FARMERS' REGISTER— DR. BARTON'S ADDRESS. 



549 



duce of nearly 64 bushels per acre. As this was 

 on u|)hin(t, an 1 on a stiff clay soil, the product is 

 creditable, both to his skill "and industry; and I 

 retrrct I have not. yet b^.^'n lurn'shcd with his 

 niocl'j of culiivation. And F would here suji^'^st, 

 that, this duty should be ri'j;id!y enforced hereuf er, 

 in evi y inUwice, belbre the prsmiurn is awarded. 

 On the wheat crop, there has yet been no Ibrinai 

 reporl; but [ have been inlbrtned, that a member 

 of this society has averaged about 25* busliels 

 per aero, on a ii dil of 18 oi' 23 acres: and a very 

 successful wheat o-rower on Bud'alo, informed me, 

 he had selected 4 contiguous acres in afield of 4J 

 acres, not very superior to the balance, and after 

 careful nnasuremsnt, found the 4 selected had 

 averaged 34 bushels to the acre. Here titen, in 

 all probability, was an average of not less than 33 

 bushels per acre, on a 49 acre field. Tins was a 

 clover lav, and will account for its superiority over 

 other fields in the same neighborhood. 



Those products, though much less than our 

 soil is cajiable oi] induce me to hope our society- 

 has at least conmienced the work of reform, and 

 by the stimulus of premiums, and the honor con- 

 ferred on the successful competitors, is about to 

 awaken farmers to the capabilities of their soil, and 

 their true interest. Such has been the etiect of 

 these assdciations elsewhere, eind every where 

 they have been established. Some, it is true, 

 have languished for a few years, and ceased to 

 exist; but this has generally proceeded from their 

 efficient leaders being cut off by death, bsfbrc they 

 were finally under weigh. But even in these 

 instances, we see their very organization infuse 

 life and animation, and that zeal so necessary to 

 farming, as well as every other avocation; and 

 whilst they taught the farmer his individual in- 

 terest, and the obligations he owed the conmiu- 

 nity, inspired him with increased love for his 

 country and his home. In Frederick and Albe- 

 marle, we know the happiest effects have resulted 

 merely from these societies being organized, and 

 much valuable and interesting matter to the far- 

 mer, has been elicited in both quarters. The 

 emulation and zeal excited by these associations 

 are, too, not confined to their immediate members. 

 Those who, from the prejudices growing out of 

 ignorance, from petty jealousies, or fi'om what- 

 ever cause, hold themselves aloof and refuse to 

 join us, are still materially benefitted. They feel 

 ambitious to show us, that though not members of 

 an agricultural society, they^ can successfully com- 

 pete with us. And as all such associations are 

 formed for the noble purpose of diffusing know- 

 ledge and doing public good, they care not in what 

 way this is effected — whether by the mere spirit 

 of rivalry, or by the more commendable motive 

 of pointing out to farmers the errois of their pre- 

 sent system, and calling their attention to the 

 agricultural improvements made elsewhere: for 

 there is probably no knowledge which travels 

 with so slow a pace. Important improvements 

 may exist within fifty miles of us, which Avould 

 require as many y^ears to reach the great mass of 

 farmers, unaided by agricultural societies, and 

 periodicals devoted to the science of agriculture. 

 Two of the most distinguished and successful 

 agriculturists of New York, Judge Buel and Mr. 

 Stimson, have borne ample testimony of the great 



* Since ascertained to be 33 bushels per acre. 



utdity of such societies properly conducted. The 

 former sa)s, "thev have effected more for the 

 s a'e t'lanany othersot of"causes, whatever." And 

 Stimson siijs, '-the farmers have much improved 

 di'dr f-arms in this town, since our State Agricul- 

 tural Society was organized, and, of course, their 

 crops have increased in ];ropor;ion." He fijrther 

 rem irks, "he has no doubt that the money which 

 was appropriated by the state to encourage agri- 

 culture, has increased the wealth of the county in 

 which he resided, more than 20 per cent, u year 

 s//ic:." I will not, however, cncroacdi on your 

 patience, by adlucing any other evidence of the 

 effective aid these societies have rendered, and are 

 capable of renderinir the cause so dear to us all. 

 A litde refleclion will make it evident to all; and 

 if the prosperity of every calling and profession, 

 bs dependent on that of agriculture, and this can- 

 not be denied, let us unite in a more determined 

 effort, to fidfil the objects for which this society 

 was instituted, and to render it at least as useful 

 as some of its kmdred societies of the North. 



But, gentlemen, I would call your attention to 

 what I conceive the radical defect in our system — 

 the total neglect of agricultural education! Is it 

 not strange, that though the prosperity of all is so 

 dependent on us, this should be entirely neglected? 

 And I assert, without hesitation, that none of the 

 learned profess ions, as they are called in common 

 parlance, require such a range of knowledge as 

 ours. All the sciences are subservient to it, and 

 if not absolutely necessary to the pursuit of agri- 

 culture, render it essential aid. But so great is 

 the prevailing error on this subject, that all our 

 youth, esteemed the most promising, because the 

 most pert and precocious, are destined to expound 

 the law to us — to dose us with physic — or to teach 

 us our duty to God and man. This will account 

 for the increase of pettifoggers, charlatans, fana- 

 tics, and I may add, of mere clod-hoppers. I 

 mean no disrespect to either of the professions. 

 To one I atn decidedly ])artial, and my best friends 

 are divided amongst them all, and all are neces- 

 sary, and entitled to our esteem. I complain there 

 is a redundancy in all — a competition carried to 

 an extent, not only injurious to themselves, but 

 really to the whole community. I entreat you 

 then, gentlemen of this society, to commence the 

 work of reform — spare no pains towards educating 

 your sons as farmers, and after they have acquired 

 a thorough knowledge of the sciences, lop off an 

 hundred acres of your tiirms to each, and let them 

 shift for themselves. But to give a taste and 

 fondness for rural life, I would propose the estab- 

 lishment of colleges on the manual labor system, 

 or, pattern or experimental farms, where they 

 might receive the instruction of the most able pro- 

 fessors in every department, and at the same time 

 have their physical powers imj)roved, by devoting 

 a certain number of hours of each day, to the 

 various occupations of agriculture. It is much to 

 be lamented, that we so often see the most deli- 

 cate and feeble of our youth, encouraged in the 

 most severe and sedentary course of studies; be- 

 cause they are condemned to one of the learned 

 professions: and instead of entering on the duties 

 of life with a sound body, as well as cultivated 

 mind, the former is so enfeebled lor the want of 

 its due share of exercise, as soon to be worn out 

 by mental excitement, and sink into a preiTiature 

 grave. On the plan I would propose, all the phy- 



