504 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 8 



plicityof counsellors there is wisdom. The wisest 

 and most profitable agriculturist amongst us, will 

 receive a large dividend in the increase of his 

 stock of information. No individual possesses as 

 much information as is diffused through the whole 

 number of members; here, then, are some of the 

 benefits resulting from the formation of agricultu- 

 ral societies. But these are only a part of the ad- 

 vantages connected with agricultural associations. 

 I might specify many others: the cattle show, con- 

 nected with them, will certainly have the effect of 

 creating a spirit of improvement in the breeds of 

 cattle. Of all animals, the cow is perhaps the 

 most valuable, whether considered in reference to 

 the milk, butter and beef with which our tables are 

 supplied, or in reference to the valuable labor per- 

 formed by the ox upon the firm, or in carrying its 

 Eroduce to market. Arid after he has perlbrmed 

 is full quota of service on the farm, when put in- 

 to the stall, he is even then more valuable than 

 ever. 



This, then, is another important advantage of 

 agricultural societies. I might continue to speak 

 of improvements in all the domestic animals that 

 are useful to man, the horse, sheep, hogs, &c; 

 the improvement in which, is intimately connected 

 with the objects of agricultural societies. 



But I will pass on to notice, in the next place, 

 the importance of the agricultural profession, com- 

 pared with other professions. 



Gentlemen: the subject to which I am about to 

 call your attention, is of momentous interest. The 

 agricultural profession is of more importance than 

 all others. It is the profession from which all 

 others receive their life and support. It is like the 

 main spring in a watch, which puts the rest of the 

 machinery in motion — it is like the main artery in 

 the human system, which pervades and gives life 

 to the whole animal constitution: it may be com- 

 pared to the spinal marrow, which, if broken, 

 causes the decay of the whole system. The law- 

 yer, the physician, the merchant, the mechanic, 

 and divine, all receive support from this profes- 

 sion. 



Behold! the seas covered with shipping, and 

 their sails spread to every gale — all set in moiion — 

 all supported by the agricultural profession. Then 

 can we not, ought we not, to feel a deep interest 

 in elevating this profession to its proper rank? 

 Can there be one spark of patriotism burning in 

 the breast of that man, who would be unwilling 

 to contribute his humble mite to the advancement 

 of this great and important interest? Cold and 

 selfish must be the heart of that man, destitute of 

 a single glow of patriotic fire, who would be un- 

 willing to step forward and contribute to the eleva- 

 tion of this important profession. 



As Swift says, "and he gave it for his opinion, 

 that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two 

 blades of grass, to grow on a spot of ground 

 where only one grew before, would deserve better 

 of mankind, and do more essential service to his 

 country, than the whole race of politicians put to- 

 gether." 



Gentlemen, this great and important interest 

 has been kept in the back ground too long. It 

 has been a hewer of wood, and a drawer of wa- 

 ter to other professions long enough. It is time 

 that it should shine forth in all its beauty and 

 strength, and be elevated to its proper stand in so- 

 ciety. The main spring should not be considered 



inferior to the other parts of machinery to which 

 it gives motion. Destroy and break down the ag- 

 ricultural profession, and all other professions will 

 languish and die. That there is a great evil pre- 

 vailing, and which calls loudly for a remedy, must 

 be apparent to every reflecting mind. Why is it, 

 that there is so little interest felt for improvement 

 in agriculture? Is the field not wide enough? Is 

 there not room enough to give full scope to talents 

 and genius? Is it unworthy of talents of the first 

 order? Surely in this field — on this great and im- 

 portant subject, all the talent and genius, all the 

 noblest faculties of man, might be brought into 

 lively exercise, and have full scope to be useful to 

 themselves and to mankind — in considering the 

 plants of the field, studying the properties and 

 qualities of soils, the best mode of improving and 

 applying manures, and in imparting their informa- 

 tion to others and exciting a greater interest in 

 improvement. Such an employment cannot be 

 unworthy of any man. 



Gentlemen — that there is something wrong 

 must be apparent to every intelligent mind — that 

 there is a fatal disease prevailing cannot be doubt- 

 ed, and unless the remedy is speedily applied, will 

 sap the foundation of this republic — the liberties 

 that we now enjoy, for which our forefathers 

 fought and bled, will be of short duration. Let 

 us inquire into the nature and cause of the dis- 

 ease, and what is the remedy. A skilful physi- 

 cian, when called to visit a patient, first endeavors 

 to find out the nature and cause of disease — being 

 satisfied upon this subject, unless the disease is 

 incurable, the remedy is easily applied. The 

 principal disease in the agricultural profession, is 

 defect in education. Heretofore, it has been con- 

 sidered altogether unnecessary to educate sons, 

 whose occupation was to be that of tilling the 

 soil. If they could multiply two by two, take one 

 from three, and write their names, this was all that 

 was necessary. Of late, some little more interest 

 has been felt on the subject of education, but still 

 there is great deficiency. The agricultural com- 

 munity must be enlightened, must be educated, to 

 enable them duly to appreciate liberty, and the 

 blessings that flow from our happy form of go- 

 vernment. I would say, educate your sons for 

 the farm, instead of making professional men of 

 them. In the common acceptation of the word, 

 professional is intended only to apply to law and 

 medicine, in which sense I use it. But agriculture 

 is as much a profession as any other calling: in 

 this sphere they can be useful to themselves and 

 to society. 



The professions of law and medicine in this 

 country are already overgrown. Many who fill 

 them are mere drones, hangers-on upon society, 

 without any, or but little, business; and of course 

 the temptations to idleness, vice and their conse- 

 quences, are of fearful character. No greater 

 evil can befal any community than to have those 

 professions overdone. It has been the prevailing 

 practice in Virginia, if a man had a son that he 

 considered a tolerably smart fellow — and most pa- 

 rents are inclined to give their children more cred- 

 it, for cleverness than they are entitled to — why, he 

 is such a prodi<ry that he must be a lawyer or doc- 

 tor! Most mistaken and ruinous notion! Edu- 

 cate those smart sons of yours for the farm; they 

 can be clever fellows here, as well as in the prac- 

 tice of law or medicine; they can be as useful in 



