Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-11-11
DOMESTIC.
From The Charlottesville .J,fersonidn. Jfav. 81
AcplnI,I IrI-HAL sHQW AND EALk.

Berkshire hog, belonging 10 W. John ~ "eo's' "e
measured feet inches in length and loot inches
in breadth OF shoulders flour farmers can succeed "
raising hogs to weigh hundred ponnds Inc eonn
try need M; look 10 The West for pork
! Not having been furnished with tie list OF premiums
awarded By The Society we are unable 10 publish iht
| names Of those VITO bore a.soy The prizes.
| Mr.. RIvFs' AceicuLrrRAL ADDErss-"e publisl
IN dag the Speech of r. R,ves before the A!5esnar.
Agricultural Society. We need cfTer apology Il
readers for The space occupies our paper thsl
rlll, donb,, derive useful information BY IL
perusa than any thing could put in place OF Il
delivered in the Baptist Church, before crowd
eG audience, composed Of farmera and the integencs
ana beauty Of the cnunty and vicinity.
! The suggestion CT Mr. R.ves for the establishment
Of ar agricultural Institute the University rns
viii meet With CO operation from our Legislature, ant
| The people generally.
Col. Randolph, also read an Essay before the Society
at the same place We hope TO publish it next week
THIS Esssy, like the Address of Dir. R'vcs, gave en-
tire satisfaction TO the audience before whom II wa
delivered.
Both the Address and Essay to be published il
pamphlet form By the Sncieiy.
ADDRESS OF WILLIAM C. RIvEs.
President OF the .jgrcuurd Society IF .Tbcmarfc, Il
their jannnl Far on the 29h October S42 Prin.tt
| bu ordsr of Tie Society
GENTLEMEN or the AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY ~
ALBEMaRLE: This is the first occasion, since you dc
me the honor To make me your President, that have
had opportunity of returning you my acknowedg
ments for 70 distinguished proof Of your confidence
and regard feel how little Of ability have to ad
vance in an effective manner, the noble objects Of our
association; but whatever powers or faculties OF good
possess shall be faithfully and zealousy devoted 10
your service. The sense Of my incompeiency TO ill
the measure of your expectations is deeply enhanced
when recoIect who they that have occupied this
place before me-men, "who have held The scale OF
empire, ruled the storm OF mighty war, and having
served their country in lis highest and most difficult
stations have given the evening OF their days to
the glorious task Of redeemng and elevating lis agri
culture OF these illusrious citizens, inme d'a lie
and honored predecessor has, since last nnnua!
meeting closed his long and distinguished career OF
public usefulness. While his State and the nation al
large mourn his loss, cannot but feel it, in an espe
ca ma nner en- an occasion Ike the present, when his
imposng aud animatng figure won. to mlngr
among us, and to impaFt fresh zeal 10 our common
pursuits.
Every great undertaking of public utility seems deS
tined 10 alternate periods Of depression and revival
Ours, trust after temporary relaxation Of the inter
est felt in H. owing, probably, to the occupation OF the
public mind with exciting but certainly not more
useful subjects, is now, ID to be hoped the of
Il revival which will endue il with energies, md
carry il forward with accelerated velocity, in the path
of lis usefulness /, seems impossible TO question thu
high utility of such associations, when conducted with
right spirit They stimulate the progress of improve
lneni by the potent influence Of mutual example, and the
generous ardour OF an weakened emulation. The mInd
as well as the heart of man, is sociablc and seeks
compa nionship and communion with other minds. We
are told in book Of revered authority that "ron sharp
eneth ron-so man sharpeneth the countenance OF his
friend" This social principle is the modern lever oil Ar
chimedes in all enterprises of public good from making
railroad canal, to chrsilanizng world There Is no
country in which il has been extensively and iii.
GENTLY employed, for general purposes as in our own
This characteristic feature Of American society
remarked upon, with his accustomed discrimination
and Judgment; By learned and distinguished foreign
er who visited few years ago, and who, racin. lis
existence the popular character of our institutions,
affirmed a general philosophical truth, "that in De-
,uoerniie countries the science of association is the
mother Of SCIENCE the progress Of all The rest depends
on the progress il has made.i
If this be true as 10 the general objects Of human
science and improvement, how emphacaly true IS 1t
in regard TO that great interest with which spe
cisly connected AS cul;ivators Of the soil, We live
in state Of isolation and dispersion respective
farms. While the members OF other professions and
cangs congegated in towns and cities ore iie
uueny brought together IN the exercise oil their probes
sona duties, the farmer treacs the daily paths q" m
dusry in the majestic soltud of Nature, relying each
one by himself, upon his unaided judgment in the
conduct of his daily toll b. the happy expedent of
associations, like The present, We are brought up pc.
rodcaly from the solitude of our daily pursuits, each
one bringing with him contribution to the general
fund of skill and knowledge the results of kIs own
separate experience ard observation to be thrown into
common stock for the benefit of ull-for, in regard
to every SPECIES Of useful knowledge community Of
roods s now thanks to the spirit of the age, the
tatshed law of the social and especially OF the
agricultural world The experienced and success
ful of our breihren too bring with them, 10 the annual
Of skill ana improvement Instituted by
these associations specimens of the choicest prodnc
tons Of their industry and care, animal, vegetable
and mechanical, while the belpmcets whom lienri
its bounty has bestowed upon Us, ever ready I" MS
sis in every good and useful work, grace the depart
nent of the exhibition which belongs TO them, with
The finer but not less essential fabrics Of their cunning
household arts. Who doubt the efficacy of insll
.u,ioas such rs these 10 ncite, stimulate aud aid us
IN running The noble race Of industry and improve
ment winch Providence has set before u.s.
If any such there b., let him cast his recollection
back TO the appearance and condition Of farms
twenty five years ago, when this society was establish
ID, and compare them they were then with what
hey are now. Though we all feel there is abundant
oon still for improvement yet so great is the progress
which hus been already effected, that the m'ntuy oil
certain farms which could name has been almost
literally nst in the change. Take, for example, Pen
,ark in this immediate vicinity the farm Of our wor.
Inv brother Mr.. Craven, of the earliest, well
Is most successful pioneers in this benehcent march
& improvement, or Mo rsb!o.k the residence of ano
her of our worthy colleagues, Mr.. Charles Nerve
her more youthful but not less Jealous ro;ary Ct tie
cause of rural improvement and who that knew them
- recoect them in their ruined, exhausted, and d.
apdated condition, twenty-five years ago, would re-
,ognize them the places now, except by their
unchanged geographical position: The wand OF the
AFGHAN sci in motion by this Society," has passed
IN, and in the place Of the desolae nakedness Of
red nails and gues that still dreary type of
poverty and neglect, the broom straD cilderntss, have
succeeded the golden abundance Of the rich and way
ng wheat field, or the bright verdure of bills clad in
ux uriant clover and green.sward Similar and equal,
# not greater changes have taken place upon many
,t.er farms within the sphere of this Society, which
could be named and while their exterior aspect has
been thus mngicay transformed, it would not be risk
ng too much TO say, that within the period their
actual marketable productions have BEEN al least
riped. If any should be inclined to set down these
results TO the credit of the general spirit of improve
nent which has more less pervaded the country a,
arge within years pns. rather than 10 any IN
exerted by this Society shall he p''dnned i"r
referring them inyidous sens", TO the marked and
acknowledged difference in tic progress oagricul;ural
Improvement between this and adjoining counties, pos
;essag similar natural advantages but not hitherto pro
fling in en- equal degree, of the sniuluns and alds
derived from associations like ours.
While The of the past supplies US with abund.