336 



Cape May Agricultural Society. 



Vol. X. 



i 



tenance from legislation by way of encou- 

 ragement 1* How many resort to some me- 

 chanical business, or other mode of living, 

 because husbandry is attended with so few 

 inducements to pursue it; and how many, 

 almost useless in the world, might be in- 

 duced to settle in the country and improve 

 the soil; and how many families, entirely 

 destitute, would by this means find enough 

 lo live on and to spare ? 



There is one thing that will always make 

 some people shy of farming, and that is, it 

 is a little too hard work, and it is almost too 

 honest a way of getting a living for others, 

 and for some few it is not high enough busi- 

 ness. And on the other hand, the moral 

 tendency, should the business become more 

 general than it is, will counterbalance the 

 evils that might be apprehended. The ef- 

 fects of industry upon the human mind are 

 incalculable. Where can the youth, up till 

 fourteen years of age, the usual period when 

 they go to an apprenticeship, be so profitably 

 employed, so healthful to his body, so advan- 

 tageous to his morals, as on a farml Let us 

 have good farms, good grain of all kinds, 

 good horses, cattle, sheep and swine, and the 

 more of them the better. What may, in 

 some measure, compensate for the neglect 

 of legislation in this matter, are the liberal 

 premiums which Agricultural Societies usu- 

 ally offer for improvements in the various 

 branches of agriculture, with a view to ex- 

 cite to honourable distinction. Although 

 the reward be more meritorious than profit- 

 able, such competition would lead to the 

 most favourable results; and such has been 

 the effect where this practice has been 

 adopted. And why would not legislative 

 encouragement lead to the same important 

 result 1 Had legislation offered a donation 

 to every County Agricultural Society in the 

 State years ago, we should not now be meet- 

 ing for the first time, nor you hearing the 

 first Address on the subject in this county. 

 We should have been some few steps in ad- 

 vance of where we are now in the business 

 of farming. The annual exhibitions of the 

 improvements made, would have given an 

 impulse that would by this time have dou- 

 bled our present productions. 



Another thing indispensable to success is, 

 that farmers must secure all the information 

 on the subject of agriculture within reach. 

 There is an intelligence which should be 

 characteristic of the farmer. The various 

 books written, and the numerous journals 

 published monthly and weekly, will afford 

 much important aid. As well might a man 



* No State Geologist has explored the county of 

 Cape May. 



undertake to be a politician, without inform- 

 ing himself of the various movements going 

 on in the political world, as for a farmer to 

 neglect what is the opinion and practice of 

 other men in regard to the department of 

 agriculture. Meetings, also, may be held, 

 in u'hich matters interesting to the farmer 

 may be discussed — committees appointed on 

 the various branches of husbandry, who shall 

 report their investigations. By this means 

 the best and earliest information would be 

 secured ; and this much, a Society, carried 

 out in all its operations, would accomplish. 

 A man would then understand why he does 

 so and so, and be able to give a good and 

 philosophical reason, instead of saying that 

 his father did, or did not so. He will find 

 the use of science in his profession as much 

 as in any other. 



He who makes himself master of his own 

 profession, is not the man to neglect other 

 branches of learning ; nay, this extensive 

 research in his particular calling carries him 

 often within the sphere of other arts and 

 sciences. So that, instead of merely under- 

 standing what pertains or is considered to 

 pertain to his art, he is furnished with a 

 large fund of general knowledge. It is a 

 new thing to introduce into the system of 

 school instruction, the subject of agriculture. 

 But why should it not be deemed as import- 

 ant to give instruction on this branch of bu- 

 siness, as it is to give lectures on medicine 

 to the young man preparing for the duties of 

 a physician? The business of the farmer 

 includes not only the skill and labour in 

 managing the implements of husbandry, so 

 as to secure the greatest amount of produce; 

 he is not to be regarded as a mere drudge, 

 and contributing his quota in the same man- 

 ner as his horse, in bringing forward the pro- 

 ductions of the earth. But he can improve 

 his mind in knowledge — exercise his judg- 

 ment — display his taste in the various branch- 

 es of his agricultural operations. He is en- 

 titled to the comforts and conveniences of 

 life as much as any other man ; and he has 

 a good opportunity of manifesting his taste 

 in regard to his dwelling, barn, sheds, fields, 

 &c. His dwelling, in its plain, simple ap- 

 pearance, indicating convenience rather than 

 show, amply surrounded with trees selected 

 from the forest and the nursery, a protection 

 alike from the storm and the hot rays of a 

 summer sun, will bespeak a word of com- 

 mendation from the passer by, and be indi- 

 cative of the peace and comfort enjoyed 

 within. His barns and sheds are construct- 

 ed with a view to convenience and comfort, 

 his fields are properly arranged and securely 

 enclosed. 

 But that the farmer may himself enjoy the 



