Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1842-12-17
AN ADDRESS
B5~e The Point Coupee Agricultural Society.
nr IN. GEORGE W. SMITH.

acFote INC talents nature mas bestowed on him
TO maintain and If possible to advance. The
welfare OF the community, in whieh he lives
Then it could not be called presumptuous in
me to speak merely Of the utility and history
OF agriculture; as no practical knowledge was
expected, at that time to be communicated
But now, even my claim upon The integrity OF
the purpose, and the excellence Of the cause
does not give me hope of a successful per.
formance Of the task imposed, at too shor. a
notice for that preparation, the importance OF
the subject demands. To address an audi
ence SO highly respectable and intelligent, up
on a theme SO full Of dignity, utility and SCI
ence-and too, at this important period of the
existence Of. the society, | expected some one
to come forward possessed Of more expert
ence and practical information than | claim,
And it is in default of appearance of an ADLER
advocate of the cause, ] stand in this embar.
RAISING situation-and solicit your most IA
vorable Indulgence.
At the present day, from the lofty eminence
Of the natural sciences, we behold the impress
of diptne authority in every living. and in eve
ry inanimate thing; and look through the
sublime group Of omnisci%s nt creation, up to
the omDipotent creator. We sec the puDer-
Gus vo,arisls Of a%grieuhure: geology, mineral
ogy, chemistry, physiology, belany, zoology,
and others, offering their daily contribution at
the shrine Of this "alma mater" Of the uni
verse.
shall not dwell on the merits and excel
lencles Of agriculture,-a subject which COM
mands the universal admiration Of all blessed
with capacity to admire nature, and cornpre-
bend her curious ways. 1t is by the immuta
bic laws of nature, animal and vegetable Gre
atoms are sustained, multiplied, and provided
with the nourlshment necessary to develope
their projections. And after animal and We
getabIe life shall have fulfilled the object Of its
ordination, and the vital fountain that 7uich-
ened, dried up; the principles of life spring
up in some other form, that nothing may be
lost to the economy Of nature. The dead ami
NAL fibre, and the dead ~ligneous fibre are as
important to the creative power and harmony
of her laws, as the living animal, and the
tree, the shrub, and the flower.
In searching for the basis Of public welfare,
weapass over the arts and commerce, which
must be acknowledged, constitute the glory,
the ornament and the wealth Of all polished
nations, and FIX on agriculture. Ii supplies
all the wants that nature has absolutely con-
nected with the existence Of the human and
the brute creation. While the refinement and
mutual dependence of individuals on each
other has created artificial wants which makes
the cultivation Of the arts and the pursuit of
commerce almost rs necessary TO the comfort
and happiness Of civilized society, as tina: Of
the ground. And to Promote the interest of
these just and lnseparable sources OF
national observation-disclosures the condition
Of the agrlculturIst and the manufacturer, we
must study that science which discovers their
principles. But it Is my present purpose to
communicate only some facts OF a general ma
ture which may interest, at this time, not
"How 10 sow, and raise the embrio seeds
Of every different species"
have no doubt it was ordained from the
beginning by the great Architect OF nature,
that nothing in the animal or vegetable
kingdoms, should arrive at any very great de-
gree Of perfection without the aid OF labor and
Of art, and in applying these IN any degree
successfully to agricultural improvements;
we are led almost by instinct TO consider "ch-
mate' and fitness of 'Stat,6n ,'-terms used 10
denote that locality where a combination OF
physical circumstances, favorable 10 the de-
velopment OF animal and vegetable organlZa-
ton, may have been established. For it is a
fact, the climate peculiar to every geographl-
cal latitude, as respects heat and cold, humid
ly and d~ryness, fertility, and the alterations
OF the seasons, is progressively changing from
ptI SItdt dDa IoLdi bdboCa' w oHoa'N hStH 'h
mind, that geographical rules and precepts OF
agriculture which are delivered by divers au-
thors are not to be generally received but re.
specuveIy understood unto climes, whereto
they are determined"
And a Vriori il follows that the "appetency'
of plants for ultimate principles essential to
their growth, vlgor, and subsistence, cannot
remit the instructive impulse given 1t tor Its
preservation. But that both animals and
plants do regularly and gradually migrate with
the decline of temperature, from d high TO a
lower latitude ; the former TO acquire that de-
gree OF heat for which they have been constr
tuted, and the latter to regain that which they
had possessed and now lost,
These views are based on actumulated evil
dence OF the decline Of the ncnn temperature
of the globe. In high northern attitudes is
found direct proof OF this fact, in the fossil re.
mains Of the elephant, the lion, th90ttee fern
and many other inhabitants, now Oily OF more
temperate climates, as we are informed by the
most distinguished Haiuraiists. This seems
10 be conclusive evidence, that under this In.
fuence Of change, ANIMALS and plants, with
the exception of a few individuals, have been
regularly, though slowly and progressively
migrating from the poles towards the equator
in search of more cungenial " stations"
Now, We deduce from the foregoing, thai
| under the influence of he physical change con.
stantIy acting on climates, plants degenerate
| and migrate ultimately to more favorable "Sta'
tiosa." Our great staple, the cotton plant, in
which We all feel the deepest interest, and the
greatest desire 10 improve the quality of the
wool, is peculiarly subject to this primordiaa
law For every planter is familiar with the
fact thai the plant requires a change OF seee
49, ".L - ~..J r-z-o.a TX -Jx4x 1,
titude or lower temperature And | believe i
will not be denied that the quality Of The cot
ton is improved by the change Of station
1t follows, then, that selections IF seed mus
come from a higher latitude in conformity
wilu the physical laws, under which they irat
been Heretofore removing; and with as wide
a difference Of climate as experience fnaJ
! prove them capable ii bearing. II is wei
known that some parts of China are exposed
70 a much greater degree of cold than is ex
per.erued IN corresponding ATTITUDES of Eu
rope. Peru, the valley of Quito, and the city
OF Mexico1 owing to their elevation, have
owe temperature than our climate. From
these and some regions Of Brazil favorable
STATIONS" from which to bring cotton seedl
and grasses for experiments may be found.
But Notwithstanding the gradual decrease
of the mean temperature of the 81 be, leca
causes are constantly increasing he temPera
ture of localities to a degree favorable for tn
Introduction OF plants trorh a lower latitude
But culture may not bring those plants 70 fDi
perlection-they are merely forced, through
combinations, i'll a greater or less degree ad
versary to the principles which hal berefofor
governed them. 1t is necessary only to in
stance the sugar cane (arundo saccharifera
Of the family of the grapes, to illustrate tbes
views. This grass has been a great ~travelle