60 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



agricultural products of Europe to avert the evils of 

 famine ! The cause of this remarkable difference in 

 the surplus products of the soil may be partially 

 owing to unpropitious seasons, but is mainly to be 

 sought for in the neglect of our agriculture, both by 

 the people and the government. In Europe, gov- 

 ernments and influential individuals have bestowed 

 spirited attention upon the improvement of agricul- 

 ture, as constituting the basis of national prosperity 

 and independence. While with us, improvement in 

 husbandry has been considered a minor concern ; it 

 has at least not received the consideration of the 

 statesman or the political economist. Party politics, 

 and local or personal schemes of aggrandizement, 

 have so much engrossed the attention of the men 

 who ought to lead in these matters, and who do lead 

 in every other public improvement, that the humble 

 claims of agriculture have failed to attract their no- 

 tice or engage their attention, although it constitutes 

 the base which supports the whole superstructure 

 of civilized society. If we would preserve the su- 

 perstructure with its embellishments, we must take 

 care to make strong and permanent this foundation. 

 Our farmers, too, seem generally indifferent or spir- 

 itless in regard to the general improvement of our 

 agriculture, either because they mistake their duty 

 and true interest, or that, under the influence of a 

 strange fatuity, they fear they shall sink as others 

 rise. 



We should consider our soil as we do our free in- 

 stitutions a patrimonial trust, to be handed down UN- 

 IMPAIRED to posterity ; to be used, but not abused. 

 Both are more easily impaired than they are resto- 

 red; and both belong, in their pristine vigour and 

 purity, as much to our children as they do to us. In 

 some of the once populous and fertile districts of the 

 old Continent, the productiveness of *he soil has 

 been recklessly wasted by men, whose descendants 

 have consequently become poor and wretched, and 



