THE FARMERS' REGISTE 



Vol. X. 



JANUARY 31, 1842. 



No. 1. 



EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. 



THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, AND ITS DE- 

 SIGNED ACTION. 



A bill has passed the House of Delegates, but 

 still remains undecided upon by the Senate, to pay 

 for the personal expenses of the members ol 

 the Board of Agriculture, while the Board is ac- 

 tually in session, §'3 per day, and the same rate ol 

 mileage pay, lor travelling to and IVom the place 

 of meeting, as is allowed to members of the As- 

 sembly. Even if this bill should pass the Senate, 

 it will furnish nothing towards paying (or the 

 actual necessary outlay of money by members, 

 in other, and as necessary expenditures ; nor even 

 for the smallest and most indispensable expenses 

 of the Board itsell) in ttationary, clerkship, print- 

 ing, &c. fi is hoped however that even the con- 

 tinued existence of a great deficiency in this re- 

 spect will not prevent the members performing 

 the duty imposed on them, though the greater 

 part of their expenditures, as well as their labor, 

 may be at their own cost. But it will be abso- 

 lutely necessary that at least the poor compensa- 

 tion proposed by Hie bill now before the Senaie 

 shall be given, or otherwise it is very certain ihai 

 the law insiituiing the Board had as well be re- 

 pealed directly, as in this indirect manner. How- 

 ever willing the members of the Board may be 



to the legislature, (and published in the last No. 

 of the Farmers' Register, p. 688,) is dependent 

 upon the enactment of the bill belorc ihe Senate, 

 or some other not less operative legal provisions. 

 In case of sucli enactment, a circular letter of 

 inquiry from the Board will speedily be printed, 

 together with the plan of operations, and sent to 

 sundry of the farmers of every county, whose 

 public spirit it is hoped may induce their furnish- 

 ing their aid to the great object of collecting and 

 diflusing agricultural knowledge. 



In pursuance of the general plan, (which the 

 readers of this publicatien already have had before 

 them,) the editor, as a member of the Board, as 

 soon as permitted, will commence his share of 

 the labors of personal examination and inquiry 

 through some counties of (he southern portion of 

 the tide-water region of Virginia, which disirict 

 has been assigned to his general supervision, by 

 ihe arrangement and division of labors of the 

 Board, it would greatly facilitatesuch bibnrs of per- 

 sonal inquiry and examination, if, in advance, somr- 

 ihing were done by some of ilie larmers of each 

 county (ilesiriijg fuch action) in preparatory 

 operations. The preparation might be individual 

 and separate, in noting observations on and an- 

 swers to the published heads of inquiry — and 



to make considerable sacrifices for the public be- stlso,' general and combined, in founding an agri- 

 nefii, it would be folly to expect of those liie most ' cultural society, to meet the views and aid the 

 remote, who have to travel moie than SOO miles i operations of the Boardof Agricultuie. VVhcie 

 merely to attend and return from the annual ' 'bere is so much more to be done than anyone 



meeting of the Board, can continue to do so at 

 their own cost entirely. The ediior, though a 

 member of the Board, may be free to speak thus, 

 because, being wiihin 20 miles of Kichmond, ihc 

 mileage pay to him would be scarcely wor'h con- 

 sideration. And the per diem pay (which lor 

 this first year would be but $18 for each one,) can 



member can possibly perform, (even if possessing 

 fi^ir more abiliiy and leisure,) of course the edi- 

 torcannot count on being able to do more than point 

 out a course of operations to others, and aid their 

 more useful and instruciive invesiigations. But 

 so far as it is possible, he will be ready to meet 

 :he requisiiions o( the persons and communities 



scarcely be supposed to have niuch influence on his i which may appear to be Ihe most ready to act 

 action, or that of any other member. If his own I effectually, and who may desire, and shall signi'y 

 measure of pecuniary compensation were only in 'heir desire, to have his personal co-operation. 



view, he would prefer that the services were to 

 be, asunder the original law, altogether gratui- 

 tously rendered. It is for other considerations, 

 necessarily involving the very existence of the 

 Board of Agriculture, and all the hoped for use- 

 fulness to be derived from even so imperfect a plan, 

 that the bill before the Senate is to him of the 

 slightest importance. 

 It may then be understood that the proposed 



action of the Board of Agriculture, as submitted 

 Vol. X.— 1 



Such inviiations are by no means desired as mere 

 matter of compliment, or as evidences that the 

 visits of the member of the Board on a tour of 

 'nspection would be welcome, and kindly received. 

 No doubt on the latter head would be enierlained 

 by any one acquainted with old Virginia. But 

 as a means of properly directing the few and fee- 

 ble eflbrts which he may be enabled to make, 

 the member will be aided much by any such po- 

 sitive indications of the places where those efforts 



