o 
s()i^^^I^:l^N cui/riVATon. 
lc,fl wlKtlly ill I Ik: (lurK wIk LIici- citlKjr iitittiKuciil i:i true or 
taiiio. 
Ill :iiiiiiiiiiii;»- iiji I Ik: f'cncnil tnci’Il;i of /Minrio in llic Uust 
i]iiii'ii;';rii|»li on tlio i.ulijcc.t llic readi ri;i told (lint “rcriivltin 
''jiuino i;i, iiiK|uo;illonnl)ly, (lie licid jiofinildc rnuniiro for ull 
IjiliuiltJ lliul i'<'(j[iiire iviiuuire al ull, jirovidcd tiiCMoil Ls kcjit 
ojimi by di/'ji^itij'',' in louveii, v(i‘*:lablc i ubbluli, <X: c,, from 
lime to rniK\” 
Wo (iliould not nolic.o ( rrort.1 like llio above, although 
wididy l ireulalcil at the jiublic. ( ’qieiifjo, ilid we not know 
lhal they Ibater the annual < .\|H‘ndil,urc of iiiilliona ofdol 
Jaru for !.|i('<c,ial and dcfec.tlvo maniuriSj which, in.'jti;ad of 
ioi|n’ovln‘'; tho rarinin;*; landu of the llnitcil Statea, will 
leave them worne than they now are, and lend to bring 
both agiienlluial boolui and agrieiiUnrul aeience into dia- 
rojiule with the iieoj do. Tiieac buolm uniat adhere, at uH 
'limed, to the /rn///, if they would have and jicrpctnato a 
good name, 'j’lie falae anil periiieioua teaching.s of hooka 
and of lonrnaliHin are likely to prove the greatcat curse of 
the age in whieli we live. 
'J'lie eeonoinioal prodnetion an.d wise nao of manures on 
the tarni are in theimielvea niatti ra of great importance j 
but tho dilliculty licM in pe.r.sumling ciiltivatora of the soil to 
aludy tho Huhje.et ada acience. it ia this opposition to 
careful and patient idudy whieh throws them into tho 
haml.s of ((uaelca and sharpers. 
So far as ag.rieuUural plants are able to obtain their ali- 
ment frmn tho surrounding atmosplierc, and from water, 
they nei'd no food in tho shape of applied manure. On 
mo.st river bottoms, water supplies mainly, if not entirely, 
nil the elements of fertility not furnished by almosjdicric 
gases. Hence, the critical investigation of the solvent 
powers, and movements of water over tlio surface of tho 
ground, and through all tho upper strata of the earth’s 
crust, can alone give one a just conception of tho princi- 
pal sources of plant food, and of the prolonged fruitful- 
noss ofarated fields. It is the duty of the farmer to hus- 
band every fei tili/.ing element in his soil j for such ele- 
ments are in fact his host and cheapest manure. To do this 
with skill and tho highest success, ho must learn to see 
ihings precisely as («od has made them. Ily cultivating 
his acquaintance with tho laws of nature in reference to 
the annual growth of agricultural plants, tho good hus- 
bandman becomes not only a wise man, but a sound 
philosopher. Wliether he plows, plants, rears and breeds 
stock, or cultivates fruit alone, all his operations will be 
governed by fixed j>rinci(des, depemlent not on tradition, 
but the heaven-created relation of things. 'J'o produce ma- 
nure one needs a critical kaowledgo ofihe relative, value 
of each element that enters into its most perfect and com- 
plete aggregate. Not many of those wlio manufacture 
manure for sale, nor of those who purehaso and use the 
same, possess tliis useful information. Tlie whole busi 
ness is very much fike tlie uncertain steps of one blind man 
leading another through the devious course of a narrow 
and perilous path. iSeience alone can ojum the eyes ot 
both parties and enable th m to sec their way eleai ly. 'I'o 
the farmer, the manufacli. er, and the merchant, lia in 
crease of knowledge is the one tiling needtnl l-'.aeh 
should imdeistaiul better the wants ofthe other, as well as 
his own pvotessional duties. Let the manulaeiim r and 
nierehant give tlu' farmer a cheaper and better maium 
Ihun he ean make at home, if (/k i/ can. On ihe oihu 
hand, let the owner and euhivator of tlu; soil give has 
best thoughts to tlie eonsideratlon of the ways anu me;»ns 
at his( unimand lor enriehing his farm, and suppl\ ing the 
mcrohmit and luanmaeturer with the. pabulum on whi.-h 
lliey suosisl, w;ih a imge and s-xtisfaetory prolit to him 
sell. Within his nach, bountiful jXaUire has placed her 
incxliuij;.til)le rc.oourccs; and a small increase of knowl- 
ledgo will enable the f.nmcr to use. thc.so with equal honor 
to iii.'j high culling, und benefu to mankind at large. 
L, 
laiASSJiH AN1> FOKACHi CUOIbS IN TEXAH, 
'riiM culture of forage plants is an essential part ofa good 
system of improved independent agriculture, without 
which really no perfection in this latter is po.saibic. It is 
very properly remarked, iu the Latent Office lieport of 
IH.%, j), xii, that already in old times, Cato declared the 
best sy.stcm of farming to be pasccrc f translated, 
to graze well, or to procure food for cattle. This may, 
indeed, he called the good part of farming. 
Tho last three yours have shown that even the natural 
sources of food for cuttle in Texas— the prairies, were not 
sullicicnt to keep entile from starving and perishing, par- 
ticularly where tho free range for cattle was overstocked, 
as in the more settled parts ofthe country ; and the com- 
[ilaiiit in such parts was frequently heard, “the range ie 
getting loo bad for cuttle.” 
Jt maybe seen, on some reflection, that there is some- 
thing wanted yet in the system of agriculture followed till 
riO’,v, which, if not remedied, together with the increase of 
population and stock of cattle, and the eventual return of 
similar unfavorable years and seasons, might bring on tho 
same kind of hard times and wants — possibly even to o 
greater degree. 
Tlie increased culture of wheat and other grains, and 
tho experiments with Sorgho and different other plants, 
show that tho necessity for more varied culture is recog- 
nized in general. The whole can ho comprised under the 
licad of forage crops, and their proper introduction into 
the agriculture of the State, It shall be tried here, to show, 
first, tho influence whicha proper culture of forage plants 
can have on ngriculturo, and tho advantages it promises, 
and afterwards, how such a culture may be put into prac- 
tice, and what kinds of forage plants arc probably to suc- 
ceed best in the climate of Texas, which, particularly in 
the Western jiart of the State, through the frequent 
drouths, acts very imfovorably on many crops, which 
would succeed well in other States, 
Forage crops allbrd tho principal means to procure and 
to fertilize and improve the soil by rotations. Manures 
and fertilizers of all kinds, properly applied, arc the chief 
levers of agriculture, without which, soils become gradu- 
dly exhausted and impoverished, and make farming un- 
profitable. A good rotation of crops, which is made pos- 
sible only with the help of suitable forage plants, facili- 
tates a greater variety in grains and fodder raised, pro- 
duces better grain crops, and secures tho fixrmcr against 
want and total failures in bad years and seasons ; and the 
remains and roots of one plant prepare tho ground for the 
better production of a following dilltrent crop, as plante 
of the same genus and family cannot, on an average, be 
raised successfully for many years, without interchange 
on (ho same piece of ground. 
A rotation ot crops, compricing the forage plants, with 
I he production of manure and fertilizers, makes possible 
the introduction and extension of fruit culture, and is in- 
ti ispcnsablo for the imprevement of horticulture in gene- 
ral. But tlic greatest advantage to be obtained from a 
•suitable oultm c of forage plants, ns means of good feeding, 
.mil especially also of grasses, will consist in tho im 
firoveinent on the ditVeicnt breeds of domc'stic niiininls and 
I ho fnoiliu'ts drawn from them, which point requirea to 
*'0 iroatod at some greater length. 
Tho prairies of Texas form the most considcrahle nn- 
mr.il ni'hos, as means of cattle raising; and those natural 
pastures, conibinod with a suitable olimatc, made stock 
iMiMiig (ill now, the most important and easiest branch of 
agriculture in the State. But this natural supply wiU 
