Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-23


them. away from ther farns. Thus entire
| docks % the dnssi merino sheep were devo-
/ ltd - ine sGile, Cor no other reason but that,
contrary tU tie WIsies and expectation OF the
owner, They would persist ~ eating The ex-
cent II thesp sacrifices is scarcely credible
! \ very respecidblc butcher assured me, that
J ne bought lor-oRe dollar head, a Cock of
Herinos' aaioDS which was an imported ram,
who the oWuer declared, and have 40 doubt
tra'y' had east one thousand dollars. That
e&i%Nhsance las no.g passed, and excellent
tsIno.sheep lay be procured, web calcula-
lea L. cover Tue lpteTior of PENNSYLVANIA with
most productive source OF wealth. On the
! fich natural heritage of ihe woods they would
sdnsi3', without any expense, during Il greater
par o! the year, and small field of turnips
would carry them through the winter. The
Only serious obstacle ia the less popuous dis
tr!cts IS Inc wolf, and he is fast disappearing.
The culture of flax and hcinpin Pennsylva-
nia has been hitherto limited by the mperfec-
iion OF our machinery for working it, and by
the inier"rity of oar dev-retting to the Eu-
ropean practice OF water-reiiing. AccOr-
DINGHY our trade la fax consists chiefly M cx-
porting the seed to the Irish farmers, who az
| ter raising and preparing il, return it TO our
factories 1T is selling the fountain and buyiBg
back the steam.
The society has been for some time engag-
ed IN endeavours 20 remedy this Deficiency
and the result ofthe exhibitions this day in
spires confident hope Of their success. We
nave just examined machine scarcely less
npoI tant than the cotton-g in, ny which all the
expensive and troublesome labnurs of dew
and water-rettn5 are superseded /; which
Will prevent the deterioration both in the CO.
our and strength Of tue fibre caused by those
processes ; which will save the whole quaint
ty-aboui one half--now lest Ia the ordinary
method and by enabling as TO gather the flax
before rip"ning, save the land from the most
eNhaustinS process OF all plants, the seeding
by the general adoption of this machine, the
farmers may increase t!ieir cultivation of flax
aud hemp--preparc il themselves-an pro-
VIDE cheap supply 'or the whole consump.
ton of the country Nor Is this all. As the
hlX manufactures cheaper, their consumption
wal! OF course Increase, till they may be made
to regain that ascendancy in general use which
they lost by the cheapness of cotton, and ena-
bic the farmers of the middle states to en-
gage IN generous competition with the cot
tom growers of the south. This expectation
may not be Visionary. The great consumption
of cotton is due to the machinere Now this
machine viii greatly diminish the cost: and
the manufactures ofths country can, it is
SAID, work fax as easily as cotton. If then,
the sa me facilities DC given to flax or hemp,
their prosperity may he equal !; since they en-
ter with great advantage into oar rotation of
crops, and the actual produce on an acre is
twice rs great as that of cotton.
If, gentlemen, l havelNeared you with these
details, You will ascribe il To the deep convic-
ton, that nothing is more important to this
community than to extend the taste for agri-
culture, from which the habits of the last
twenty years, and the present depressed value
OF ITS produce, combine to estrange us. We,
IN Pennsylvania, have reached precisely that
poi5t where, with all the finest materials for
5ood hnshhndry, one step only is necessary To
ensure distinguished success Why then can
we not make this final effort /? While all
around us are ronsed into an honorable zeal for
aSriculture-while Virginia possesses so many
societies devoted to her cultivation-while the
most distinguished gentlemen from distant
parts OF Maryland crowded a few months since
to Their fine exhibition at Batimore-while
almost every county in New York has its
agricultural society and its cattle show, why
is It that this Pennsylvania, this land emphati-
carly of farmers, suffers herselft to be outstrp-
ped IN this generous career ? Why is it that
although the legislature has assigned fund
Tor AN agricultural society i'll every county,
that with the honorable exception of Bucks
and Chester and Susquehanna and Franklin
and Allegheny, whom | enumcrate in Justice
10 Their spirit, the farmers of PENNSYLVANIA
nave never yet found leisure To associate for
the advancement of their own best interests
me establishment of these societies through
out the state, would be among the sures
means of promoting its Improvement They
inspire mutual complementary kindle mutu-
al competton-thcy draw into notice the
skIli OF experienced cultivators-they diffuse
useful Internationally, more than any other
measure, they tend TO improve and exat the
fpr nf
too, are admirable auXaries. By placing in
their most attractive lights the labours of in
dustry, they reward the deserving, while they
stimulate the indolent, and enlist i'm the great
cause OF public Improvement all the pleasures
OF social enjoyment and the enthusiasm of en-
liatlon. What indeed can be more exhilarat-
ing than the assembiage of IA healthy, well
clad, free, happy people, surrounded by the
fruits of their well directed industry--the ami
mails which display their kindness the inn
piements which attest their ingenuity? Who
is there even on this side of the Atlantic, who
does not read with more pleasure the accounts
ofthe agricultural meetings at H0lkham, than
OF the coronation at Westminster. or the as
semblage of sOveregns at Troppau? Who
dld not feel mere satisfaction at the exhibitions
OF massachusetts or Maryland, than in the
gaudiest displays of military power?
IL have failed to prove that the pursuits Of
agriculture may be- as lucrative as other EN-
pioyments, twill be an easier task To yind-
cate their pleasures and their Importance.
need not dwell on that retirement, one of the
puTcst enjoyments of this life, and the best
preparation for the fulurc--on those health
ful occupations--on that caImness or mind
on that high spirit Of manliness and indeprn-
dencc, which naturally belong 60 that coudi-
ton. These are attractions which must have
deep roots IN the human heart since they
have in all times fascinated at once the imagi-