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national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance. In propor- 

 tion as nations advance in population and other circumstances of ma- 

 turity, this truth becomes more apparent, and renders the cultivation 

 of the soil more and more an object of public patronage. Institutions 

 for promoting it grow up, supported by the public purse — and to 

 what object can it be dedicated with greater propriety? Among the 

 means which have been applied to this end, none have been attended ■ 

 with greater success than the establishment of boards, composed of 

 proper characters, charged with collecting and diffusing information, 

 and enabled by premiums and small pecuniary aid, to encourage 

 and assist a spirit of discovery and improvement, by stimulating to 

 enterprize and experiment, and by drawing to a common centre the 

 results every where of individual skill and observation, and by sprea- 

 ding them thence over the whole nation. Experience, accordingly, 

 has shown that they are very cheap instruments of immense national 

 ben (Jits." 



Such was the language of Washington when at the summit of his 

 wisdom! 



It is strange indeed, that he should have spoken in vain. Fifty 

 years have passed away since the words were uttered, and nothing has 

 yet been done. Is it because farmers are so attentive to the farm 

 that they have no time to think of this? Is it because farming is a 

 low occupation, to be followed only by men of little knowledge, that 

 the few who engross to themselves science or official distinction, 

 look upon farmers as mere operatives? 



Such was not the view of the greatest men of ancient Rome. They, 

 like Washington, held up to glory the cultivation of the soil. Cin- 

 cinnatus cultivated the land with his own hands, and by that exam- 

 ple made it an order of the highest nobility. And Washington, like 

 him, was a farmer, and begged his country to ennoble it by establish- 

 ing a separate department of government to take charge of it. 



Let us see what would be the practical effect of establishing such 

 a department. The public purse would be employed in procuring all 

 the seeds, plants, and animals of use or pleasure, from every part of 

 this globe! It would have the means of doing all this, through the 

 vast multitude of agents it could employ, consisting of the officers of 

 the navy, army, foreign ministers, charges, and consuls; through the. 

 aid of captains, supercargoes, and agents of ships in every quarter of 

 the world. 



