THE CULTIVATOR. 
11 
apply all the powers constitutionally vested in them, to advance the pros¬ 
perity of the most numerous and most valuable class of our citizens. 
“ It becomes proper, in the first place, to inquire whether, in view of 
the present state of agriculture, legislative aid is necessary for its further 
improvement. From our own observation, and information obtained from 
other sources, we are led to believe, that the condition of agriculture in 
our state, is not what it ought to be. The object of farming ought to be, 
to secure the greatest returns for labor and capital invested; not merely 
the greatest crops for a year or two years, but the largest annual returns, 
compatible with the increasing value and productiveness of the soil. But 
is this, in fact, the object with a large portion of our farmers? Does not 
the contrary appear, manifestly, in many instances? Their sole object 
appears to be to live with the least possible labor, entirely regardless of 
the consequences to the land. Their farms are like the garden of the 
sluggard, overrun with useless and noxious plants; and we may pass them 
by, as almost beyond the hope of amendment. But, do those who have 
the true object before them, pursue it in a way likely to attain its accom¬ 
plishment? Our commonwealth has great capacities for agriculture; a 
large amount of fertile soil; a pleasant and healthful climate, and settled 
with a hardy, industrious, enterprising race of men; yet how few can tell 
how much can be gathered from a well cultivated acre? How few un¬ 
derstand the secret of obtaining from the soil the greatest amount of its 
annual productions, without the deterioration of its quality? Yet good 
farming requires that these should never be severed. No man can farm 
profitably, either lo the community or to himself, (supposing him to be 
the owner of the soil,) who impoverishes his land; and his energies are 
wasted who improves land, without obtaining profits in return. Doubtless 
there is a wide difference in the modes of farming, in different parts of the 
state, some lands being much better tilled than others; still, it is evident 
that there is still room for great improvement in them all. These im¬ 
provements are indispensably necessary. The facilities of transportation 
from the fresh and fertile lands of the west, will soon be so great, that 
our farmers must find rivals where, heretofore, competition has not been 
thought of; the difference in carriage will be no protection against their 
abundance, if a slovenly and unproductive mode of farming shall predo¬ 
minate here. Besides, the strength and wealth pf a state consists much 
in the number and character of its people. Thousands of our best and 
most intelligent citizens are yearly tempted to go west, who would better 
stay here under an improved state of agriculture. They take with them 
the accumulations of former industry and economy, and they bestow their 
exertions in enhancing the prosperity of another state, detracting so much 
from our own. Are these evils to be borne forever? or till those states 
shall be so much ahead of us, that the tide of emigration shall set back on 
us, as affording the hest theatre for industry, ingenuity and enterprise? 
or until the same system of improvident farming shall have reduced west¬ 
ern lands below our own fertility? We cannot believe that our citizens, 
or legislature, will carry their neglect or supineness to that extent. We 
believe that our errors will be corrected, and that means exist, and will 
be applied, to raise our most impoverished fields to more than their pris¬ 
tine feitility.” 
“ But cannot all this be effected without legislative interference > The 
experience of the world does not give an answer in the affirmative. Al¬ 
though individual enterprise and public spirit may do much in particular 
districts, general improvement has ever been the re¬ 
sult of governmental patronage. Individual care and skill 
have acted as pioneers, by showing what could be done; and government 
has aided in the dissemination of knowledge, and has encouraged its ap¬ 
plication to practice. It is unnecessary to give a detailed history of the 
agricultural colonies of Holland and of the Netherlands; of the boards of 
agriculture of England and Scotland, and latterly of France, of some parts 
of Germany, and of some of the states of this Union. Is it not reasonable 
it should be so ? It will be recollected, that farming, as an art, is as much 
imitative, as any of the mechanic arts, with this difference against it, that 
in the mechanic arts all the materials are of a known quality; and those 
which profess to be alike, are really homogenous. The powers of water, 
in equal quantities and elevations, are equal all the world over; and so in 
most of the arts;—while the soils of all countries, and of any considerable 
portions of the same country, are so diverse, that similar applications will 
produce quite contrary results. So much is this the case, that experi¬ 
ments, from any considerable distance, are deservedly looked upon with 
distrust. The whole character of a soil may change in a few rods. As 
an instance it may be mentioned, that our geological survey has ascertain¬ 
ed, that the great limestone range of the Cumberland valley, divides the 
borough of Harrisburgh. It will be necessary to have a series of experi¬ 
ments conducted, on almost every square mile of our territory, before the 
powers of our soil can be universally and fully developed. Consider these 
varities of soil, as connected with the changes of atmosphere, and varieties 
of climate and seasons, in our commonwealth, and the senate will have 
some uncertain idea of what must be done, before the subject shall be ex¬ 
hausted. Can it be expected that individuals can do all these things, and 
make known the results, for general benefit? It is worthy of considera¬ 
tion, that the profits of agriculture, though among the most sure, are also 
among the smallest, which reward the industry of any class of citizens; 
that a farmer’s business is almost always pressing, few items of it admitting 
of any delay. Think, also, that in very few instances is the farmer pro¬ 
tected in the enjoyment of the profits of the inventions, which his skill 
and talents enable him to make, and that his portion of the public burthens 
is much greater, in proportion to his income, than that of any other class 
of our citizens. Think of these things, and then say whether the farmer, 
laboring under so many disadvantages, can afford to be so much more pub¬ 
lic spirited than any body else? We think not. For these, and other 
I reasons, let our expectations be what they may, the commonwealth, in 
fact, will be slow to reap the full benefit of individual exertions. They 
will be made slowly, and a knowledge of them will be spread slowly—so 
slowly, that a whole generation shall pass by without being scarcely sensi¬ 
ble of a forward movement 
“ Will it be said that individuals, by voluntary association and contribu¬ 
tion of funds, may remedy this evil? Something may, no doubt, be done; 
but the evil is too great to be fully mastered in this way. It will require 
a series of experiments, during a course of years, many of which will fail. 
A voluntary association may be very useful; but to require them to give 
their time and attention, and likewise to be at all the expense of spread¬ 
ing information, is asking too much. Many are so unreasonable, as to ex¬ 
pect flowers and fruit almost instantaneously after the seed is sown. They 
become discouraged by a little delay, and retire from the society. This 
discourages others, till at last, perhaps just at the time when the most 
brilliant results might be expected, the most persevering and public spirit¬ 
ed desist from their labors. The society sinks—the cause sinks—and, in 
addition to the mortification of disappointed hopes and defeated exertions, 
they must bear the ridicule and derision with which the ignorant, the pre¬ 
judiced, and the fault-finding, proclaim their triumph. 
“ When we consider the imporlance of the subject, and the uncertain¬ 
ty of these improvements being made, or rather the certainty that they 
will not be made, by individual or associated exertions alone, we might 
suppose the argument in favor of legislative actioncomplefe. It is well 
known that mechanics, manufacturers, and those engaged in other branch¬ 
es of industry, beneficial merely to a single district or neighborhood, ask 
and receive legislative bounty, protection and exclusive privileges. This 
is an interest affecting the whole state, which, if prosperous, makes all 
our outlays for internal improvement profitable; which, if not prosperous, 
must make us all bankrupt. The value of the annual produce of the land 
in Pennsylvania, amounts, at a low estimate, to forty-five or fifty millions 
of dollars. Suppose that the utmost that could be done by the exertions 
of all, should be to add ten per cent to that productiveness, what a diffe¬ 
rence it would make in the prosperity of our state in a few years. It 
might make just the difference between prosperity and adversity, for if 
we could live without the addition, the addition would be clear profit! 
What a difference between a gain of four or five millions and no gain at 
all! What an additional impetus it might give to the extent and produc¬ 
tiveness of our public works, to have the transportation of this in addition 
to the present amount! How many valuable citizens would be induced 
to come here, and be dissuaded from going from us under such a state of 
things! Does any one doubt, that under a proper system of farming, ten 
per cent would be added to the present amount of our agricultural pro¬ 
ductions? How very few plantations'are now so perfectly managed, that 
twenty or twenty-five per cent could not be added ? How many might 
easily be made to yield fifty? And are there not many, very many, whose 
productions could be doubled? Is not,, therefore, the argument in favor 
of legislative action conclusive? There still remains a most difficult and 
perplexing part of this subject for consideration. In what mannei, and to 
what extent, shall aid to this great interest be administered? It is evi¬ 
dent that means must be used, to have our farming conducted on scienti¬ 
fic principles. It must, in some way, be interwoven with our 
system of education. Men must learn to judge, from the consti¬ 
tuent parts of the soil, and their combinations, what will be the species 
and qualities of its most profitable productions. An Agricultural School, 
and a Pattern Farm, under proper regulations, would imbue the minds of 
its pupils with valuable principles, and would exemplify and illustrate 
those principles with a corresponding and successful practice. This would 
be expensive; but a very small ratio of increase in the annual productions 
of our farms, would repay it with enormous interest. One successful 
school of this kind, would, no doubt, be the means of organizing many 
others; and would, eventually, have a most happy effect on the education 
and agriculture of the state, and a most beneficial influence on the health 
and morals of our literary young men. Very signal benefits might be de¬ 
rived to the state from an agricultural survey, soon after the completion of 
the geological survey now in progress. A report of a skilful practical 
farmer, after a thorough examination of all the varieties of farming, in use 
among us, would be a source of much valuable knowledge. Such a re¬ 
port should give minute details; and then would be seen the intimate re¬ 
lation between the minerals, which the earth covers, and the 'rue method 
of cultivating its surface. Then might a pretty accurate judgment be 
formed, as to what we might reasonably expect and hope for from our la- 
When we sat down, we intended to give merely a brief abstract of the 
report; but finding it deeply interesting to every portion of our readers, in 
