50 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
benefit of its members in sickness, adds to the means of 
usefulness established by the company for its operatives, 
and to the funds of which it liberally contributes. The 
receipts from members last year were $2,237, and the dis 
bursements $1,240. 
AORICUIuTUliE IN GEOiiiaA— FAIRS, 
To the Executive Committee of the Southern 
Central A"ric%dtural Society : 
Gentlemen — You will pardon the liberty I take in ad- 
dressing you, Y’our high character warrants tiiis belief 
In the alFairs of life, the wisest, even, may sometimes find 
food for thought in the suggestions of the unimproved. 
The thoughts which follow and the expression given to 
them, have resulted from a visit to the late Fair. It was 
evident to all that there had been a decrease of interest in 
the exhibition of Geogia industry. This decrease was ac 
counted for by the last unfavorable season and by the ab- 
sorption of public interest in the Presidential election. This 
certainly will account for a degree of abatement of inter- 
est, but it still leaves much unaccounted for. 
This falling oft is ominous. It argues a lack of interest 
not only in Agricultura in its ordinary sense, but in pro- 
gressive agriculture. I had almost said in the science .of 
Agriculture; but the term, though often used, is not strict- 
ly correct. That cannot be called a science which is not 
positive and that cannot be positive, which is based upon 
the uncertain sunshine and showers. Agriculture uses 
science and is dependent upon its results, but it is not 
a science in itself 
Upon no persons does the advance of Agriculture so 
much depend as upon the Executive Committee of our 
State Society. If the farmers of the State are ignorant, in- 
dolent or obstinate, it isFnotthe fault of the Committee 
But we look to them to devise plans of improvement; to 
foster those w'hich have been begun, and to invite to 
generous and legitimate rivalry, by offering premiunrs to 
intelligent industry. 
The question arises, Is Atlanta the best place for the 
Fair I It certainly has an advantage in its facility of ac- 
cess and in its number of Hotels. But there are great dis- 
advantages. It is a railroad city. Its inhabitants are en- 
grossed for the most most part in occupations w'hich do 
not admit of interruptions. The place is too new to have 
attained that condition of society in which a general in 
terest is felt in the object of an industrial exhibition. No 
one could fail to remark the very small number of the 
Atlanta population wdio were on the Fair grounds. The 
interest of the citizens of a place must add greatly to the 
interest of the Fair. By these remarks I do not design to 
cast a reflection upon the citizens of Atlanta. I am mere- 
commenting on the unsuitableness of the place for a par- 
ticular thing. If our Fair was a Railroad Convention, it 
would be a suituble location. 
The town near which our Fair should be held, should be 
sufficiently large to accommodate visitors and not so large 
as to render the meeting of the Society an object of inter- 
est chiefly to the Hotel keepers. I do not presume to sug- 
gest a place — one might certainly be found combining 
the necessary requirements.. 
Might there not be selection of a ground for the Fair on 
which exhibitions of improvements, not only in practical 
but ornamentalagricuiture might be exhibited! It will 
be a noble end of the Committee to aid in arresting the 
migratory disposition of our people. Every thing wdiich 
tends to the improvement of our lands, which gives per- 
manence and comfort to our dwellings, and which adorns 
both in reasonable limits, assists in rendering our popu- 
lation permanent — in creating a love for the soil and the 
Homestead. 
Suppose our Fair grounds included a small stream of 
iraterin which there was a considerable fall. There are 
thousands of persons in our State who have never seen a 
water ram in operation ; wlio can well afford to buy one, 
and who wmold not hesitate to procure one, if tliey saw' its 
cheapness and value ; there are numbers who have not 
seen the simple process of churning butter by a water 
wheel, although they have a branch running by their 
dairy, which could do this at a cost of a few dollars. There 
ai’e again numbers who have never seen a fountain, and 
who certainly would not be without this most pleasant 
luxury, after having seen one playing, and remembering 
that the little branch which has run idly at the foot of the 
hill before their doors, might so easily be made to dispense 
its pleasant coolness in summer and refresh the parched 
sod, which they have in vain sought in defiance of the 
sun, to render continuously verdant. The cost of these 
things are trifling. I am quite sure that the Fair grounds 
at Atlanta to which even a water cart was a stranger, 
would have been most agreeably improved by the play of 
a fountain. If such a location were selected, we might be 
benefitted by an exhibition on a small scale of the greatest 
decideraturn to Georgia Agriculture — a well coducted in- 
stance of irrigation. 
Many persons confound irrigation with warping or flood- 
ing ; they suppose, therefore, that they can not employ 
the benefit of irrigation unless they own perfectly flat 
land. Whereas, on the contrary, there is hardly a farm 
in the primitive region of Georgia, a portion of which 
cannot be irrigated. There is scarcely a branch in Mid- 
dle Georgia which might not be made of vast value to its 
owner. The same stream may w'ater the hill side from 
its summit to its base. By this means we may defy the 
drouth of summer and increase greatly our crops — an im- 
provement amounting to this, that we may have an equiva- 
lent to a good rain, exactly at tlie time we want it, and 
lasting as long as we wish it, and no longer. This is 
putting the advantages in a wa}!- that all can understand 
It. In addition, a hillside prepared for irrigation is at the;, 
same time protected by the necessary ditches against all 
washing from rain. At the end of the main ditch necejs- 
sary for conducting the water of irrigation there must al- 
ways be more or less fall, which can be tipplied to me- 
chanical purposes when the water is not needed tor the 
land. ' . 
But the farmers of Georgia have never seen this pro- 
cess of irrigation. There has been books after books 
written upon the subject, illustrated with diagrams, but. 
they are of little use except to those who have seen a pro- 
perly irrigated field. 
Cannot the Executive Committee give ns the opportun- 
ity ! It might easily be shown on the Fair ground, if 
there were command of a proper stream — a very small 
one will answer, and one acre will serve as an illustration 
as well as fifty acres. I respectfully su£ge.st whether 
several gentlemen cannot be found who will unite in send- 
ing to England, for a person thoroughly acquainted with 
catch work irrigation. The services of such an one 
usually commands in England about $1000 per annum. 
There are single planters in the country who could make 
the outlay advantageously — certainly several might do it: 
his services might be secured to prepare a piece of ground 
for our next Fair. The irrigation of our undulating lands 
would introduce an era in our agriculture. 
It is possible that new branches of Agriculture might be 
introduced through our Committee. For instance, large 
quantities of prepared Sumach are brought annually into 
tliis country, yet we have several varieties of the Sumach 
growing spontaneously. Will not one of tliese answer 
the purposes of commerce ! 
A large amount of European industry, and in climates 
most similar to our own, is employed in the cultivation of 
the Poppy. Will this cultivation answer with us 1 If so, 
it would be extremely lucrative. 
The Hop is the most profitable of all plants when (he 
