Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1833-06-10

AMI farmers, either from utter ignorance neglect
of that cardinal principle in political economy
the division of Labor, divide their tins and attcn-
ton between husbtndry and other pursuits of Il
widely different character Thus some become
also merchants, some M ,nufacturers some specula-
tors, anl some horse racers, popularity hunters, in
entire defiance OF that wise old saw, that " when
too many irons are in the fire some must burn" Ii
1t were possible for any of these classes of aericul-
tlraists who engage in such Incompatible pursuits.
- make monsy by Illing the soil, or by any other
branches OF hnsbandry then husbandry would be
as far superior every Other pursuit the object Of
whlcl was 10 make money, as one thing could well
be to another; for neither any previous knowledge,
nor economy, nor professional skill, nor exclusive
attention 10 II, wculd be in the smallest degree
cesSary 10 insure success Let us look at all the
| other professions and cilllngs With which we have
the least acquaintance and ask ourselves, where is
| the solitary case Of mans making money in any
one ofthem, without considerable share of those
preparatory requirements, universally deemed cS-
| senthl TO enable him to succeed l. II not then
the extremity Of ntltunton 10 believe that agrlcul-
tdrSts can do Whit no other professional men have
ever yet done til 1t is 10 work skfuy without
previous professional ltno edge 10 work pcrsc-
vorlngly IN the midst Of all the numerous failures
whlcd the want this knowled 20 mus inevitably
occasion i-1ndfo work probably whoul uniform
industry and economy VI. ~.'st tee Impos
sih liiles, winch, ii would fee.l mn taanY of ouf
brethren expect 10 achlc1~, ~ her profession is to
bear the whole blame, ro- every disappointment
| hey encounter. A vory !isda selftMmuaton
would set al this matter ,b' II itrael be omd
that mlltitIles iac up pc.'-u 'tuf IS afjgt isrr,
not beeaase taey pecrrr i --nat hsepHse tr,y
h'r' a. - ose s8ary Ut yl9os M .otl#n4 ,h1'
':raIte H. yraa II .o,i.us l.. IL M @ t. %,
/ r't1 al III n sa"ptuor, J.rstfac} - .r,t.',
lave cntaely self satisfied as farmers md planters
merely because they make Little more money than
| they spend, by plodding on IN the s1me beaten
| r1ad that the most unniorm"d Of their profession
have been travelling, rs far back their recol &c
| lions cnabe them to count While all other tndcs
and cllungs ate making daily improve ments, these
ilun. remain stationary rs the earth itself. What
! wonder thcn ought it to hc,--what Just cause Of
complaint should it afford that agriculture, II IS
generally followed, procnrs to yield less profit
than almost any other PURSUIT. BIT even this
opinion, although very General, has nothing better
than coz 'c;ufe 10 supper, it, for not ono agricul
iuris, IN hundred ever Keeps any such accounts
rs would enable him to tell with any degree Of &c
c'racy what his clear gains really ore. When you
add 70 these causes offuluro til. yety general neg
lect Of all the means afforded for improving lhe
soil il Is # city dcmonsr die, that the fault IS
not IN the profession Itself but chiefly, not Wholly
II its N ,m5ers. Let me endeayor 10 point out a
few more of the proofs to sustain this assertion.
What lnrge proportion ofour best informed a.
ricuturiSs make lite or no Of the abund INT
materials which most farms produce, Tor making
tina, Indispensable artjcc-manurc low very few
planters and farmers are seen carefully using
for this purpose, all the of,l of the,, wheat aud
corn crops the scourngs of Their dcies,-the
rich mould oftheir woods--'he ashes Of their lcs,
with all the other numerous substances CAPABLE of
being converted into manure, simply by collccunae
them into L heap TO torment AMI rot Ihese
are 10 be found on almost every farm, and
would most amnly repay, lfJodicionsy used, all
the labor bestowed their application. This
would constitute the whole cost and 50 far these
kinds ofmanure would be preferable to such as cost
money also. which asriculturlsts cannot always
comm 'ad. allule here principally to mari lime
plaster of paris snd clover seed.
The first OF these, which experience has ascer-
tanned to b. the most lasting Of all improycrs Of the
SELL has been visible, for hundreds of years, to the
eyes of all who have passed up and down the
Rapplhannock, almost in every place where the tde
has left perpendicular bank. especially on the
south side, for many mites below this town, nearly
to Portrayal again. from a short distance b,io"
T,ppahannock- nearly to the mouth Of the river
Yet, even the propreiors of these apparently mex
haustible beds-wth very taw exceptions nave
never sproa5 so much rs shovel full their much
Impoverished fells. To attempt the purchase of
this most valuable substance for the purpose ct I'M
proving our lands, would probably cover the h1ycrI
with ncxtinguishAlle rllcutc for the renlathd'rof
his life Here and there, indeed, We NAV bear -
few beginning to -" we have some thought Of
making an experiment with mNl Just rs # IT'S
efficacy was still ml'tor of doubt; although, Il
these sceptics would rive themselves the trouble Of
consulting the most authentic records OF agriculture,
they would speedily be satisfied that the elects OF
mail in aua,nenting the productive powers OF most
soils has been just well known IN other countries
for hundreds Of years past, as the Ell ol any %
those substances which have been universally &C
know dyed To do it, from the tine Of lfsmoSstu5
10 the present day. They would Learn tee, by these
records another matter of no small importance ana
that is,-to know certainly, without waiting twelve
months for the result OF an experiment. t"'I ca
careous or shelly mari, (such as we find thi tap
pahannoc!l maui to be- will certainly suit all argyll
aceous or olayey soils and that arsflaccou' OF
c'aycy marls arc equally we'll adapted 10 dry, san
DIV soils. Acds,-uf which common vinegar can
most readily be had furnish good tests for every
variety Of m lrl since all will eifcryescc brsky o.
f,ebly with acids in proportion to the quantity OF
carbonate of lime which they contain, which may
vary from p to so per cent In ergtlidce Us mNfs
it is often much less. To ascertain the proportions
with sufficient accuracy for agricultural purposes
nothing is necessary, but to take gwen we'Snl
when dry,--to nderse it in some acii, whlch VIII
dissolve the calearcous part and then to "clSh thf
residue, af.cr drying it, which will give the proper
| ton of cay.
As TO the use Of plaster Of paris OF gypsum, more
than half cc.tny of experiments has hardly
suficel IN establish 1t amcng rs, to any conSuera
bic extent Indeed, throughout a large portion OF
our state the cutivaors Oft the soil continue to be
perfec, nfiels in regard to its imputed virtues
They do not, perhaps, carry their preludlces quite
| E Dutch neighbours