VoL. 11 . 
AUGUSTA, GA., FEBRUARY 21, 1844. 
No. 4. 
From the Spartan, 
Slibsta 'se of a Speech delivered by Col. E. C. 
Lk n’.oR, before the SparLai\burg Agricultural 
Sot y, at their last Anniversary. 
Geuiienien — la discharging the dut}’’ which, 
by y--Ui request, I am now aDout to undertake, 
my acitnowieJgnient of inadequacy from the al- 
most e.aire want of experience in the modus 
opera::,.i of am'iculture, will serve as a suffi- 
cient tipulogy for confining my remarks to t!ie 
great utility of Agrimhural Societies. “In 
uniuu is itrength,” and be the con.emplated ac- 
complishment what it may, union ol strength 
ensu.es success. 
“ i'lie gi eater the force the greater the impres- 
sion,” IS a remark as extensive in its applica- 
bility as is physical nature itself. 2sor does the 
effect of force exhibit itself in that which is 
physical alone, bat is seen in intellectual efforts 
also. 
Kao , ledge is not found to be self-existent, 
but Is the result of the exercise of talent ; and 
its increase is always in proportion to the 
amount of talent exercised, whether it be that of 
one man, or the concentrated talents of many 
men. In most instances, however, it is ac- 
knowledged, that where theory must be endors- 
ed b} practice before confidence will enlist, 
much more can be effected by the many in a 
given time, than by a single individual, though 
he were to labor lor a period equal to the ag- 
gregate lime employed by the many. 
Tne agricultural art is purely practical from 
its very nature ; therefore, the great necessity of 
concentrating the talents of many, in order to 
procure its rapid developmei.t. For, by experi- 
ments in agriculture, a knowledge of the art is 
to be obtained, which will always be in propor- 
tion to the number of well directed experiments. 
But of what avail would be the strife after know- 
ledge in' this or any other practical subject, un- 
less it be communicated when obtained 1 The 
objectors to voluntrary associations, would per- 
haps say that recourse to the press would an- 
sewr every purpose. To this we would assent, 
if every one would take every paper devoted to 
the agricultural interest. But who is it that 
does 1 One man brings to his aid the know- 
ledge he derives from one paper, while his neigh- 
bor uses another, which, as far as it goes, is 
well enmgh; but would it not be much better, 
and attended with more immediate benefit, if, 
after a community of men have been thus lauda- 
bly engaged, each in his own way, to improve 
his knowledge in “ the great parent art,” they 
would assemble at least once a year, and freely 
communicate upon the subjects, and success of 
the experiments by each made 1 If communi- 
ties of men would thus act together, the know- 
ledge which now exists, but which is almost 
imperceptible by its effects, owing to its partial 
dissemination, or probably owing more to the 
distinctive variety of subjects composing the 
“ one art,” which each man has informed him- 
self, but which is not commonly appropriated, 
would be concentrated as to its force and wider 
spread in its application, so that each man could 
appropriate to his benefit the aggregate know- 
ledge of the whole community, as easily as he 
now does that which he may have obtained by 
his isolated exertions. 
But how are men to avail themselves of the 
knowledge acquired by each other, with greater 
facility than by social intercourse, than by mu- 
tually interchanging views, declaring the result 
and explaining the mode of operations by which 
that result was obtained 1 All will admit that it 
is the most expeditious and effective means. — 
From social intercourse, advantages of a much 
higher order may be gained than new books can 
afford on the subject of agriculture. Suppose 
the inquir)' to be — “How shall we realize the 
greatest product of corn from a given quantum 
of land and labor!” To obtain this information, 
ten farmers from the number of your society 
are selected, to make experiments; each one 
adopts the mode of planting and cultivating, 
which, in his opinion, will succeed best, and at 
the meeting of the Society, (and in the presence 
of the whole Society,) each one of the ten ap- 
pointed for the purpose, exhibits the result of his 
labor, and explains the plan pursued to obtain 
it. In this wa}’', each member cl the association 
obtains, in one year, an amount of practical in- 
formation, which would otherwise have cost 
him the labor of ten years. 
To the growers of stock, too, much good will 
result from Agricultural Societies. A premium 
offered for the finest domestic animal of whatso- 
ever kind, will induce farmers to turn their at- 
tention to the improvement of their stock, not 
because the premium itself is an inducement, 
but because by such tribute of reward, an hon- 
orable emulation is excited to excel at exhibi- 
tions, more from the honor consequent upon the 
reward than the reward itself. 
Apart from the above consideration, an agri- 
cultural society is of incalculable benefit to 
stock raisers, because these premiums will en- 
hance their value. The fact that your cow, or 
horse, or hog, had taken the premium as being 
the finest animal of the kind exhibited at a show 
of animals, ". ouldgiveto a purchaser of fine 
stock a higher estimate of its value than any 
commendation of yours could inspire. 
In confirmation of these views, I might in- 
stance those sections of our State in v.'hich Ag- 
ricultural Societies have been organised. With 
Fairfield District especially, I claim to estab- 
lish my views. Examine for yourself the pa- 
pers of the day, and frequent advertisements of 
“fine stock for sale,” may be found from that 
District, and it not unfrequently happened that 
a cow and calf has sold here iav one hundred and 
fifty dollars. And thousands of acres of land 
which were, ten years ago, thrown away and 
given up, to be disfigured by gullies, as worn 
out and valueless, are now in a high state of 
cultivation, and 5 fielding to their owners far 
heavier crops than they were capable ol when 
first cleared. And the very lands which six 
years ago would not have commanded, upon an 
average, five dollars per acre, could not now be 
purchased for ten dollars per acre. All of 
which, as every one acquainted with that Dis- 
trict will say, is mainly attributable to the influ- 
ence of the Monticello Planters’ Society. With 
confidence, therefore, I recommend the forma- 
tion of an Agricultural Society in our District ; 
for just as sure as like causes produce like ef- 
fects, just so sure will such a Society benefit 
our district. 
We may promise ourselves, as farmers, other 
benefits, which we think Agricultural Societies 
will promote. No one will deny but that Agri- 
culture has heretofore been esteemed as one 
among the humble pursuits ol life— as not pos- 
sessing in itself material for investigation be- 
yond the capacity of the humblest intellect. It 
has never been permitted to be ranked among 
and to be called a science, but has ever been es- 
teemed as a meie art, to be learned from imita- 
tion, and requiring neither taste nor talent to en- 
able its initiated to become po,r excellence with 
the most perfect of their predecessors. At the 
same time all will admit that agriculture is the 
source and foundation of every comfort of the 
human family, and of the wealth, power and 
glory of a nation; that although the seas and 
oceans bear our vessels to every nation on the 
globe, yet agriculture unfurls their sails 
and gives their freight ; that notwithstanding 
science, bv its magic power, has thrown the 
wide world into a mere neighborhood by the 
influence of steam, yet were it not for agricul- 
ture, distance would again be what it was, and 
the now artificial neighborhood would spread 
out again into a world. Whilst this is admit- 
ted, it seems no age of the woiffd has given to it 
an attention worthy of its position, or which 
would warrant a conclusion that they knew its 
importance. The prevailing ignorance upon 
the subject of our remarks is farther manifest, 
from the singular fact, that agriculture has un- 
dergone less change in its manner of pursuit, 
than any other of the ancient arts. Mechanics 
are now affordingto the human family comforts 
and conveniences of which the people of the 
last century never dreamed — and f e same 
might be said of the learned professions — but 
where is agriculture ! It is now where it was 
at a period so far back that h storj^ cannot in- 
form us who is entitled to the honor of having 
done for the art what has been done for it. If 
we knew who invented the plow, and taught the 
horse and ox to become sub-servient to the uses 
of man, we would be compelled to revere him 
as the greatest benefactor of the human family, 
and as alone entitled to the singular honor of 
having possessed a skill in his profession, a su- 
periority over which no individual of an}' sub- 
sequent age has been able to claim. And why 
is it so ! Is it because it wants importance! or 
is it because its importance has never been ap- 
preciated. To the latter we must attribute its 
neglect. Parents never educate their childieu 
with a view to qualify them for the pursuit of a 
planter. Yet, if they design their children for 
any of the learned professions, they consider an 
education indispensable — an education favora- 
ble to the particular profession. But the world 
practically carrying out the idea that “ any fool 
can be an agriculturist,” none are educated for 
that purpose, tlence we may account for the 
existence of so many worn out and desolate 
farms — the frequent occurrences of those dis- 
tresses consequent upon emigration. It is not 
from choice that men leave the home of their 
youth, the graves of their parents and children, 
of their friendly associates in life, the altars by 
which they worshipped, and around which thou- 
sands of friendly associations cluster ; it is from 
necessity. Ask these, when you witness their 
distress upon the eve of emigration, why they 
go, and they will answer, “ I can no longer make 
a support here.” It is the tyranny of igno- 
rance in the art of agriculture that creates the 
necessity. This state of things can only be re- 
medied by awakening up an interest in the 
cause, which the efforts of Agricultural Socie- 
ties can effect. Then will learning lend her 
