680 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



many ihings in ihe culture of our gardens relative 

 to the nature and uses ol' plants, jhe qualities and 

 best application ol' manures, the advanlage:s oi 

 neat, carelul tillage, together with the most profi- 

 table methods oJ managing each varieiy ol gai- 

 den-crop, that may Le very ad vamageoucly adopt- 

 ed in our larming oj)eratione. But there is a 

 ing himaelf "to improve in his vocation, (lor he I moral view which may bti taken ol' horiicuhurat 

 would be ashamed lo report tiial he had Ijeen a societies, that gives them a still stronger claim to 

 mere 'sleeping partner"'' m our concern,) but pro- i our regard and encouragement. They I'urnish to 



accompliishing the beneficent objects lor which we 

 had associated together, but which lias been al- 

 mos. entirely disregarded, wa=--, that every mem- 

 ber who was a cultivator ol' the soil, should make 

 a verbal or writien report, at each ol our anniver- 

 eary meetings, of his agricultural experiences. 

 This would prove a means, not only ol stimulat 



bably ol' inlorming us, his brethren, ol something 

 uselul that we knew not belore, and which might 

 add 10 llie general stock ol' agnculiural knowledge 

 throughout the portion ol' Virginia wherein the 

 proceedings ol our society have any inHuence. 



A tliird recommendaiioii — indeeu 1 may almost 

 call it an earnest entreaty — was, that our town- 

 members should strive to persuade their (ellow- 

 lownsmen to join our society, ll' this were a 

 mere gratuity, I certainly should never have been 

 so mean as lo ask it in our behall ; but ii is clear- 

 ly demonstrable, that they are lar more beneliied 

 by our meeiings being held in this (jlace, ilian 

 any equal number ol' persons in any one or more 

 ol' the surrounding counties. And ye:, although 

 many ol them became membeis at first, they 

 have been withdrawing every year since, until 

 now, we can hardly musier enough of them lo 

 Jorm a quorum for business. The admirable pre- 

 cept to •' do as you louuld be done bif seems 

 never to have crossed their minds, at least as ap- 

 plicable m any way to oar society — although it 

 js probable, that there is scarcely a merchant or 

 mechanic in the place, who does not receive, at 

 each ol our anniversary meeiings, and in con- 

 sequence thereof, much more than would pay his 

 amiual subscii|>tion ol' two dollars, towards sup- 

 porting our association, ir it be not paid to him 

 directly, it is paid to some one with whom he ha- 

 business transaction-, and thus indirectly increases 

 his chance of being benefited theretjy. This 

 interchange ol" reciprocal benefits seems to be 



ihe other sex, who are always ready to aid us in 

 every good word and work, a most innocent, 

 healthy, and delightlul out-doors employment; 

 one, which above all oiheie, is well caicuiated to 

 cnielhem o; thuse sedentary habits that bring such 

 vast numbers of our Virginia ladies to an early 

 grave. Notning affords a better, and more ex- 

 hilarating relaxation Irom those in-door occupations, 

 whicli are olten wearisome in a very great degree, 

 and not unlreiiuently painful ; all which they en- 

 dure lor our sakes with a degree of patience and 

 fonnude truly exemplary. For this we owe them, 

 not on y our constant gratitude, but every eti'orl in 

 our power to render their situations in hie, to the 

 full, as comlbrlable and happy as our own. 



You, my friends, can best tell how far 1 have 

 succeeded in any one of the recunimtii:dations just 

 enumerated. My own impression is, thai 1 iiave 

 u-iterly tailed in all, except in obiaining agricultur- 

 al reports, and of these, 1 believe, it may truly be 

 said, that Irom the establishment of our society 

 to the present day, we have not had as many as 

 it is years old. Were I one ol' those jiersons who 

 are apt to despair, even in a good cause, I should 

 long ago (to borrow a nauiical phrase) have 

 " given up the ship.'" But i have been otherwise 

 taught. From my earliest recollection it was 

 my good fortune to be instructed by a most allec- 

 lionaie, intelligent and |)ious mother ; and among 

 the many admirable lessons tiial she labored 

 without ceasing to impress upon my mind, there 

 was one which all the experience of a long life 



well undersiood by the good citizens of our city has proved to be universally true. It was, that 



of Richtiiond, lor a large poriion of them have 

 become members, and very zealous ones loo, of 

 an agricultural and horticultural society lately es- 

 tablisned among tliem. And so liberally have 

 they patronized it, that, although it is not yet a 

 year old, it has already commenced operations 

 with such vigor and eciat as to become the theme 

 of universal applause among the numerous visiters 

 who witnessed their late exhibition. And now. 



perseverance, piompled by a sense of duty, and 

 guided by inleliigiiice, is the mighty conqueror of 

 all difficuliies, not absolutely invincible, both in 

 the natural and moral world. Hence 1 have 

 al-ways deemed it our sacred duty never to be so 

 lar discouraged in the pursuit of any object which 

 we conscientiously believe to be conducive to the 

 general good, as lo relax in ouretiorls lo ailain it. 

 II placed in any situation wherein we are ex- 



my friends, let me ask, IS there any good reason, [ pected lo advise or persuade others, (and such is 



why our society, which is the oldest, I believe 

 in Virginia, should lall so very lar short of a 

 young sister, (so young, indeed, that we may pro- 

 perly say, she is still an infant compared to us,) 

 in our etibris lo promote the great — the vital 

 cause of Virginia liusbandryl Surely, most 

 surely, we ought to take shame lo ourselves lor 

 such supineness on our part, and lonhwiih deter- 

 mine, one and all of us, to make up, il possible, for 

 pasi neglect, by exerting all the means in our 

 power to make our society an example of effici- 

 ency to all thai may herealier be established with- 

 in our state. 



A fourth recommendation which I have pressed 

 upon you several times, was to establish a horti- 

 cultural society in connexion with our society. 

 The union of the two has been lound highly bene- 

 ficial wh' rever il has been tried; lor we learn 



I he one with which you have so long honored 

 me) we should never be deterred Irom uitering 

 line upon line, and precept upon precept, in behalf 

 of ihe cause we have espoused, eo long as we 

 could prevail on any to listen to us. [ have never 

 yet been wiihout a sufficient number of good men 

 and true in this society, lo sustain my hopes in 

 the final success of our cause, and, with Heaven's 

 help, I will perseveie to the end of my hie, in ray 

 eliorts to efiect my purpose — this is, what it ever 

 has been, to promote, lo the utmost extent of my 

 power, the vital cause of husbandry, not only 

 within the limits of our society, but in every part 

 of my good old native siate, in which my voice 

 can be heard. Is it not, my friends, a cause of 

 sufficient magnitude and interest to Virginia lier- 

 self->ay, and lo every man, woman and child 

 wiihhi her limiiSj lo arouse us all lo increased 



