FARMERS' REGISTER— LEGISLATIVE AID TO AGRICULTURE. 



691 



by observing such indications of growing public 

 opinion — and not in the slightest degree lioai sup- 

 posing that such appeals to members of the legisla- 

 ture could have any direct effect. The members 

 of the General Assembly of Virginia, are peculiar- 

 ly the agents of their constituents. It may be 

 questioned^ whether this is more owing to any pecu- 

 liarity of our form of governmentj or to the stubborn 

 independence of the body of the people ; but the 

 effect is not the less certani. Our representatives do 

 not lead, but follow, tiie wishes of their constitu- 

 ents. Whatever talent and boldness a member 

 may display, in advocating any new measure, is, 

 in general, merely a zealous performance of the 

 wishes — or expression of the tcelings of his con- 

 stituents : and if one dares to precede his county- 

 men in making an important decision, whether he 

 is right or wrong, he will, in most cases, thereby 

 incur their displeasure, and fbrfisit his place as 

 their representative. This state of things is ac- 

 companied with many good, but also, with some 

 inconvenient effects — and one ot the latter, is, tliat 

 the legislature must always act as if behind the 

 people in intelligence, and wait for the popular im- 

 pulse to direct every new and important public 

 measure. The members certainly possess, and ex- 

 eri, great influence in producing such measures — 

 but they use this influence at home, and in their pri- 

 vate character — and not as legislators, until (hey feel 

 assured that the}^ will be sustained in, (if they are 

 not urged to) the course, as a matter of state poli- 

 cy. Entertaining these views, I believe that if 

 every member a[)proved the changes proposed in 

 our legal policy by different contributors to the 

 Farmers' Register, for the benefit of agriculture, 

 that no such enactments would be made, nor even 

 proposed in the legislature, until the people had 

 been induced to think, and were ready to act, on 

 such subjects. Let us then address ourselves to 

 the people. Let every man, who wishes the 

 adoption of any legislative measures for the aid of 

 agricultural improvement, use his influence among 

 his neighbors, as well as by publication; and there 

 can be little doubt of the success of what is so rea- 

 sonable in itself, and promises such general and 

 important advantage to the commonwealth, and to 

 every individual tiller of the soil. Let us set on 

 foot agricultural societies, if possible, in every 

 county, so constituted, as to engage the interest, 

 and secure the co-operation of f;\rmers of every 

 class — and through them, let the wants of agricul- 

 ture be ascertained, and made known to our legis- 

 lature. The agricultural interest in Virginia, and 

 the people, are the same body. The advantage of 

 the one, cannot, by possibility, be made injurious 

 to the otiier — and agriculture has only to know 

 and declare her wants, to meet with pron)pt and 

 implicit obedience. If the sum of ten thousand 

 dollars a year was appropriated to aid the improve- 

 ment of agriculture, every cent would be drawn 

 from the pockets of the same class that would re- 

 ceive the benefit : and to whatever extent such 

 appropriations may be made, it will only be a use, 

 made by the great body of the people, of' their own 

 money, for their own advantage. Heretofore, the 

 agricultural interest has been taxed for the support 

 of every other — directly or indii-ectly — by the 

 state, and (far more) by the federal government. 

 But though the agricultural interest pays all such 

 taxes, and all cost of protecting other interests, and 

 possesses the power, as well as the right, to direct, 



restrain, or refuse all such grants, not the smallest 

 pittance of this lavish bounty has l.ieen yet bestowed 

 on agriculture itself 



I shall exhibit in a series of short articles, (to 

 which this is introductory,) my views on the va- 

 rious sulyects which require legislative interposi- 

 tion for the benefit of agriculture, in Virginia. In 

 aid of this efibrt, I earnestly invite others, who en- 

 tertain the same general views, even though we 

 may differ as to particular objects. I shall not 

 offer any general plan ; but will consider the ele- 

 ments out of which a general plan may be formed : 

 and without being very choice as to the compara- 

 tive values of the means, I shall be satisfied with 

 the adoption of any that will serve to bring forth, 

 embody, and make public, the opinions, feelings, 

 and supposed interests of the great body of the ag- 

 riculturists of Virginia. If this can be done, no- 

 thing will long be wanting that legislation can sup- 

 ply. My object is, to induce reflection and discus- 

 sion upon this important subject — and therefore, 

 every important aid to agriculture, which govern- 

 ment may use, will be separately named, without 

 undertaking to decide on their comparative value 

 and importance. And as the means are many and 

 distinct, I shall be gratifiedif other correspondents 

 of the Farmers' Register will aid and lighten the 

 labor, by setting forth their views on any of these 

 means — which in my opinion, are the following: 



L County Agricultural Societies, so constituted, 

 as to embrace the great body of practical fiirmers, as 

 well as all other friends to agriculture — each society 

 to receive from the treasury of the state, a certain 

 sum, in aid of its objects; upon the condition, that 

 as much more has been paid by the individual 

 members. 



2. A Board of Agriculture, to be composed part- 

 ly of delegates, chosen by the county societies, 

 and partly of members appointed by the state ex- 

 ecutive — which, besides performing the service of 

 a state agricultural society, would report to the 

 legislature Avhatever was required for the relief, 

 or promotioji, of agricultural interests. 



This general organization would serve grftdu- 

 ally to bring forward every measure that would 

 be desirable and inqwrtant. But, (in pursuance 

 of my object of inviting reflection and discussion,) 

 I will state some of the most important means 

 which might be used to improve the practice, and 

 extend the knowledge of agriculture. 



3. Agricultural schools, in which both the prin- 

 ciples of the science should be taught, and the ac- 

 tual labors performed. Possibly, a professorship 

 of scientific agi-iculture might be advantageously 

 added to the University of Virginia. 



4. Premiums to be conferred according to a 

 general system, to lie fixed by the Board of Agri- 

 culture — the premiums to be given for such ex- 

 periments, or operations, as served to establish val- 

 uable truths, or to remove errors. Any appropri- 

 ation for this purpose, properly bestowed, would 

 return a tenfold remuneration to the community. 



5. An experimental farm — which necessarily 

 would be attended with far more cost than pecu- 

 niary profit, even though the results of the experi- 

 ments might be of incalculable value to agricul- 

 ture. 



6. A model, or pattern farm, on which no ex- 

 periments should be made, but only a well tried 

 and approved system carried into effect, with the 

 best means, and in the most perfect manner. 



