SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE. 



39 



many parts of the Southern country. You will 

 remember that some years ago he expressed the 

 opmiou, " that thcij consumed more food, in pro- 

 portion to their size than any other stock ; that 

 they were more liable to disease and death, and 

 that they could never be made a projitable stock 

 throughout the extent of the warm, dry climate 

 of the United States, tcithont banishing tillage 

 from vast tracts of country." Now, ■without 

 examining in extent this opinion, I think I may 

 venture to say that this denunciation of tiiis 

 peaceful and valuable race of animals (from 

 ■which we draw so many of the comforts and 

 luxuries of life) is not concurred in by any large 

 portion of American Agriculturists ; and that if 



this distinguished patriot and statesman had 

 lived at this day, he would have clianged this 

 opinion. But I must cry you mercy, and for- 

 bear. I have spun out this letter to an unrea- 

 sonable length, and can only promise not to tax 

 you in this way again. Under your auspices, 

 and that of your distinguished and scientific co- 

 laborers. Agriculture, 1 trust, ■will soon rear her 

 head and recover her ■vigor ; and whilst Com- 

 merce plows the ■wave. Agriculture will laugh 

 on the land, and Peace requite us at liome. 

 Very ti-uly and cordially, believe me, my dear Sir, 

 Your friend and ob't serv't. 



A. STEVENSON. 

 To the Editor of the Farmers' Library. 



SOUTHERN AGRICULTURE. 



To the President and Directors of the " Virginia State Agricultural Society." 



It was w^ith no slight degree of pleasure that 

 I received the pamphlet containing the " Con- 

 stitution and Proceedings of the Convention for 

 the Formation of a State Agricultural Society," 

 at Richmond, on the xJOth of Januai'y last. 



This pamphlet, with the names it contains and 

 objects set forth so clearly and forcibly, revives 

 pleasing, sacred recollections of friends ■whose 

 countenance to me has ever been -warm from the 

 heart. The name of Virginia itself recalls to 

 mind many of the most illustrious ornaments of 

 our history. The State which, with many other 

 illustrious men, lias produced a Washington, a 

 Henry, a Marshall, a Jefferson, a Madi.son and a 

 Monroe, may well claim a place among the 

 most exalted communities of the earth. It must, 

 therefore, be a source of sincere pleasure to 

 every patriot, to learn that a spirit has manifest- 

 ed it.«elf among the descendants of these great 

 men to meet their obligation of honor — to call 

 into action the abundant intellectual and physi- 

 cal resources of the 7ioble and variegated dis- 

 trict of this Union embraced within the limits 

 of Virginia. 



Let us pass, then, at once from the retrospect 

 of what we can all feel, but which language is 

 too poor to express, to cast a glance over the ac- 

 tual condition of a region so rich in all the natu- 

 ral elements of growth and prosperity. In my 

 humble labors to advance the various industrial 

 interests of our common country — beginning 

 with the old American Farmer, in 1819 — the 

 generous public of your State have given me so 

 many proofs of kindness and confidence, as to 

 embolden me to offer to them this statistical re- 

 trospect, in some respects painful, but indolent 

 (fi7) 



acquiescence in them only can make the results 

 humiliating. Gratitude to your citizens, as well 

 as my position here, as the conductor of a work 

 designed to form, in the course of its publication, 

 a Library for American Farmers, conspire to 

 enforce upon me the duty of frankness in what- 

 ever I shall from time to time venture to say, as 

 I shall often say what occurs to me as best cal- 

 culated to redeem the agricultural condition of 

 the old tide-water States South of New-York. — 

 The suggestions which may be made respecting 

 Virginia, her resources and means of recupera- 

 tion, will be applicable in a great measure to all 

 the rest ; let that bo borne in mind as we pro- 

 ceed. The needful discrimination may be safe- 

 ly left to all intelligent and reflecting readers. 



A high sense of moral and political right pro- 

 duced the Declaration of Independence. The 

 sentiments, then a passion, though abated in 

 their intensity, yet burn, and we hope ever will, 

 in tlie American breast ; yet their influence had 

 produced different effects in different States. 

 from local causes. 



Virginia, from her commanding position, su- 

 perior force, and the great intellectual elevation 

 of her leading men, was naturally led to the ex- 

 amination of great State questions, and to over- 

 look her material domestic interests. It was, of 

 course, a consequence, that the policy of the 

 State would become such as to render undue 

 devotion and employment of mind and time to 

 party politics. In a society so eminent as is 

 that of Virginia for mental improvement and 

 power, the discussion of any subject which 

 should arrest general attentiim and strongly en- 

 list the feelings, ■would naturally engross U>o 



