Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-11-03
RICHMOND, kNlbnK 5.

RICHMOND, NOV kMbnit 8.
AGRICUL9UR.dL SOCIETY or JiRGINJ.L
PAPERS PRESENTED TO THE AGRICULTURAL so.
CIErY, AND ORDERED 10 Bg PUBLISHED BY
THE COMMITTEE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
ESyea, September s. ISIS.
DEAR SIC--As tind mySeii.n the prcdica-
ment of certain misunderstood pobhc orators,
10 whom the making OF one spe.ch has hcen
sometimes know II 10 cost Two or 'luP"0 others ny
way ofexplanaTion /; must plead me authority
ufthCir"reat eNanpictor once mere auureSN'ns
xou Tho ,ssays x letter which did myself the
honor 10 offer a, our last meeting have not
been hear so clearly understood III regard,
either to all their motives. or oiDectS. as mad
yrutured TO hope they would ne. with view,
therefn,e 10 eSulain away. IL | CAP, the chico.
tione which understand have been made to
tho,n ! bep leave to submit some few remarks
which shall bens hriet as cnr make them,
Some have thought that treated the sub
;pct of agriculture, and certain matters in my
Judgment necessarily apper,auns To it, with
rather too much levity for man who really
felt "a proper degree of zeal and interest in the
cause "a solemn gravity of style being, as il
would seem in their opinion much more be
coming in the discussion Of so serious bust
ness l. the criticism be just, can only say,
that Ihave been unfortunate, M many wiser
beads have been before me, IN the choice otmy
means 10 promote an object which have a.
much NJ heart, as any man Gun have. The few
political notices i'm the ESSAYS have also been
remarked by others, as somewhat ont of place
in an address purpOrting to I've agricultural.
In reply to this, let il suffice 10 observe, that
all the various classes OF society aud none
more than Tie agTiCulturaiiSts, have right
either coccti,olv,Or individually to object 10
any measures OF their government which may
appear materially 10 affect their interests. Ia
deed. il is only by the free exercise of this
right, that the government can certainly
know WHEN aud how far they inure those
whom il is their duty to benefit.
also understand that some of our agricu-
tnrai brethren whom took the liberty 10 de
siauate by the borrowed tile" Goodenouehs"
together with some of lhe overseers,--tuot
any of ihe good ones, conieciure) are grew
OuSly offended at my presuming to offer any
thing for their edication. Ny apology To
these gentlemen is, that really had no snch
presumption tor some way or other, either by
inheritance or purchase. these worthy citizen
farmers have cOutTived IN ret such "A" top
dressing Of conccit,' ard oDduracy that to Pc
uetraie il to any useful purpose is an achieve
mcnt which If ever accomplished at all. will
require a far more skiltnl operator upon
heads than can pretend TO be. Theirs are
cases in craniOlogy, which II would puzzle
even Doctors Gall and Spurzheim, either to
explain or TO remedy. To discompose in some
small degree the even tenor of their ever dur
ing self complacency, was all the harm med-
tated against them; If the effort has far
succeeded, as 10 make aHy one OF them feel a
little sore, il is a most unexpected symptom
OF grace, vhch in due season may possibly
@OEA 10 some poOu. but dn age oil rDntrltl0n q
remorse would scarcely compensate our agri-
culture for the numerous injuries which they
have been chiefly Instrumental in perpetra.iny
upon her Yet what prospect of amendment
can I've expected in sort of men with whom
all the experiments of others pass for visiona.
ry folly, and their own emptiness for fulness
OF knowledge?
There is ore more objection which must
beg leave particularly 10 answer, as it is the
only serious one of the whole. Some few prac.
teal farmers on whose judgment have great
reliance, have thought, bit irithem making any
trial that have represented the capacity OF the
harrow, which took the liberty 10 Tecommend,
as too great in regard 10 the depth to which The
teeth would work. In saying they ic0uld pene
trGte to the depth Of GboU sir inches certainly
did not mean ,hey wouid do so in land not pre-
oOuSiy Ploughed sic inches deep, nor in stiff land
but in such soil, as we generally have on the
Rappahanuock, neither very stiff nor very
light, and where the ploughing has, in the first
instance been tolerably well executed of the
above mentioned depth. i repeat from the pc.
SItve experience of two years, that these har-
rows will perform what have promised for
them. know but two gentlemen who have
used them as yet and they both inform met
that they much pleased with them, That
they must answer better than the stiff harrow
especially when there are any inequalities of
surface, q bare Inspection without actual eXpe-
rjmeut, would satisfy, think, any practical
farmer aud the stiff harrow almost every
agriCuturst knows, is in general use, as well
for corn as for other purposes throughout all
the best cultivated parts of the United States.
am, dear sir, yours with regard
JAMES NJ. GARRETT.
BT. JOHN ADAMS Secretary 70 tie