THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



259 



before. It would be a shame indeed if the me- 

 tropolis of such an agricultural State as ours, 

 should fail to sustain an association which has 

 done so much for the cause of agriculture as 

 this. 



To us the most interesting occurrence of the 

 day was the following report from the farm com- 

 mittee, which it gives us great pleasure to trans- 

 fer to our columns, coming as it does from the 

 pen of one of the most zealous farmers and 

 public spirited gentlemen in Virginia : 



REPORT OF THE FARM COMMITTEE TO 

 THE GENERAL MEETING OF THE HEN- 

 RICO AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Committee appointed to make an agri- 

 cultural tour of inspection through the county 

 and to report generally and specially upon the 

 state of agriculture within the bounds of the 

 Society, as also upon other matters set forth in 

 the resolution of appointment, respectfully report, 



That from various causes, among which may 

 be mentioned the general ill health of the coun- 

 try for some time past, the duties assigned to 

 them, though in part performed, are yet not so 

 far completed as to enable them to present such 

 a report as would meet the views of the Society 

 in their appointment. The survey of the lower 

 part of the county, comprising probably the 

 finest agricultural district in it, was made during 

 the last of May and first of June, and afforded 

 the highest gratification. Various written in- 

 quiries designed to elicit important agricultural 

 information, were addressed to man} 7 apparently 

 successful farmers and to the managers of se- 

 veral large estates under highly improved culti- 

 vation, and replies in full were promised, but 

 have not been received ; most, if not all those 

 to whom they were addressed, having, as we 

 suppose, been disabled by sickness. 



Partial examinations in the vicinity of Rich- 

 mond have also been made, exhibiting evidences 

 in many cases of a fine spirit of improvement ; 

 but the extensive and important district bound- 

 ing on the Chickahominy, and the upper end of 

 the county bordering in part on James River, 

 the Committee has been unable to visit, or to 

 procure the assistance of a sub-committee to 

 examine. 



The Committee regret the more that they 

 could not complete the tour of inspection, not 

 only because the Society had a right to expect 

 it of them, but because at every step in the pro- 

 gress of the examination they were enabled to 

 make, the practical importance of this plan was 

 more and more manifest. 



In addition to improved cultivation upon a 

 large scale aided by the application of lime, se- 

 veral new cases of individual industry and en- 

 terprise fell under our observation. But as we 



are not prepared to report in full upon the duties 

 assigned us, we forbear at present to mention 

 particular cases, hoping and expecting that it 

 will be the pleasure of the Society to continue 

 a similar committee for the next year, and that 

 then it will be practicable to carry out the plan 

 of a general survey. 



Upon one point, however, that of diffusing 

 information and improving and encouraging the 

 cultivators of small farms, the Committee will 

 take the liberty of offering some suggestions. — 

 The paramount importance of an agricultural 

 school is almost universally admitted, and if the 

 pecuniary means of the Society were equal to 

 the undertaking, we should have no hesitation 

 in urging that, as the first and most effective 

 means for attaining the most desirable and truly 

 patriotic purpose which this Society from the 

 first has constantly kept in view. But this being 

 impracticable at present, we entertain the opi- 

 nion that the establishment of farmers clubs in 

 every neighborhood would be highly advan- 

 tageous — not however composed exclusively of 

 the class of larger farmers, and meeting alter- 

 nately at houses where an elaborate entertain- 

 ment can be served up to them without much 

 trouble. This plan necessarily excludes a nu- 

 merous class of our most industrious and meri- 

 torious cultivators, who will not participate In 

 entertainments which they cannot return — and 

 who in truth, are seldom thought of in associa- 

 tions of that character. Every honest, indus- 

 trious and temperate man, whether he enjoys 

 the luxury of a coach or drives his own cart 

 and plough, should, especially among farmers, 

 occupy the same ground of consideration and 

 respect. The adventitious advantage of wealth, 

 greater or less, interposes an imaginary barrier 

 to free and social intercourse, which, at least so 

 far as the improvement of the poorer is involved, 

 it should be the object of the richer to remove. 

 The farmer who is not obliged to labor himself, 

 possesses facilities for improvement and the ac- 

 quisition of agricultural skill, which are not ac- 

 cessible to the laboring class, but which might 

 be made available to them with little trouble on 

 the part of the more fortunate. Yet so far as 

 this Committee is informed, no such effort has 

 been made, but by a single individual, (Mr. Wm, 

 Miller,) nor has it seemed to have presented it- 

 self to the mind of any other with whom we 

 have conversed. Once suggested, however, and 

 some readily accede to it, and if judiciously car- 

 ried out, it might become the means of great 

 and extensive improvement. 



The true principle for the establishment of 

 farmers clubs, or that at least, which appears to 

 us the most equal and liberal, would be to select 

 in each neighborhood some central place (not a 

 private house if it can be avoided) for the meet- 

 ing of the club — let each member bring with 

 him whatever refreshment he may require, or 



