the ruin 

 of those who display it, is not only spurious, but 

 as much to be dreailed and deprecated as the cho- 

 lera, or any oth^r destructive disease. It begins 

 in vanity, or idleness, or inordinate love of what 

 is f I'sely called plensure; and ends in poverty, long- 

 suffering, nnd ruin; or in the heart-rending aban- 

 donment by emiirra'ion, of home, fi-iends, kin- 

 dred, and the dearly cherished land of our na- 

 tivitJ^ 



[Tlie forejoinT; communication treats on a subject 

 of much importance, and wliich greatly needs such 

 comments and strictures, if indeed any can have ef- 

 fect. Perhaps every reader, like ourselves, may ob- 

 ject to some parts of the details recommended by .1. 

 M. G.; but there can be none, who have considered 

 this subject, who will not admit the value and impor- 

 tance of the writer's general remarks, as well as their 

 correct application. We have frequently, but fruit- 

 lessly, attempted to call the attention of the members 

 of new agricultural societies, and of those intending 

 to form societies, to the general and similar defects of 

 such associations. Judging from such results as are 

 before the public, our suggestions have been useless; 

 and by their being repeatedly brought forward, possi- 

 bly may have given offence. As a last effort, we re- 

 quest that every member, or intended member of an 

 agricultural society, who may read the foregoing com- 

 munication, will also read two pieces which, with sim- 

 ilar views, were inserted in the early part of our first 

 volume — "A report on agricultural premiums," at p. 

 147, and a communication on the "Advantages and 

 defects of agricultural societies," p. 201, v. I. Far. Reg. 

 However, we should be altogether unworthy of con- 

 ducting a journal devoted to the "support of the inter- 

 ests of agriculture" if we feared to give offence by 

 uttering unpalatable truths in the performance of our 

 duty. 



ADDRESS TO THE NORFOLK AGRICULTURAL. 

 SOCIETY. 



By William Garnett, Esq., President. 



Ordered to be published in the Farmers' Register by a resolution 

 of the Society. 



Genilemen — t now avail myself of the first op- 

 portunity that has offered, since our organization, 

 to return j'ou my thanks tbr the honor you have 

 done me, in calling me to preside over the Norfolk 

 ^'Agricultural Society. I must, however, be per- 

 mitted, at the same time, to express my regret that 

 3'our choice did not fall ui)on one better qualified 

 to serve you in that cnpacity. And this disclaimer, 

 I can assure jou, is not made merely in compli- 

 ance with a customary form, but under a thorough 

 conviction, that I can lay no claim to the know- 

 ledge, either theoretical or practical, which it is 

 desirable that the presiding officer of such a socie- 

 ty should possess. If, therefore, I should be so 

 fortunate as to contribute, in any degree, to the ad- 

 vancement of the objects which we contemplate, 

 I shall be indebted, almost entirely, for such con- 

 tribution to researches into the recorded experience 

 of others. 



In this way, I may perhaps, occasionally, be 

 able to bring to your notice facts which might, 

 otherwise, not be so generally diffused. And, in 

 this way, every member of the society may con- 

 tribute his quota towards the dissemination of the 

 agricultural information which past experience 

 has accumulated. But we should not rest satisfi- 

 ed here — everyday new additions are making to 

 'he acquired stock of agricultural knowledge, and 

 it should be our aim, both individual]}- and collec- 

 lively, to add our mite to .the general contribution. 

 To pursue the study of agriculture righd}-, we 

 should, as in the case of other sciences, adopt the 

 inductive method, and rest our principles upon the 

 solid foundation of Vv-ell attested facts, the result of 

 attentive and intelligent observation. And it is the 

 province of societies like ours, to collect, record, 

 and to excite, as much as possible, public attention 

 to the proper improvement of the information thus 

 obtained. To this end, it is hoped, that every 

 member of this association, wliich we have vol- 

 untarily entered into for this purpose, Avill zcalou.?ly 

 co-operate. None of us, we trust, will be content 

 to be mere sleeping parlnens in the concern, but let 

 us rather anticipate that all will be impelled, both 

 by duty and inclination, to take an active part in 

 promoting the objects for which we have associ- 

 ated. Then may we hope to realize benefit to 

 ourselves, and to impart the advantages which we 

 may derive, to others. 



But permit me, again and again, to repeat, that 

 we can never calculate upon so desirable a result, 

 unless we pursue the objects we hnve in view 

 from the establishment of our society, with spirit 

 and activity, and can succeed in exciting in our 

 members generallj', an interest in the concerns 

 and operations of this institution, Avhich Avill induce 

 them to engage actively in the advancement of its 

 welfare. One of the most obvious modes by 

 which this can be accomplished, is by a free com- 

 munication of all important facts relating to the 

 subject of our science, which may come to the 

 knowledge of any of our members. JNIuch verj' 

 important and highly useful information, it is to be 

 feared, is withheld from the agricultural comnuuii- 

 ty, from an unwillingness that many p.crsons have 



