1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



511 



portion of its value : but as we never have been much 

 governed by usage, or by policy, we do not hesitate 

 to state this charge — even though it has been made by 

 none others, so far as we have yet been informed. 

 We certainly have had no intimation that any of our 

 readers and subscribers have become less pleased witli 

 the contents of the Farmers' Register — nor has it yet 

 been indicated indirectly by any diminution of the 

 subscription list — the surest test, it has been said, of 

 the standing and favor of every periodical publication. 

 Eut there has been a re : arkable diminution of writ- 

 ten communications within the last few months, to the 

 great injury of the work as a vehicle of practical in- 

 formation and agricultural instruction, and to the im- 

 minent peril of its existence, should this state of things 

 continue. It is true that we have presented to our 

 readers many vahiable extracts from new or standard 

 agricultural works, probably but little known to the 

 great mass of American farmers — and we have used 

 every ellbrt to keep supplied with whatever is new, 

 and desirable to select from, in European journals, as 

 well as those of our own country. But however val- 

 uable are such selections as a part of every number, 

 they cannot compensate for the absence, or great 

 scarcity, of original communications of practical and 

 domestic matters. 



It is now three 3''ears since we had similar cause to 

 address our readers urgently on this subject — and the 

 words then used, will in part, be quoted, as equally 

 applicable now : 



" This publication has bepn most favorably received 

 by its patrons and by the public ; and expressions of 

 approbation and good will haVe been uttered far and 

 near, among strangers as well as by friends, and in. 

 other states no less than Virginia. Numerous testimo- 

 nials of the high and general estimation of the Far- 

 mers' Register have been received from our corres- 

 pondents, besides those which have been published 

 when connected with other matter — and in the latter 

 case, such expressions as were merely complimentary 

 have often been moderated, or altogether omitted in 

 the publication. Our subscription list has already ex- 

 tended beyond our expectations, and continues to in 

 crease ; and the undertaking has not only been secured 

 from pecuniary loss, but promises an amount of profit 

 which at first was not anticipated. 



" But with all the high degree of gratification which 

 we have derived from this reception, we are not so de- 

 luded as to attribute it to editorial talents, nor so in- 

 flated as to be blind to the danger which still threatens 

 to destroy the value, and even the existence of the 

 Farmers' Register. We are certainly not disposed to 

 depreciate its worth in the public estimation. On the 

 contrary, we believe that if it was to end at this time, 

 great and permanent benefits, produced through its 

 agency, would remain for the improvement of agricul- 

 ture. But these important services have been princi- 

 pally performed by our correspondents, and to them we 

 yield the honor due. The light and instruction thus 

 furnished by a few, establishes fully what we have be- 

 fore said might be done by the united efforts of all, or 

 even of the greater part of our readers. But except 



from a few, in comparison to the very many well qual- 

 ified to afford valuable instruction, no such assistance 

 has been offered, and we fear is not intended to be 

 furnished. Nothing but that assistance is wanting to 

 make the Farmers' Register everything that the kind- 

 est and most sanguine of its friends may have antici- 

 pated : but without it, we do not hesitate to say (how- 

 ever opposed the admission may be to the maxims of 

 our new trade,) tliat its usefulness will soon diminish, 

 and its existence perhaps will not last much longer. 

 Neither complimentary expressions, nor subscribers, 

 nor their money, will make an agricultural journal of 

 much value, even if conducted by editorial talents very 

 far surpassing our limited stock. But all that we ask, 

 or wish, to insure the highest degree of success and 

 usefulness for our work, will be that each reader, who 

 ig competent, will add something for the information 

 of others, and in some degree act as others have 

 don", and follow, as well as applaud, their good exam- 

 ples." 



We earnestly hope that this appeal will not be made 

 in vain — and more espcdalhj in regard to the hundreds 

 of intelligent cultivators of the soil who have given 

 to the Farmers' Register the aid of their subscription, 

 and pecuniary support, but who have never contribu- 

 ted in the slightest degree to fi'd its pages, and in that 

 manner to make any return to others for furnishing the 

 great amount of valuable information received through 

 this channel. Let but a proper sense of what they 

 owe in this respect to others visit with proper force 

 those who have been thus delinquent, and there would 

 be no longer ground for such complaints, nor danger 

 of the loss of interest or value in this work. There 

 seems at this time to be some general and wide spread 

 cause for this torpor of American agriculturists. The 

 evidences are not exhibited only in the pages of the 

 Farmers' Register — but in those of every other of the 

 agricultural journals of the United States. Was the 

 deficiency of original matter in this publication alone, 

 or even in but half of all such cotemporury works, it 

 would be easy to fill well our monthly numbers by se- 

 lections from the others, that were more successful. 

 But no such facilities are offered. The best pieces, 

 (suitable to Virginia and the south,) selected from all 

 the agricultural periodicals in the United States, do not 

 suffice for this end. Is it that the energy and zeal of 

 the agricultural class — every thing that ought to be 

 devoted to the improvemnnt of agriculture — is swal- 

 lowed up, or smothered, by schemes of western emi- 

 gration, of speculations in Texas lands or gold mines 

 — or by president-making, or oflice-seeking? 



Unless others (and many others) will lend their aid, 

 the editor of an agricultural journal, even with far 

 greater abilities than ours', can do but little. We have 

 always, and most readily, admitted, that the main va- 

 lue of the Farmers' Register was furnished by the 

 communications of its correspondents. Our services 

 and merit have consisted merely in drav/ing forth these 

 contributions to agricultural knowledge and improve- 

 ment: and if the inducements inviting such contribu- 

 tions are now insufficient, we would gladly make thera. 

 stronger, in any proper mode that may be suggested. 



