The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1837-11-04
Number rs.
PROSPECTUS
OF TIE
PenhsyIvania Farmer,
Ind Common School InieIfgencer :

una common SchOot InteligenCer
A semi-monthly publication devoted TO Agriculture
Gardening, and the General Improvement of the
Mind, published at Harrisburg, Pa. by BENJAMir
PARKE.
Nothing need be said es to the importance of the
science Of agriculture, which being the great busi-
ness of Our country, the sure road to competency
end the main ofweath lies at the foundation
OF our national prosperity. The experience every
year, and especially of the last few years, has
shown that agriculture has been entirely too much
neglected for the best good of our country. The
great desire of the present age for the accumulation
ofwealth, and the prevailing spirit to seek for in
new and shorter course, than that pursued by our
ancestors had led many from the slow but certain
means OF agricultural labor, to the more allurink
employments OF professional life, and commercial
enterprise, or the still more hazardous fields of
speculation and adventure, in which feu have
Succeeded even beyond their own expectations.
The result of this unnatural state things has been
what might very well have been predicted; a great
scarcity of all the products ofthe soil with such an
enormous increase in the price, as to cause their
imp0rtatons from foreign countries. to the great
impoverishing and discredit ofour own. .,,.,-
This folly and these ills have now become ap-
parent, and many of those, who, having been lured
by examples and success others or the prospect
held out to their view, from the producing to the
consuming class, and being disappointed in theirex-
pectatons are now disposed and making arrange
ments TO return to the hone t, the heahful and the
Independent employment of tilling the sol-wheIe
they are sure Of being amply recompensed for their
labor.
Pennsylvania is emphaticailv an agricultural
state and has thus suffered less from the late uctua-
tions and changes, which have embarrassed our
country, than any her sister states Her soil is
not surpassed by any in the world, and her German
and other citizens are justly celebrated as being
among the first farmers in the Union. 1t has there
fore been considered peculiarly proper, that in the
heart Of this garden of our country an agricultural
paper should be established to gather up the expelt
lence OF intelligent farmers from all quarters and
send II abroad, not only yer our commonwealth
but to every part of the United States For the
purpose OF doing this and supplying what has been
considered deStderatum among the periodicals of
our states, the publisher has been induced and en-
couraged by numerous friends of agriculture and
general improvement to establish the Pennsylvania
Farmer. He has received assurances which lead
nm confidently to expect that its columns will be
enriched with contributions from some of the most
distinguished scientific and practical farmers and
gardeners IN our own, well as of our sister
states, which with extracts and repubcations of
standard and new works upon the science of agrcu-
ture will render it both interesting and useful to
bic en- ploymeut
Pennsylvania has estabished,and is now maturing
a system of general education by common schools
which Is intended to carry the blessings knowledge
to every mans home, and place within the reach Of
every child IN the commonwealth, the means of in
struction and improvement. This object is all i'm
portant, and our means being ample, it is confidently
hoped that the plan will continue to be improved
IL carried out till the minds ofour citizens shall be
as highly cultivated as their fields and the harvest
of intellect be rich and abundant as that gathered
from the soil. Then shall Pennsylvania be indeed
the Keystone of our Union, bearing a polish not
equalled by any state or kingdom in he world.
The events of the last few months have shown
that an increasing interest is felt in this department
and therefore it cannot be doubted but that the
Common School InteIligencer, will be welcomed as
co-laborer in so important a work, and being made
the vehicle of communication between the friends of
education aid in the proper arranging and develop
ing of the system, and be the means Of doing much
good.
To the advancement of these Objects and to the
dissemination of useful scientific information cacu-
lated to expand the mind and improve the heart
shall the columns oft the Pennsylvania Farmer and
Common School Intelligencer, be exclusively devot-
ed and IT is confidently expected that a generous
public will award to it liberal support
The Farmer and Integencer will be printed up
on fine white paper and with new type, in royal
quarto from, each number containing eight pages Of
matter. 1t will be commenced in the month OF
November, or as soon as sufficient number of SUBJ
scribers obtained to justify the expense and re-
gularly issued during the first and third weeks of
every month, at ONE DOLLAR PER ANNUM
payable before the issuing of the sixth number.
Any person who will procure and forward ten res
ponsibe subscribers shall receive copy, or eleven
papers will be sent to any one office for $40.
Post masters and others friendly to the objects
are requested to act agents in obtaining subscri
bers and forward the names to the publisher on or
before the first of November next.
Harrisburg, October 2l, 1887