Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-05-28

appeared rather inclined 10 throw cold
water on IL. This check. however, being
insufficient TO ext,nguIsh the embry
scheme, the inclination ia communicate
IL to our society has burned after time,
only the more vividlv The project Itself
is contained III two resolutions al The con
cinsionof IA few preliminary remarks with
Which II appears TO n!c proper TO miro
duce them.
Amongst the various means calculated
to promote the principal objects OF our
institution, there are none M my view,
that have higher claims to the patronage
OF our society, than the adoption of
some plan by wu;ch We may speedily OBJ
tain Tor ourselves. and the whole agticul-
'ural portion @. our citizens, knowledge
of the most approved processes in farm
ing anc of tie best implements of hus-
bandrl now Us q in the most improved
pats of The nIt,ile, northern and eastern
states. Il seems. a, present. a UNIVERSAL
ly admitier point among all the agricui-
iu aiists BETH OF En- land aud Scotland,
that the rapr,: advances made by them IN
all the various branch, OF rural ec0un-
my, are principally attributable 10 the
frequency OF ag:i uiturai tuurS under
TAX either by private Individuals, or by
persons appointed for that purpose by
their numerous societies. The results of
these tours arc usually Published and
diligently circulated, ai least among agr-
cultural people; the happy consequence
OF which is, thai busy spirit of enquiry
is generated and kept alive; aud that
NOR" usetrl Information in regard TO RIA
raj affairs has been Il. CURED III a few
years, by those who devote themselves
10 such pursuits, than they had gained,
or could possibly gain 9th rwise, in seye
raj previous e. n,prieS. Another most sa-
iutary effect OF these tours has been
nearly 10 explohe that preIu ice, still SO
fatally common with us-a prejudice or
Thy only of The darkest and most barba-
rous ages-that knowledge eau he I'M
parted by the insIrumenta!,Iy OF the press,
on ali Other subjects, except agriculture
the wnndrOus arts and my stcrIeS oil which,
are mcommunlcabie Ia our senSoriums
by any thing IN your print hand, as
Tony LumpkIn calls IL. If such practices
| II! those countries have been followed by
such benz n lal consequences, there can
be 10 good reaStn, think, 10 doubt, that
they might produce the same, or even
still more PrOpiiious effects here. And
aS This appears 10 be period particular
ly favorable Ia missions and missionaries Of
almost every kind, WHEELER chin" rical or
rational, should hope, tliata mission un-
drrtaken tor purpose so obviously, SO UNI
versaliy advantageous, could scarcely fail
'omeei with numerous and Jealous advo-
catrsin society Ike ours confess too,
that little state pride has its share in
prompting The wish 10 see Virginia agri.
cultural society move FIRST IN 81 idudabie an
enierprlZe. None can doubt, that much
useiui information might he collected IN
"a l. tl..at t,Io
information will be generally dtfused
through the country, unless it is frs,
sought by men who travel for this special
| object and who i'll aiterw ards publish
the result 1T their enquiries in some print
ed form or other. II il be objected, that
we have already books enough on all the
subjects OF rural economy, the answer Is
| obvious. These bsoks are chit fiy tore gn,
| and contain but little, Comparatively
speaking, which Is entirely applicable 10
orr Conntry. So that il would not,
think, be going teo far to say, that sim
gle volume judi inusly complied, and we'll
adapted to our situation and other cir.
cumstances, would be worth more TO the
agricu'uralists of this country, than all
the Scotch, English an French books on
husbandry, put together valuable as
They certainly are IN many respects. lis
true we have few books OF our own,
| which have obtained well mcrted po
pnlarity-but these only relate, either 10
particular sections Of our country, or
give the experience of but few indivi-
duals. There are none, b lirve, which
pretend TO give a general view Of the state
of agriculture. and rural affairs through
| out the whole range Of country embraced
| by the proposed scheme.
A.ny CIV, oil. nt r,racIicps fcllnyaI
in silence and obscurily by that class of
| cultlvat0rs VITO pursue " the noiseIess
| tenor OF their way" far from The busy
| haunis of those who find their chief
! pleasure ~ talking, rather than IN acting
which practices are known only within
verg limited circle, aud consequently are
never likely 10 become public property
until some enierpriZIng and competent
| JHdge, shall make II his business TO render
them so. The same remark NAV be. APP
piled with equal truth TO the tools and i'm
| plemcnts of husbandry, whicJevery body
| acknowledges to be slamefuly defective
| among us :-principally because IT has
| never yet bern attempted TO collect and
| to circulate models and drawings Of the
| best that could be found in such paris OF
our country, as are generally believed TO
have made greater advances in agricul-
lure, Than others. A century or twOmay
| yet elapse, before these become common,
five trust altogether TO the slow progress
OF oral communication among neiglbors,
or TO the accidental inspection of the lew
agricultural people Tho ever travel 10 any
extent beyond their respective market
towns. Even these, very rarely trouble
themselves to collect information for 9th
| ers; or 10 difiusc il after il is collected
But If a person well qualified for the
undertaking (and doubtless our society
contains many such,) were at once APP
pointed 10 make All agricultural tour,
as carly I'D The spring as II would be- pro