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MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



THE MARYLAND FAHMERS' CLUB. 



ON THE RIGHT TACK. 



We have already more than once expressed 

 our humble persuasion of the utility of Farm- 

 ers' Clues ; and feel much gratified in the be- 

 lief that they will spring up and do good service 

 in all parts of the Union. 



The one which has been recently foraied at 

 Baltimore, Md., has started right foot foremost, 

 by taking effectual measures to promote intel- 

 lectual inquiry and scicntifc investigation into 

 matters of obvious importance. The results of 

 such investigations bring new facts to light, lift 

 Agriculture from the mire, cause it to be re- 

 spected as a pursuit worthy at once to task and 

 to amuse the mind of the scholar and the man 

 of science ; and according as it is pursued in 

 that spirit, to augment the best sort of stock, that 

 man can covet or possess — the stock of know- 

 ledge. We rejoice to know that we shall see, 

 from time to time, the proceedings of this re- 

 spectable Club in their " organ," the old Amer- 

 ican Farmer -, which, by the bye, has come out 

 in new and fashionable attire, looking as fresh 

 and vigorous as an old froit tree recently and ju- 

 diciously pruned and washed over and scrubbed 

 with soap suds and sands ! The Club could not 

 have a better Repository for their good works. 

 We would gladly copj' all their proceedings as 

 we find tliem in the Baltimore Pati-iot, but that 

 cannot be expected of a work like this, intended 

 so much more for the promulgation of principles 

 than for the register of details. 



AVe tender our thanks to the Club for their 

 compliment in recommending the Farmers' 

 Library, and with the blessing of Providence, 

 and the liberality of our Publishers, who restrict 

 us in nothing, we mean to deserve it. The fol- 

 lowing item of their proceedings, however, pre- 

 sents such a prominent feature, and is so much 

 in a spirit that we have been earnestly com- 

 mending, that we take leave to hold it up as 

 worthy of imitation : 



. " On motion of Danl. Bowly, Esq. it \vas re- 

 solved, that the regular subject for discussion at 

 the next meeting be the disease now making 

 such havoc of the potato throughout the world, 

 that if possible, its farther spread in Maryhmd 

 may be stayed — and, to this end, that the Chem- 

 ists and Geologists of the Club, Professors Du- 

 catel and Baer, be each requested to procure at 

 least one pound of potatoes in this state of pecu- 

 liar disease, .and to select at least one pound 

 each of those in a perfectly healthy condition, 

 for analyzatioii ; that they each be authorized to 

 conduct and complete a separate analysis of 

 (092) 



both descriptions ; furnish the particulars at the 

 next meeting of the Club, and accompany the 

 same with an opinion, in the abstract, as to 

 whether it be an internal disease, and if so, 

 what remedy may be applied, and whether it 

 be microscopic auimalculae, and if so, whether 

 in the pupae or larva> state, and what mea.sures, 

 in their opinion, should be adopted to prevent 

 its generation — or, if it be a parasitic supei-ficial 

 fungus — also that $.'50, $12 .50 for each separate 

 analysis, or so much thereof as may be needed, 

 be appropriated out of the funds of the Club to 

 defray the expenses of said analj-sis." 



Here, then, the reader sees that these gentle- 

 men are not satisfied to take all out in talking. 

 They designate an important subject, call upon 

 the Chemist and the Geologist " of the Club," 

 and put their hands in their pockets to defray 

 the expense of the required analyses, and we 

 doubt not their reports will be of more real ser- 

 vice to the cause of Agriculture, than would an 

 exhibition of twenty of the fattest cattle ever 

 reared and stuffed on the " South Branch." We 

 shall keep a lookout for these reports, to publi.sh 

 and send them to tlie distinguished Commis- 

 sioners engaged in precisely the same inves- 

 tigations in Ireland, but there at the instance of 

 the Prime Minister, Mr. Peel, and doubtless to 

 be munificently compensated. And so should 

 all such men, so engaged, be compensated. — 

 Their Geological and their Chemical know- 

 ledge is . their trade, — acquired at great ex- 

 pense of money, time and labor. Their cru- 

 cible is to them what the anvil is to the 

 smith, and the plow to the farmer, and the 

 sword to the military man — with this crception, 

 that the Government gives the sword and a life 

 commission and high pay along with it, wheth- 

 er it be used or not; and with one other excep- 

 tion — the crucible, the anvil and the plow are 

 instruments of kiiowledge and support, the 

 sword for the slaughter of the human family. 



That noble friend of Agriculture — noble in 

 the best sense of the word — the late Eaul 

 Spencer, at a general meeting of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England, especially re- 

 commended the formation of Farmers' Clubs, 

 on the ground of tlieir coming home, as it were, 

 to the fireside of the practical farmer, \\ ho would 

 not go to an Agricultural Society's dinner ; but 

 in their Clubs he said they might meet their 

 neighbors, and talk over in their own plain way 

 all the new improvements which they have 

 themselves adopted, or seen elsewhere. 



