SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
17 
AGRICUIiTUHAIi STATESMANSHIP. 
The time is not remote when the study of agricultural 
statesmanship will form a prominent feature in the educa- 
tion of young men who shall aspire to the honor of re- 
presenting at all times, and in all places, the great farming 
interests of the country, in a way that shall be creditable 
to themselves and beneficial to the public. From a de- 
fective education, few things are more selfish and narrow- 
minded than the political demagogueism which now pas- 
ses by the name of statesmanship; and every sagacious 
man of forty must see that the evil, instead of decreasing 
with the increase of population, is growing rapidly as 
Congress and State governments acquire additional means 
and facilities for making the public service a mercenary 
trade, to be carried on by the few at the expense of the 
many. Sooner or later a remedy for this undesirable con- 
dition of things must be found, or the aggregate of selfish- 
ness and corruption will plunge the people of the United 
States into anarchy and civil war. The confederacy is 
drifting in that direclion from the want of true statesman- 
ship in our rulers, and the excessive fondness of electors of 
the flatteries which first deceive, and then mislead them. 
Flattery has seduced many a strong man to his ruin be- 
sides Sampson; and a naiion is nothing more than the 
aggregate strength and dullness of many Sampsons easily 
put to sleep by the dulcet notes of political Delilahs, If 
any thing can stay the swelling tide of shameless prosti- 
^tution, it is the uncontaminated virtue of American farmers 
and planters. But to act wisely for the salvation of re- 
publican institutions, they must caretully investigate the 
elementary principles of their system of self-government. 
They must learn to discriminate between the taking falla- 
cies of the mere demagogue, and the weighty truths of 
the patriotic statesman. Such a discrimination cannot be 
made unless to the study of agriculture they add the study 
of politics as a science. In more ways than one every 
voter is a sovereign. Who then will say that this govern- 
ing intellect of the farmer may not Ire cultivated and 
properly developed with reference to its duties to the 
State, as well as its duties to the Soill The material in- 
terests of agriculture are largely affected by both State 
and Congressional legislation. At the recent Fair ot the 
United States Agricultural Society, held at Richmond, 
Gen. Cushing, in his address before the Society, urged 
the annexation of all Mexico to the United States, that 
there shall be no foreign territory between Texas and the 
Pacific. How will this project affect the interests of the 
South I Is it possible to plant slavery in a single new 
State there in spite of emmigration thither, of Europeans, 
and sst-anti-slavery tiers from the free States I Is our 
experience in California and Kanas worth nothing 1 In- 
stead of grasping at vastly more land on this continent, 
does not wisdom demand that we seek first to improve 
the territory which we already possess! Why should 
a nation of agriculturists be in hot haste to raise and sup- 
port a standing army to suppress anarchy, insurrection 
and Indian outrages in a repubiic, whose inhabitants 
have shown themselves to be incapable of self govern- 
ment ! 
Not only does the proposed annexation of all Mexico 
call for the exercise of sound statesmanship, but there are 
other equally grave matters of public concernment, agi- 
tated by Senator Seward and others, which seem to re- 
quire more than ordinary wisdom, forbearance and patrio- 
tism for their peaceful solution. Sophistry, passion and 
political ambition are working serious mischief Seeing 
this, the writer has ventured a few words of caution to his 
readers, and of encouragement to such as may be willing 
to study agricultural statesmanship as a part of their men- 
tal culture. L 
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. 
Special attention is called to the following advertise- 
ments; 
Sands’ Agency for Farmers and Planters, Sam.’l Sands, 
Agricultural Implements, John & Thos. A. Bones. 
Seeds at Wholesale, J. M. Thorburn & Co. 
Seeds of Evergreen Trees, &c,, J. M. Thorburn & Co. 
Coria, Griffing, Brother & Co. 
Poudrette, Griffing, Brother & Co, 
Augusta Nursery, F. A. Mauge. 
Augusta Seed Store, J. H. Service. 
Grape Roots and Cuttings, Dr. J. C. W, McDonnald. 
Grape Cuttings for Sale, Dr. H. H. Cook. 
Dried Blood and Wool Manure, Carmichael & Bean. 
Catawba Grape Cuttings, J. L. Wynn. 
Southern Seed Store, V. LaTaste. 
Spring Garden Seeds, J. M. Thorburn & Co. 
White Aylsbury Ducks, Thos. Daniel. 
Grape Culture, D. Redmond. 
Super-Phosphate of Lime, L. S. Hoyt. 
Boyd’s Prolific Corn, John M. Turner. 
To Farmer, Planters, Millers, &c., Payne & Oleotts, 
HINTS FOR THE MONTH. 
Plantation. — Plow or “break up” land deep. Haul 
out manure. Ditch your gullied hill sides, horizontally. 
Repair old farm buildings and erect new ones. Examine 
and repair tools and implements. Repair your fences 
and hedges, and cut away all brush. Take particular 
care of all your live stock, espeeially working animals 
— shelter, in severe weather, and feed liberally. Sow 
Egyptian and other hardy winter Oats, and sow Rye for 
seed. Sow, also, a few rows of Wheat, to cut green in 
early summer. 
Garden. — Sow early varieties of English Peas. Sow, 
also, on a warm exposure. Cabbage, Lettuce, Radish, 
Salsify, Spinage, . Parsnip, Beet, Turnip^ and other seeds. 
Onions (black seed) should, also, now be sown. Plant 
Irish Potatoes for early crops. Prepare hot beds the lat- 
ter part of the month. 
Orchard. — Plant, at once, all the finest varieties of 
Apples, Pears, Peaches, Plums, Apricots, Nectarines, 
Quinces, Pomegranates, Grapes, ^igs, &c,, &c., in all 
cases prefering Southern raised^frees. Plant Hedge.s 
around your orchards and gardens. Set out Strawberry 
beds. Destroy the borer in pe&ch trees hy boiling wa- 
ter, &c., &c. t . 
- ^ . r . : 
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THE STUDY OF Fs^RM ECONOMY. 
There are many things iri farm economy which re- 
ceive far less attention than they deserve. Prominent 
among these is the art of keeping, in a sound condition, 
Irish and Sweet potatoes, when exposed to adverse and 
decomposing agencies. It is not pleasant to find a good 
crop of potatoes of whatever kind, rotting rapidly and 
prematurely without knowing how to arrest the evil ; yet 
such will have been the experience of many a reader be- 
fore this article meets his eye. The weather is so favor- 
able to the early decay of the tubers named, that we feel 
safe in anticipating pretty severe losses, and justified in 
pointing out both the causes of the premature dissolution, 
and the appropriate remedies to be used as preventives 
hereafter. 
The writer has been absent from home seven months, 
