Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-07-04

NIiy would the great and important apficultn-
raj interest be held secondary Ia other professions
II Is easily answered. is in the defect and want
OF education.
II Il certainly true. that il you educate and
Thereby elevate the Agrcnllursi, there will be
less USE for some III the other professions; less
use for physicians and lawyers. TIN, would Ger
tamil be u benefit 10 the public, aud in tins way,
and tins way only, would wish 10 affect those
proicssions.-ll | possessed talents equal 10 any
man that has lived, | would be willing 10 exert
them all IN cndca,o,ing 10 arouse my county men
from their slumbcrs, to a spirit OF education and
/ Improvement IN Agriculture. Let the minds oi
the Aerlcuuti>tS be improved and improvement
IN Agriculture will aS necessarily follow MS that Ell
ice will follow It's legitimate and efficient cause.
II Is alamcntahc lacI that the Improvement IN Ag-
ricnltnrc is advancing with but SLOW progress. In
provcmcns rapid, being made IN the me
chanical ants and sciences, while II appears that
the Agricultural Interest is fast asleep. In passing
along the highways through the Old Dominion,
the land of Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and
a host Of other sages, the quilted hills and rincy
old fields loconlc visible 10 the eve in every di-
rcetion; the bad management of the fathers,
compelling ther sons 10 Il, from the land OF their
birth, which promises nothing hn poverty aud
~ ''''''
fame.
The Sprit ofrmieutiou Is HON raging To Il fear
inl extent. Many of virginia most talented and
"nlcrpiiSinp sons are LOSING lhcii attachment To the
homes OF their fathers, To the spot tia, contains
the ashes OF their friends, n,ug to other lands IN
pursuit OF II more fertile soil. Unless greater
spirit IN Improvement can be excited in the minds
OF our eoun,rymcn, Virginia, proud Virginia, the
mother of MS all, the name which of itself gives
passport, and in every cline commands respect,
viii continue 10 decline and lose her political
weight AS member of the conf, dcracN.
am well aware that the views have taken in
favor OF Agricultural education come directly IN
contact with the prcjudccs oi n large number of
persons There is prejudice prevailing IL
gains, What is called book farming, book know
ledge. This is mistaken notion, and shewS 10
what extent man ram be carried by pre- lndirc
And III conncNion with ls will relate ancc-
dotc-A ihrmc, of our county, n Worthy citizen,
remarked not long since, there were some things
he dislikcd more than all others, to Wit: The Far
mers Register and blind dnc!inp'
Is not most OF our knowledge derived from
books Agriculture is rs much indebted To the
arts and sciences, ms any other profession. De-
privc the AgrculIulisl Of the benefits derived from
THESE sources, and vour common implements OF hns-
handry will be taken from You.
ces>ary To educate HE Agricultural profession, and
often particular persons, who uncdncnrrd, and
who have been successful IN Agricultural pursuits,
are pointed ont 10 prove the proposition. Can
any thing be- more laaciouSi j. this conclusive
testimony, or rather does II prove any tllnt II
only proves that such men gifted by nature
with strong and powerful minds, enabling them to
rise superior to the d,ad,antapcs undo, which they
Labor, and does not prove that tlcir success would
moi have been su more signal. have no doubt
TINT all such feel, aud scnsbly feel. that they labor
under difficulties which education would have re-
moved.
Improve The mind this i, first III Importance
and the improvement of the soil, and the improve
mcnt all the various branches of Agriculture
will follow as necessary consequence. | have
already probably consumed too much time on this
branch OF the question: will pass on to the con
>ldcraiion OF the Improvement o the soil
In presenting tins subject, many things are TO be
considered. The first in importance is good
foundation. red clay foundation is considered
the best. This being obtained, good teams,
plouehs and other mplemonls Of husbandrv must
be had. Land may be much improved by good
plourhmg. Deep plonchng Is all important, mix
ing "A portion OF the clay with the mould, there
by increasing the depth of soil and ITS fer
tiIilv This may be carried TOO far upon
lhlh SOIL III Pun W Il'hthh'e o'''''" ~ -
nlaIly increased, and not much clay turned up at
one time. Very much depends the proper
draining Of land Nothing is more ruluous To the
producyencSs of land than suffering the water to
lie ON it and causing it to become Sohhcd. The
abominabc Three Shift system, so well calculated
impovcrsh and destroy the soil, is now growing
INTO disuse with intelligent and practical farmers,
experience having proved that II WAS runons both
10 the owner and To the soil. This practice, may
answer ON James River bottom, but doubt If there
will not bc regular falling of in such land and It's
products. | am not able To speak from experience
and much the larger portion of Agriculiur'sts be-
ing owners OF hlgi-land farms my remarks, are
intended more Immediately to apply TO such
\ number Of persons are now practising upon the
Four Shift system. This is rather better, and IN
the hands of skiliul managers, the soil will receive
some Improvement But to this system ! have
MANY objections II am in favor Of the Five
Field system, and consider it the very best thai
could be adopted for This section of the country.
In order to improve To advantage, You must have
good teams. There is great want OF management
in this one particular. Let your teams be 'ncrca-
sed, aud the number of laborers may be diminish
ed. There are very few farms tha, have sufficient
teams From my own observation, combined
with practice, ! would say, there should be good
horse or mule, or yoke of oxen, to each hand.
Tho Five Field system that am about to recon-
mend, will require this proportion Of animal labor
in order to operate to advantage. Ifevery farmer
Ia, ,bo Einl1 nlau xyoulI