Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1822-10-26
IAGR1CUAtEVH ataiI4.
From the American Farmer.
THE MORALS or AGRICULTURE


THE MORALS or AGRICULTURE.
Mr. EDIToR-I wish that some oil
your correspondents who have more lei
sure and more ability than myself, would
take into consideration the subject on
which l shall submit Few desullory re-
marks. fths morals of agriculture de-
serve not such attention on account oil
their Importance, the subject is at least
worth The notice, and is properly within
the province Of all authors Of addresses
20 Agricultural Societies. Mos, of these
gentlemen appear to be SO mech at a
loss for subjects, that their addresses
would moi be badly designated by The title
of" Essays on things in general" 1
therefore recommend this subject to any
person Intending to prepare an annual
address, unless he really should have
something else to lay before his society
and the public. F
The H,ndoos believe that whoever
plants tree, digs we'll, and begets a
child, is sure Of admission into heaven.
AS ridiculous as this part Of their reli-
gious creed may appear, If shews the
wisdom Of their priests and rulers by
whoa il was instiled-whot thus brought
the strongest motives TO every individual
to increase produe,iyeness, popula-
ton, and wealth Of his country. When
our ancestors emisraied, they wisely left
behind them a!ltheir ellis, fairies, witch
es, &c and as il is impossible that we
Can long remain as we now are, free from
popular superslitions, it would be a bies-
Ing to our posteri.y ii we were TO adopt
The Hindoo tenet, SO modilied as to suit
our different situations. We have no
want oil growing trees, nor fresh water;
and all experiences proves that children
will be furnished as fast as the foods
necessary fortheir support. Population
is shsays preciseiy rrcpprtioncd 70 the
means Of subsisicnce, and IN an agrirul-
sural country, must increase with the I'M
provc,pent " TIE soil, aiad decrease with
It's exhaustion. The farmer who makes
his land capable Of producing annually
500 Bushels of grain more than before
his improvements commenced, increases
permanently tie population Of bis cuun-
try by as many persons as his increased
pr9dnct will support. Another who
spends his lN- in reducing the fertility of
his soil to the same amount, dini-
nishes population as much; and that
dimioution is more eftectual and perMa
nent, than if he had confined his exer-
tons to cutting twenty throats OF every
successive generation.
To increase and multiply is divine
eommand--and perhaps is the only com
mand which all persons strive to their
u,mos, ability TO obey Bur though the
usual mcsns may be the most agreeable,
] beseech your readers to believe that
they are far from being the most efectu-
al. 1t is true that no harvest can be
reaped unless seeds are frs, sown--bu,
every child knows that j, is not the
greares, number of grains planted which
ensures the heaviest crop Of corn, but
NE means afforded for The supper. Of the
plants, by the degree of fertility in the
soil. Just SO with population. Only let
bread, or the means Of obtaining bread
be increased in any country, and its po-
pnation will soon be equal to the in
creased supply Of food. On the contra
~, if bad farming or bad policy in the
government, lessons the production Of
fooe:, the inevitable consequence must be
diminished population. These posi-
tons (Which every sound political eco
aomiss will sustain) sbew what vast eff
fects. the labors Of single individual
may have on the welfare OF his country;
and what beneficial effects might be pro-
duced, il il was believed (more especial
" by ill law max ers) that he who directly
Or indirectly lessons the productiveness
Of the earth, is guilty of a sin far less
Dardonable than murder.
But seriously--,his subject deserves
to be reflected on by all: twill give adj
di,ional qualification and encouragement
70 tho improving farmer, and furnish an
impressive lesson to him who is pursu-
ing contrary course. 1t would be vi
sionsry to expect that the public good
alone, would induce any improvementhy
che sacrifice Of private interest. Nor
would it be desirable. A farmer can in
no way do as much good for his country,
as by pursuing precisely that course
which is most profitable TO himself. But
though many attempts to increase the
fertility Of the soil are illjudgsd, we, there
ere means enough which are profitable;
ana there is no case in which the owner
of : farm, can be benefited BY iss'sx-