Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-05

declared by their editors, unable TO collect The
facts from the various sections Of the Common wealth
To elicit the desired Information from every neigh
horood the system Of farming prevalent III each divi
SION of the State, TO get at facts which the prac
teal farmer will not forward 10 give to the
community himself is essentially the design OF .
Board of Agriculture. The Legislature was IN the
habit Of egislating for every interest and all sub
jects Yearly laws enacted TO take care OF the
terrapins, oysters, fish and wdowl Of Virginia
should bc said Ma, cod and couid do nothing 70,
Tie ercat cause IF AcRlcuLTuRE?
MIR. CRuTcurELn admitted the subject before the
| House, was important, and consumption of some
little time in lis discussion excusahle lie would
therefore, say few words, though lie despalred OF
ryng majority with him in opposition TO the measure
Agriculture, he admitted, an important interest
the most important in the S;ate-anj If he could be
convinced that il could be benefited oy ;s measure
he should cheerfuy 60 for it. As was, he must cal
on his common sense To guide HIN IN sis conduct to
wards the proprely oft He did see ,iy gentlemen
should object to the ryder by which the future opera
tons of the Board be discontinued. lfso much
benefit was to result from the Board, why was Il So
slow to be perceived Had not effort 10 establish il
been made year after year, and without success, until
last winter when it could have passed, had pro.
vision been then made 10 pay It's members In former
times when there surplus III the Treasury, and
when majority of the legislators were farmers, all ei-
forts establish Board were useless Last winter It
passed without provision being made for pay, and
without calling the ayes and noes Years ago, the ayes
and noes always called successfully against il.
Mr. C. reminded gentlemen Of the voluntary
boards and societies which had been formed for agri.
cultural purposes in different parts Of the State They
had all lourished Tor few years. There one IN
Albemarle--where it now There one in
Spottsyvania, but it was waning away. These So
cietes had given many speculative reports yet Mr. &.
said, that after lille they desenerated and became
like the reports Of many Of the school commissioners
column appropriated for "remaras and the whole Of
it blank except the words, sinothing further
last report. Mr. g. said he opposed The further con-
tnuance Of the Board, because he was convinced il
would render service to the Stale Could he bring
his mind to different conclusion, poor the Treasury
was lie would vote $780, 900 10 aid the The
proposition TO pay the Board for past services,
draft on the honor Of the Legislature, which he could
not consent 10 protest. lie was willing TO pay the
Board, and let il cease Tor the tutnre.
| Mr.. kisSEY said lie opposed 10 the ryder The
Legislature had done much for every other branch Of
knowledge but Agriculture IL had established profess
sorsaps oflaw, Of medicine, and military institute
Did The State OF Virginia look she did iormer =:
We all knew her condition, and 1t time that
should be awakened. We the old Common
weati-once the first and foremost in The Jnion-slnk
ing lower and lower every day Was II no, time that
we were Gacrg the OF her decay, and if it were
found b. her agricultural condition, 10 endeavor 10
revive that dropping interest," The proposition before
the House not IL had been agttaed Tor wears
Several sessions aro it lost by the vote OF Of
The delegates from Abemarlc, (hr. G,lmer) who there
By nearly lost his seat this floor. The gentleman
from Spot,sy lvania had referred TO The Agricultural So
cetv in different parts Of the State, and had supposed
tina, like that in his county they were all declining
dead lie (Mr Ky tool, pleasure in hearing his es-
mony To the benefits they had conferred, particularly
those Of Rockhridre and Albeparle, (Which, he SAID
was not dead the gentleman from Spo;isylrnna had
stately with whose operations he was somewhat &C
u,,aime,. As such GOOD results had been comprised
In
more important advantages would be derived from
state institution.
| Mr.. X said he would read from a valuable work
which he held III his hand the New England Farmer
10 show what other States had done 10 promote tie IN
tcass of Agriculture.ln aatne, $4,000 was paid N
one year for bountics wheat. In .Ntr York, an ap
preparation Of $3.50 600 made To II. In iadaHa,
n scientific and Agricultural College was established
In Gforyia Board Of Agriculture was Incorporated.
Nassarbnseus had encouraged it by causing an AgrIcu
ura survey be made, and by hountIes on wheat NC
aryiand kentucky and Michigan, had all acted on the
subject .Naiac gave bounty Of > cents on cocoons,
and 81 cents per pound reeled silk; crHont ~
cents, and PtAasy'rGnia % Mr. h then proceeded
10 speak Of the culture Of SILK and the advantages
which The State would derive by encouraging it. Al
present we imported largely from France when had
soil and slave labor which peculiar adapted to It's
guilty alton.
Wherever, Mr.. X said, encouragement had been
given By State Agriculture, that State went ahead
q
would refuse this important interest the poor pttancc OF
three or four hundred dollars.
Mr.. CRUrcHriELp said that the gentleman, who had
inst spoken had referred TO the prosperity Of other
States and attributed ii Ia the Boards Of Agriculture
Now he had often heard other gentlemen say that their
prosperity was attributable TO those Internal improve
mems. This argument had been frequently used by the
friends Of internal improve nent Mr.. T. SAID he was
informed that there did actually exist at one tune IN this
State Beard of Agriculture with John Taylor at ITS
u al, ttpI T.rai In
on down, when there was full treasury. lie would
leave this fact with gentlemen to make their own appli
cation.
Sir. McRAE protested ngainst the ryder incongru-
ous and unfair lie trusted the House would vote
down this nsidous effort at The defeat of the bill lie
bore his testimony 10 the Advantages OF an Agricultural
Board, and OF voluntary associations, as exemPed IN
his county.
Mr. SrRorlrn coincded in the view, that agricul-
ture vas the most important interest IN the Common
wealth. vet he conended that legislation had frequent
Is been had indirectly for irs benefit. What was the
(,colouca Survey intended Tor, II not 10 bcnoh, The
interests Of agriculture. That survey carried on
RI great expense Its object TO deveope the agri-
cultural resources of the State. ear alter year. we iad
looked for something 10 gro" out oil III and stu the only
fact TINT had developed that some oyster shells
L,d bccn discovered on the Blue Rdge-a fact no doubt
very interesting the philosopher, but OF no practical
value 10 the farmer. The gentleman from Jefferson,
iilr Kennedy had referred to the tlnursing condition
If Mary land aud New YORK; anu had ATTRIBUTED u ~
state encouragement Of agriculture. Now, he (Nlr
~ explained it thus: every man there had direct
ineres, in the soil (which less in extern, than oursl
and il thereby induced 10 till It with more care Here,
LARGE portion oil labor has permanent interest
in the soil, and is therefore reckless as 10 The mode OF
cultivation As 10 The allnslon Of The gentleman rom
Rockbridre MIR Leyburn) to his Morus Alultlcanlls
specula,ons lie confessed he had suffered tile yet
he did not give full credence to the iaacy nj The time
so prevalent lie did not believe in the influence" winch,
il had been asserted would come from the Board OF
Agriculture lie believed it would be as insufficient AZ
the grand Geological Survey, from which SO much was
promised
Mr. TAYLOR orLoudoun said, he had not intended 10
trouble the House with any remarks OF his IN Oppose.
ton TO the bill under consideration nut many
members near him expressed surprise that he, coming
from county distinguished for its success IN agrcul-
inra pursuits should be found in opposition 10 th's n
He felt his duty that great interest 70 oppose me
bill under cnnsids ration. lie had oeen raised
farmer-a practical farmer not 6ooh farmer. In ms
opinion il required science and no reports from
Board Of Agriculture 10 teach men how 10 hance tle
plough, the axe and maui The best farmers IN inc
- Ia nj +.