NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



I4r 



adJ much to the flower sranlcti. Perhaps there 

 is no employ or amusement better calculated to 

 wean the mind from sorrow, than this truly in- 

 nocent one ; and while it atTords a present en- 

 joyment, awakens the hope of more in future. 

 After what has been written, shall 1 attempt an 

 eulogy on an art, which enables us to collect 

 from all quarters of the world (climate not for- 

 bidding) the most choice fruits, and plant them 

 on stocks hardy and mature, capable of alTording 

 as much fruit "in two or three years as the seed 

 would yield in a dozen or more. And who can 

 deny, from our jiresent imperlect knowledge ot' 

 grafting and the hardy hybrids pniducible there- 

 by, but that trees, destined to eternal barrenness 

 niay be burlhoned with the produce of the palm, 

 the olive, or the bread fruit tree ? XVc have seen 

 the peach •' blossom as the rose ;" and with onr 

 present knowledge of the principles of ingrafting, 

 it is practicable for every moderate farmer, by 

 devoting to the exercise of this art, the time he 

 is wont to sacrifice to inglorious sloth, or crimi- 

 nal amusement; to create a paradise oflVuits 

 and flowers, where thorns and briars now grow 

 but to curse his land. 



This communication has spun out to a much 

 greater length than 1 intended at the commence- 

 ment; but in the progress I thought, as encyclo- 

 pedias and dictionaries of arts and sciences, &c. 

 were not accessible to all your readers, it might 

 not be amiss to decribe the processes at length. 

 However, if you tiud tault of the length, you can 

 prune the superfluous shoots, or make any dispo- 

 sition of it you think proper. 



1 will trespass no further on your patience, 

 than to wish you all the success your zeal has 

 merited. ABNER LANDRUM. 



AGRICULTURAL PROFESSORSHIP. , 



•The Aj;ricultural Society of Albemarle, Virginia, of | 

 which Mr. Madison is President, has founded a Profesr 

 sorship of Agriculture, at the University of that Strtte, 

 and voted $1000 for its support. Mr. Madison has 

 addressed a circular to the presiding; officers of different [ 

 ..Agricultural Societies, from which, by the kindness of | 

 S. W. Po.iiERnv, Ksq. Vice President of the Massachu- 1 

 setts Agricultural Society, %ve hive been permitted to 

 publish the following extracts ; | 



Sir — The enclosed Resolutions of the Agricul- 

 tural Society of Albemarle, explain the ivish of 

 the Society to provide for Agriculture the ad- 

 vantage of a Professorship, to be incorporated 

 in the University of Virginia ; the means pro- 

 posed for making the provision ; and the hope 

 entertained of a general co-operation in the 

 scheme. 



The present seems to be an important crisis 

 m the Agriculture of \'irginia. The portions 

 if her soil first brought into cultivation, have, 

 In- the most part, been exhaustjed of its natural 

 itrtility, without being repaired by a meliora- 

 ting system of husbandry ; and much of what 

 remains in forest and can be spared from the de- 

 mands of fuel and other rural wants, will need 

 improvement, on the first introduction of the 

 plough. 



These truths arc now sufficiently impressed 

 on the public attention ; and have led to the es- 

 tablishment of the Agricultural Societies among 

 us, which are so laudably proinoting the work 

 of reform. 



As a further means of advaticing the great ob- 

 ject, it has occtirred to the Albemarle Society, 



that a distinct Professorshiii in the University of 

 the State, if sanctioned by the ]]roper aulhcuity, 

 might be advantageously appropriated to the in- 

 struction of such as might attend, in the theory 

 and practice of rural econom}', in its several 

 branches. 



To the due success of agriculture, as of other 

 arts, theory and practice are both requisite. — 

 They always reflect light on each other. If the 

 former, without the test of the latter, be a vain 

 science; the latter ^vithout the enlightening pre- 

 cepts of the former, is generally enslaved to 

 ancient modes, however erroneous, or is at best 

 but too tanly and partial in adopting salutary 

 changes. In no instance, perhaps, is habit more 

 unyielding, or irrational practice more preva- 

 lent, than among those who cultiv;itc the earth. 

 .\nd this is the more to be lamented, as agricul- 

 ture is still so tar below the attainments to which 

 it may fairly aspire. 



A pro(essorslii|) of agriculture might derive 

 S|)erial advantage from the lights thrown nut 

 Irom tiie chair of Cliemistry in that Inslilutinn. 

 This science is every day penetrating some of 

 the liidden laws of nature, and tracing the use- 

 ful purposes to which they may be made ( 

 subservient. Agriculture is a field on which it | 

 has already begun to shed its rays, and on which 

 it promises to do much towards unveiling the 

 processes of nature to which tlie principles of 

 agriculture are related. The professional lec- 

 tures on chemistry, w hich are to embrace those 

 principles, could not fail to be auxiliary to a pro- 

 fessorship having lessons on agriculture for its 

 essential charge. 



The fund contemplated for the support of such 

 a professorship, is to consist of a sum drawn 

 trom unexpended subscriptions, from special do- 

 nations, and from a diffusive contribution not ; 

 exceeding a ib)llar from an individual. It is j 

 hoped, that for a pur()ose of such general utili-j 

 ty, the number of contributors will more th;m j 

 make up tor the smallness of the respective 

 sums ; and that with the other resources, means | 

 may be gathered not (mly adequate to theim-| 

 mediate views entertained ; but justifying an 

 enlargement of them. | 



Should this prove to be the case, it will bo ' 

 an improvement of the plan of agricultural in-! 

 struction, to provide ami place under the super-; 

 intendance of the Professor, a .small farm in the ! 

 vicinage to be cultivated, partly as a pattern 

 farm illustrating practically a system at once 

 profitable and improvina:, partly as an experi- 

 mental farm, not only bringing to the test now 

 modes of culture and management, but introdu- 

 cing new plants and animals deemed worthy of 

 experiment. In obtaining these, aid might be 

 found in the patriotic attention of the public 

 and private Naval Commanders, in their visits 

 to foreign countries ; and it might well happen 

 that occasional success in rearing new species 

 of varieties, of peculiar value, would yield in 

 seeds and stocks a j)rofit defra3ing the expences 

 incurred on this head. 



A farm exhibiting an instructive model, ob- 

 served as it would be by occasional visitors, and 

 Imderstood as it would be in its jirinciples and 

 plans, by sttidents returning to their dispersed 

 homes, would tend to spread sound information 

 on the subject of agriculture, and to cherish 

 that spirit of imitation and emulation which is 

 the source of improvcmeBt in every art and en- 

 terprize. 



Agricuhxiral Sucicti/ of Albemarle, Oct. 7, 1822 



On the motion of Cion. Jouy II. Cockf., the follow- 

 ing Prcimble and Resolutions, were adopted : — 



WnF.RC.^s, the establishment of a Professorship 

 of .\griculture, in one of the principal semina- 

 ries of learninu- in this State, is a mea'^ure emi- 

 nently calculated to hasten and perpetuate the 

 march of agricultural improvement, already so 

 liap])ily commenced ; ,\iid whereas, there are 

 grounds to believe that such an institution may 

 be incorporated into the University of Virginia, 

 a j)Osition i'.t once the most advantageous auil 

 convenient to every part of the State : .\nd 

 v,here;is this Society could not n\ake an appro- 

 ])riation of its fmid- more conducive to the per- 

 m uient ;ittaininent of the primary objects of ilw 

 institution — and as it is reasonable to expert 

 that all the Agricultural Societies, the Farmer.s 

 ;ml Planters generally, «ill cheerfully contri- 

 bute to an Establishment of .-uch universal inter- 

 est — Therefore 



Resoli-ed, That one thousand dollars of the 

 sum, now in the hands of the Treasurer of this 

 Society, he ap])ropriated to the establishment of 

 a Fund, the profits of which shall go to the sup- 

 port of a Prote-isorship of Agriculture at the 

 University of Virginia. 



Resolved, For the furtherance of this design, 

 that the President be requested to prepare an 

 address to the other Agricultural Societies of 

 this State, requesting their co-operation in this 

 scheme — and further to promote the same oIj* 

 ject, and increase the said fund, that a commit- 

 tee be appointed to solicit donations not to ex- 

 ceed one dollar from individuals in every part 

 of this Commonwealth. 



Resolved, That the aforesaid appropriation, 

 together with all that may accrue under the 

 foregoing Resolutions, be loaned to individuals 

 on good personal security, or to cori)orate bo- 

 dies ; and that wheii the sum loaned to any one 

 individual shall amount to one thousand dollars 

 or upwards, landed security shall be required : 

 That the interest shall be pa3able semi-annual- 

 ly, and shall be reinvested, until the yearly 

 profits of the Fund shall be sulBcient to afford 

 an income equal at least to a Professorship in 

 the University. 



Resolved, That the funds above referred to, 

 together with donations of books, and property 

 of any other description, be with the permission 

 of the Legislature transferred to the Rector and 

 Visitors of the University in their corporal ca- 

 pacity. {Extract from the ?ninutes.) 



P. MINOR, Sec'nj. 



From the Pliiladelplua Democratic Press. 



On Tuesday night the audience at the City 

 Theatre were exceedingly amused by the repre- 

 sentation of '' Jlodern Honor.'' The laugliter 

 was loud, long and oft repeated; nay sometimes 

 shouts of applause were heard. The use of 

 cologne water to soften the hands, of oak bark 

 to make the skin bullet proof, and the lutestring 

 dress to render the person invulnerable, were 

 all duly served up with appropriate dialogue 

 and action. The squatting and dodging was 

 performed by Sambo Puffy and Caesar llufly, 

 valets to Col. Bombastes Puffy and the Hon. Mr. 

 HulTy. The song of " Oh cruel am de Bullet 

 Ball," was encored ; the whole piece was well 

 received and was given out for a second rep- 

 resentation amidst shouts of applause. 



