1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
363 
ty, importance and pleasures of agriculture; but 
where lias been that fostering care which would 
seek to encourage and promote it? Where have 
the farmers been who would demand for the culti¬ 
vation of the soil, that conspicuous place to which 
it is so justly entitled? 
But we are happy to observe that an improved 
sentiment is becoming prevalent. That 11 Agricul¬ 
ture is of primary importance ;” that our nation 
has already “ advanced in population and other 
circumstances of maturity,” to that position which 
ii renders the cultivation of the soil an object of 
public patronage;” that there is no u object to 
which it can be dedicated with greater propriety;” 
—these truths are gradually making their way into 
the minds of intelligent, thinking men. 
We have, at length, a Home Department; and 
the question presents itself—Can it, and will it do 
anything for Agriculture? It can, and we trust 
that it will. The politicians may seek to make it 
an instrument for the furtherance of party; and 
with the bug-bear of constitutional objections, they 
may tell us that nothing can be done for Agricul¬ 
ture under this Department. But let the farmers, 
moving in a mass, call loudly for a Bureau of Ag¬ 
riculture, with proper and suitable patronage from 
the Government. Let it be managed by “ proper 
characters,” selected with reference to their fit¬ 
ness for, and devotion to promoting agriculture. 
They should be men above political contamination; 
and having a love of science for its own sake; and 
keeping constantly in view the one great object 
which they were placed there to promote, they 
would not be induced to give up to party what was 
meant for mankind. 
A Board of Agriculture, thus <l composed of 
proper characters, charged with collecting and dif¬ 
fusing information, and enabled by premiums and 
small pecuniary aid, to encourage and assist a spi¬ 
rit of discovery and improvement, by stimulating to 
enterprise and experiment, and by drawing to a 
common centre, the results, everywhere, of indivi¬ 
dual skill and observation, and by spreading them 
thence over the whole nation,” would soon be found 
to be “ a very cheap instrument of immense nation¬ 
al benefits.” 
1. This Board might be in correspondence with 
scientific men in all parts of our country, and with 
Boards of Agriculture in all foreign countries,-— 
thus drawing to a common centre, and from thence 
spreading broadcast over the land, all new facts 
and improvements of utility, all valuable sugges¬ 
tions, derived from the improvement and new lights 
of the various natural sciences which are intimate¬ 
ly ailed to Agriculture. 
2. Proper premiums might perhaps be offered to 
stimulate ingenuity, in the invention and production 
the most valuable farm implements and machines ; 
and by awarding to those which, upon proper test, 
Were found best to answer a desired purpose, com¬ 
petition, and an ambition to excel, would be exci¬ 
ted to the highest degree. 
3. Persons in the employment of our government 
abroad, might be directed to collect and transmit 
to the Department, those new or improved seeds, 
fruits, plants, animals, implements, &c., which 
were deemed desirable. As it would be part of the 
business of this Board, to institute extensive inqui¬ 
ries into the utility of introducing, for cultivation 
among us, the various valuable productions of oth¬ 
er countries; and as the great range of latitude, of 
coil and climate, which our country embraces, un¬ 
doubtedly admits of cultivating the products of al¬ 
most every other country; we may reasonably sup¬ 
pose that a proper effort, in this direction alone, 
would be attended with very important results. 
4. Premiums might be offered for the most able 
essays and the most satisfactory experiments to 
elucidate vexed questions and undeveloped princi¬ 
ples in Agriculture—if deemed proper and desirable. 
5. Extensive inquiries might be instituted, into 
the habits of Insects troublesome to cultivation, 
and the best method to exterminate them, or pre¬ 
vent their ravages. As the nation 11 advances in 
population, and other circumstances of maturity,” 
it becomes more and more an object, pecuniarily, 
with our cultivators, to raise many sorts of fruits, 
and tender plants, comparatively unimportant at an 
earlier period. Now it is a fair estimate that one- 
half the productions of man, of this description, 
go to feed the insect world. Indeed, of some sorts, 
in some seasons, they take the whole. The subject 
of Entomology is vast and inexhaustible; it requires 
such extensive, and yet particularly minute and of¬ 
ten microscopic investigations, that the efforts of 
ordinary associations of men can avail but little. 
But it is believed that a National Board of Agri. 
culture would have resources, peculiar to itself, that 
might effect important results. Its inquiries might 
be very extensive, drawing in contributions from 
individuals and societies, in every quarter, the sum 
total of which would be highly useful. 
6. The various state and county societies through¬ 
out the land, might be in correspondence with the 
Department,—thus receiving and imparting infor¬ 
mation upon these and other subjects. 
In short, in a hundred ways, such an organiza¬ 
tion might forward the great interests of Agricul¬ 
ture. Indeed, we may conclude, that no other es¬ 
tablishment could parallel this, as a promoter of 
the interests, not exclusively of either section, but 
of the whole country. 
The advocates for this movement may, by some,, 
be called enthusiasts. They are so; for the magni¬ 
tude and importance of the thing very properly 
awakens them to enthusiasm. It is right that owr 
own State of Vermont should be a foremost, a zea¬ 
lous pioneer in this business. Our people are an 
agricultural people; and they are awake to those 
measures which will foster and promote this com¬ 
manding interest. Other States will join us in en¬ 
deavoring to form an organization so desirable; 
and thus the great sentiment of Washington, that 
“ the power of the nation alone can carry out their 
high thought,” will be realized. 
1. Resolved. That the General Assembly of Ver¬ 
mont earnestly recommend the establishment of a 
Bureau of Agriculture, in the Department of tho 
Interior at Washington, whose province it shall be 
to superintend and promote the great interest of 
Agricultural Improvement in the Nation. 
2. Resolved , That the Governor is requested to 
transmit a copy of the foregoing Resolutions, and 
of the accompanying Report, to the President of 
the United States, to the Secretary of the Depart¬ 
ment of the Interior, to the Governor of each State 
of the Union, and to each of our Senators and Re¬ 
presentatives in Congress, to the end that the at¬ 
tention of Congress, and of the several State Le¬ 
gislatures, may be properly invited to the proposi- 
tions embraced therein. 
3. Resolved , That the Senators and Representa¬ 
tives of this State, in the Congress of the United 
States, are hereby requested to use their influence 
to procure the necessary legislation, by Congress, 
for the speedy establishment, on a firm and perma¬ 
nent basis, of a Bureau of Agriculture, as suggest¬ 
ed in the first foregoing Resolution. 
