330 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



should be persuaded that theirs is, even beyond all others, an employment oi the mind; and 

 that, as Liebig says, it must depend hereafter for all material improvement, on the applica- 

 tion of science to its practice. On tliis depends both its dignity and its profit. We eam- 

 esdy desire, therefore, to see American cultivators rise in the strength of their numbers and 

 the value of their products, and extort from Government their full proportion of the means 

 for the diffusion of knowledge connected with their pursuits. This is a theme which «tf 

 itself opens a wide field for discussion, and in vvliich, we lament to say, we have not had the 

 benefit of the brighter lights of our brethren of the agricultural or the general press of the 

 country. Yet can any one, even the most careless uiquirer, fail to perceive that on no one 

 thing does the prosperity and true glory of our country depend, in anything like the same 

 proportion that they do on the general enlightenme^it of the landed interest ? 



Again : We desii-e, also, to describe all useful improvements in the tools and machinery 

 of Agriculture, and to present tlie result, as far as possible, of all field experiments — not to 

 excite vulgar, senseless amazement at the sight of what can be done, but, by accom- 

 panying such extraordinary results with plain philosojihical explanations, show m that way 

 on what j)iinciples they depend. Hero, again, is another field for practical inquuy and 

 obsen'ation, which demands much S2)ace and all the aid of die best assistance to do it justice. 



We are far, very far, from failing to perceive that the respectability and the success of the 

 cultivator are connected with his knowledge of the bearing of the laws on the welfai-e of 

 his employment. No one can be more sensibly impressed than we with the truth of the 

 fact that there is between national legislation and national manners and well-being, a con- 

 stant, indissoluble connection. It would be almost impossible to overestimate it, in extent 

 or influence. The spirit of public legislation in this countiy, for years 2)ast, and under all 

 parties, is a base preference for and j)romotion of military over civil services and virtues ! 

 such as well becomes despotism, where the tlu-one is to be upheld by the bayonet, against 

 the progi'ess of reason and philosophy. In vain have we implored the cooperation of abler 

 pens in exposure of this degenerate prostitution of public sentiment and public legisla- 

 tion. Not an Editor nor pati'iot writer comes to our assistance. We pomt hastily at these 

 objects to show that this Journal, being alone in this path of public duty, we have need of 

 much space to endeavor to persuade the friends of Agiiculture that the plant must be wa- 

 tered at the root — that the rising generation must be instnicted in the application of the arts 

 and sciences to field practice, and that for this they have a right to demimd ten dollars for 

 every owe that is applied, of their money, to any other sort of science or instmction. We 

 have need, too, of much space to keep way with the progress of practical improvements in 

 the machmery and processes which discovery brings to light, and winch experience and 

 philosophy prove to be expedient and profitable. Hence it is that we are compelled to be 

 anxious not to have our pages engi'ossed by the discussion of questions in political economy, 

 which, especially tlie doctrine of protection, being coimected with the sti-uggles and the 

 ascendency of parties, find room and welcome in everj' village paper in the Union, while 

 scarcely one of them, even those which arc exclusively dependent on country support, wiU 

 come to our aid hi chiiming for Agriculture the establishment of scliools and academies for 

 instruction in its elementary and practical principles, or any sort of public care and consid- 

 eration. Well we know, ;uid we are proud to say, that we are honored with the patronage, 

 whether many or few, of a class of readers qualified by every attjiinment and taculty. to 

 tlu-ow the fullest lights on both sides of the vexed question: How fiU' is it expedient and 

 wise to invoke the powers of Govennnent to influence the jirofits of labor and capitiil, over 

 and above such duties as may be indispensable to an economical a<lministration of Govern- 

 ment? Wo are, moreover, proud to refer to the temper and s])uit of the respected coiTCspond- 

 ents who, we dare say, almost insensibly to themselves, have glided more largely tiian they 

 bad intended, into tliat topic ; and were it certain that the smne temper and limits would 

 always be observed, far from discouraging, we should invite, such statements of important 

 facts and such conflicts of reason, on piincijile. Wo would do it were it only for that high- 

 est of all pleasures, tlie intellectual gratification to be derived by every liberal mind fiom 

 witnessing the manly and the gentlemanly conflicts of cultivated intellecta. On this, as on 

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