312 



THE FARMF.Rs' CABINET. 



VOL. 3. 



ties of climate and seasons in our Common- 

 wealll), and the Senate will Ijave some im- 

 perfect idea of what must be done, before the 

 subject shall be exhausted. Can it be ex- 

 pected that individuals can du all these things 

 and make known the results for tlie general 

 benefit? It is worthy of cunsideratiun that 

 the profits of agriculture, tliongh among the 

 most sure, are also the smallest, which reward 

 tlie industry of any class of our citizens; that 

 a farmer's business is almost always pressing, 

 few items of it admiltingof any delay. Think 

 also, that in very few instances is the farmer 

 protected in the enjoyment of the profits of the 

 inventions, which his skill and talents enable 

 him to make, and that his portion of the pub- 

 lic burthens is much greater, in proportion to 

 his income, than that of any other class of our 

 citizens. Think of these things, and then say 

 whether the farmer, laboring under so many 

 disadvantages, can afTord to be so much more 

 public spirited than any body else? We 

 think not. For these, and other reasons, let 

 our expectations be what they may, the Com- 

 monwealth, in fact, will be slow to reap the 

 full benefit of individual exertions. They 

 will be made slowly, and a kuowlege of them 

 will be spread slowly; soslowly,that a wliole 

 generation shall pass by without being scarce- 

 ly sensible of a forward movement. 



Will it be said that individuals, by volun- 

 tary association and contribution of funds 

 may remedy this evil 1 Something may, no 

 doubt, be done; but the evil is too great to be 

 fully mastered in this way. It will require 

 a series of experiments, during a course of 

 years, many of which will fail. A voluntary 

 association may be very useful ; but to re- 

 quire them to give their time and attention, 

 and likewise to be at all the expense of 

 spreading information, is asking too much. 

 Many are so unreasonable as to except flowers 

 and fruit almost instantaneously after the seed 

 is so sown. They become discouraged by a 

 little delay, and retire from the society. This 

 discourages others, till at last, perhaps just at 

 the time when the most brilliant results might 

 be expected, the most ]>ersovering and public 

 spirited desist from their labors. The society 

 sinks — the cause sinks — and, in addition 

 to the mortification of disappointed hopes 

 and defeated exertions, they nmst bear the 

 ridicule and derision with which the igornant, 

 prejudiced, and the fault-finding proclaim 

 their triumph. 



When we consider the importance of the 

 Eubject, and the uncertainty of these improve- 

 ments being made, or rather the certainty 

 that they will not be made by individual or 

 associated exertions alone, we might suppose 

 the argument in favor of Legislative action 

 complete. It is well known, tliat mechanics, 

 manufacturers, and those engaged in other 



branches of industry, beneficial merely to a 

 single district or neighborhood, ask and re- 

 ceive Legislative bounty, protection and ex- 

 clusive privileges. This is an interest, af- 

 fecting the whole State, which, if prosperous, 

 makes all our outlays for internal improve- 

 ment profitable ; which, if not prosperou."?, 

 must make us all bankrupt. The value of 

 the annual produce of the land in Pennsylva- 

 nia, aniDunts at a low estimate, to forty or 

 fifty mili:niis of dollars. Suppose, that the 

 utmost that could be done by the exertions of 

 all, should be to add ten per ct., to that pro- 

 ductivness, what a difierence it would make 

 in the prosperity of our State, in a few years. 

 It might make just the difierence between 

 prosperity and adversity, for if we could live 

 without an annual gain of four or five mil- 

 lions, and no gain at all ! What an additionai 

 impetus it might give to the extent and pro- 

 ductiveness of our public works, to have the 

 transportation of this in addition to the pre- 

 sent amount? — How many valuable citizens 

 would be induced to come here, and be dis- 

 suaded from going from us under such a state 

 of things! Does any one doubt, that under 

 a proper system of farming, ten per cent, 

 would be added to the present amount of our 

 agricultural productions? How very few- 

 plantations are now so perfectly managed, 

 that twenty or twenty-five per cent could not 

 be added ? How many might easily be made 

 to yield fifty? And are there not many, very 

 many, whose productiveness could be doubled? 

 [s not, therefore, the argument in favor of 

 Legislative action, conclusive? There still 

 remains a most difBcult and perplexing part 

 of this subject for consideration. In what man- 

 ner, and to what extent, shall aid to this 

 great interest be administered? It is evident 

 that means must be used to have our farming 

 conducted on scientific principles. It must, 

 in some way, be interwoven with our system 

 of education ; men must learn to judge from 

 the constituent parts of the soil, and their 

 combinations, what will be the species and 

 quality of its most profitable productions. An 

 agricultural school and a pattern farm, under 

 proper regulations, would imbue the luindsof 

 its pupils with valuable principles, and would 

 exemplify and illustrate those principles with 

 a corresponding and successful practice. This- 

 would be expensive ; but a very small ratio 

 of increase in the annual productions of our 

 farms, would repay it with enormous interest. 

 One successful school of this kind, would no 

 doubt, be the means of organizing many 

 others; and would, eventually have a most 

 beneficial influence on the education and agri- 

 culture of oiw State, and a most beneficial 

 influence on the health and morals of our 

 literary young men. Very signal benefits 

 might be derived to the State from an agricul- 



