1852.] THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. 105 



( *> neither, farmers are going on quietly and steadily ; just let them jog • J^j 

 o° they are quiet, peaceable souls, and do not murmur ; and the broad c^ 

 lands of North America are beginning to look gay with crops of \ 

 oats and turnips, and even flax, with its blue flowers and shining 

 seeds. We do not now continually see maize, and rye, and buck- 

 wheat; for timothy, and clover, and lucerne sometimes vary the mo- 

 notony of view. The cotton planters of Tennessee and its neigh- 

 boring states depend not on exterior aid, they drive on their team of 

 human machinery and reap the profit, and look out for protection to 

 their peculiar interest. The manufacturer of Pennsylvania, compe- 

 ting against foreign cheap labor and an over taxed enslaved manufac- 

 turing class, demands protection for his especial interest ; but the 

 raiser of truck, and grower of corn and wheat must be content to 

 find his produce admitted duty free into the European markets. 

 Whether the one class of American citizens does not gain as much 

 as the other loses, is a question for tariff politicians. What we have 

 to do with is the advancement' of Agricultural science. The adop- 

 tion of some scheme to give a little more impetus to the introduction 

 of scientific knowledge amongst the Agricultural class of Americans ; 

 to shew them that reading farming reports, and giving a little of 

 their consideration to the composition of soils with a view to their 

 amelioration ; the taking]of some step by those whose influence is 

 acknowledged, to lead their less reflecting neighbors to enquire into 

 the ingredients which compose the material of the different crops 

 cultivated on the farm, the character and uses of the different organ- 

 ic and inorganic manures, or extravagant if it seem, to lead farmers 

 to study a little of Agricultural chemistry would be a beneficial 

 course. We have said it — Heterodox as is the belief that American 

 farmers should ever be benefitted by such an occupation of their time, 

 harshly as it may grate upon the feelings of certain correspondents of 

 a certain Agricultural periodical. Yet we hold to it, and affirm that 

 without some little knowledge of the composition of soils and the 

 relative organic compounds drawn from them from year to year by 

 the cultivated crop, farmers plod on in the dark — do not fulfil their 

 mission — do not exert themselves to establish that reputation for in- 

 telligence and sound knowledge in their profession which should be 

 the zealous aim of all who live under a free government and enjoy 

 the blessings of free institutions. And now as to the aid to be ex- 

 pected from the General Government in the education of the farmer, 

 to what dops it amount] Nothing, but the recognition of certain in- 

 fluential bodies, and the extension to corporations of certain right 

 and privileges. To do more would be to legislate for one class ex- I 

 r ^ clusively, and why not for the society of wine growers, fleshers, shoe- JP 

 I % makers, and tailors! It may appear to be due to the great interests^ 



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