THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



455 



constitute a leading principle in all soils and ma- 

 nures ; it is Ibrmed ol carbon and hydrojfen, and the 

 humic acid of humin and oxygen. It combines 

 with lime, potass and ammonia, in the (orm ol' 

 humales, and the smallest portion ol these will 

 render it soluble in water, and fit lo be taken up 

 by the spongelets ol'lhe root fibres. Ignorance of 

 the important action of this acid in dissolving 

 earthy matters, puzzled old writers to discover 

 how lime and potass got into plants. For these 

 hints I am indebted to Edmund Ruffin, the higli- 

 \y talented surveyor of Virginia.* 



A whole section of country may contain ma- 

 nures which science alone can render available, and 

 the farmer go abroad lor a supply ol marl and 

 lime, which scientific research would discover at 

 home. Beds ol limestone often lie with a hori- 

 zontal inclination, and In a line of a few miles pre- 

 sent to a farmer at one extremity of the line a 

 quantity of limestone on the surface of the soil, 

 which a farmer at another extremity of the line 

 might suppose he did not possess, but which the 

 agricultural surveyor would put him in posses- 

 sion of by instructing where to dig. But, in some 

 instances, even the application of marl may be 

 -<]eleterious to soH, as where no putrescent or vege- 

 table mailer existed. This fact suggests the pro- 

 priety of forming a knowledge of soils, and there 

 does not yet exist in the science of agriculture a 

 correct nomenclature of soils. 



Many important duties appertain to an agricul- 

 tural surveyor. The Massachusetts resolve, by 

 which a surveyor was appointed, reads : — " To 

 collect accurate information of the state and condi- 

 tion of the agriculture ofthe commonwealth, and 

 every subject cf nnected with it — [»oint out the 

 means of improvement, and make a detailed report 

 thereof, with as much exactness as circumstances 

 will admit.'- 



The agricultural surveyor, therefore, visits 

 every town in the state — every prmcipal farm or 

 plantation, the management of which promises to 

 afford useful inlormation, and corresponds and 

 co-operates with practical men. 



An agricul ural suivey relaies to the nature of 

 the soil, particuliirly in reference to the fixture 

 of the crops cultivated; to the climate, with re- 

 ference to the growth of crops, number of acres 

 cultivated, in what cultivated, the modes adopt- 

 ed, and the proreeds; to manures, to live stock ol 

 all kinds, as animals for pleasure, labor, food, for 

 the dairy; to dairy produce — to poultry — diseases 

 of domestic animals — bees — orchards — gardens — 

 farm buildings -farming implements — and many 

 miscellaneous subjects. 



A letter from Henry Colman to Whitemarsh 

 B. Seabrook, esq., dated 13th October, 1841, says, 

 the agricultural survey of Massachusetts "has 

 so lar accomplished all that could have been rea- 

 sonably expected from it. One ofthe most intelli- 

 gent farmers of the state says, that it has already 



* Mr, Roper has given to us * title to which we 

 have no legal right. It is true that we have both 

 surveyed and reported very extensively, though but 

 in part, on the agriculture of Virginia, but it has been 

 done altogether without authority from the state, 

 or remuneration from any source. We fear that it 

 will be long before the legislature of Virginia will 

 order an agricultural suivey ; though its whole ex- 

 pense would not equal one-fourth of the annual cost 

 of legislating to sustain fraudulent banks.— Ed. F. R. 



been worth three-hundred thousand dollars to 

 the commonwealth. It has awakened a strong 

 interest in the subject of agricultural improvement 

 of the state. It has developed the agricultural 

 resources ofthe state — has induced many farmers 

 to keep an exact account of their husbandry, its 

 expenses and returns, of which, belbre, they never 

 had any estimate. It has led to many important 

 experiments in agriculture. It has extended the 

 knowledge of improvements made in any and 

 every part ofthe state throughout the whole state. 

 It has contributed, essentially, to elevate and bet- 

 ter the condition of the laboring classes, and to 

 render the agricultural profession respectable. It 

 has sown seeds which must continue to be more 

 and more productive for agess to come." 



A letter from the same source, to the same gen- 

 tleman, says, " An agricultural survey of South- 

 Carolina would be of greater advantage than, 

 perhaps, of any state in the union at this time, if 

 so directed as to bring into proper notice the calca- 

 reous manures now almost entirely neglected, and 

 induce your planters to use them. Such a result 

 would be worth to South-Carolina more than the 

 doubling the present productions and pecuniary 

 value of the land of all that great region." 



The statistical information ol the agricultural 

 surveyor disseminates a knowledire of each dis- 

 trict, of the sums expended for supplies of what- 

 ever description, which at once leads to whole- 

 some reflection and salutary change in a defective 

 or losing policy. If. for instance, it can be shown, 

 according to the recent letter of Mr. W. B. Sea- 

 brook to the members ofthe legislature, that if an 

 increase of a quarter of a bushel to the acre in 

 corn, to the wholeamount ol land cultivated, were 

 grown, the necessity of a foreign supply would be 

 prevented, the saving to the state, al an interest 

 of 1^ per cent, on the amount expended on this 

 single article, equal to ^250,000, would abundant- 

 ly compensate an annual cost of survey till the 

 whole state was surveyed ; and when we add the 

 cost of horses, mules, cattle, hogs, beef, pork, 

 butter, lard, onions, potatoes, tubs, baskets, oats, 

 peas, hay, and numerous other articles for which 

 we are tributaries, and which we can produce at 

 home, an annual saving to the state ought to be 

 effected, to the cost of i$3. 000,000. Do we not 

 see lime and hay Ibrwarded by rail-road and the 

 rivers to Columbia, Camden, and intermediate 

 parts of the state 1 the sight ought to suffuse the 

 cheek, of every patriotic Carolinian, with the blush 

 of shame. The time was, when our Congaree 

 boats, loaded with corn, lay al our wharves, when 

 we exported corn, and now the reverse is the 

 case. 



The depreciation of our staple produce cannot 

 stand ihis outlay. The boundless fields and 

 prairies of the west supply cotton from 2 to 4 

 cents cheaper in the lb. than we can, and Texas 

 is now swelling the produce. We must, there- 

 fore, retrace our steps. The time has passed 

 when it was more profitable lo plant cotton than 

 corn, and the superfluous wealth which enabled 

 to buy what we ought now to produce, has gone 

 10 other lands. The Sea-islands, wiihout com- 

 petition in their staple, scarcely support them- 

 selves; and the production of rice is not 20,000 

 barrels greater now than were exported fifty years 

 ago. 



Wise laws may be passed, and political axioms 



