Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1842-02-11
Report on agriculture.

Mr.. Grant, from the committea-On Agrlcnl-
,ure, submitted the following report:
The committee on Agricultsre, 10 whom wsu
referred resolution of this House, directing
them 10 inquire into the expediency Of aPpro-
priating sum of money for the encourage
ment Of Agriculture, have had the same under
consideration and beg leave to report bill N
compliance with said resolution.
The bill provides for the appropriation Of
twelve hundred dollars to county societies, pro-
vided each county will raise sum equal to
that appropriated, and two hundred dollars to
a Territorial society. It provides .f-r the or
ganization Of Agricultural societies for the Ter
ritory and in townships: 1t provides for the
distribution Of the money in premiums, provi-
dcd each society will raise by subscriptions
sum Of money equal TO that appropriated. fhe
bill requires reports from each Agricultural So
ciety, receiving the benefit of the law TO the
Territorial society, and from the Territorial
society to the Secretary OF State.
BY this means, i, is believed, tina, vast a.
mount Of Agricultural improvement and expe-
rience would be collected at the seat Of gov
eminent every year: and new impetus would
be given 10 that calling of nine-,enths Of our
population, which is at once the most ancient,
honorable and useful Of the occupations Of
man.
Your committee are of opinion, that in no
part of our Reptile is such information more
necessary than in this Territory. Possessed
OF soil more fertile than the most favored por-
tons Of the globe, and population, as indus
trious and economical as any Of the western di-
visions Of the nations; the farmer of Iowa is
scarcely able to support family. much less
obtain profitable reward for his labor.
No n
the present system of cultivation, such as corn,
wheat, oats, potatoes, pork or beef, will little
mere than pay for the costs Of cultvaiing and
feeding: and il is believed that the average rem
tai Of land will not exceed two dollars in mon
ey per acre. In many parts Of England and
Scotland i, is sixty per acre.
The present prices Of our staples are less
than ever before known, in days Of western
hard times, and unless change is produced,
and that a, no very distant period many Of our
farmers must abandon the cultivation Of the
soil or become hopeessly bankrupt.
The best remedy for this state Of things will
be, change in many Of our products and q
better system Of agriculture; new crops e. bet
ter modes Of cultvaIing our presen. staples
must be introduced. We mus, devote more
attention to sheep; TO the cultivation of hemp
and tobacco. the growing Of vines and the
rearing Of silk worms. We must introduce
new breeds OF cattle, horses and swiEe. sssd by
better care and attention to our native breeds,
render them naore valuable. We must, indeed,
exile an agricultural spirit, and stimulate the
farmers ambition.
Your committee do not pretend, ihatby the
proposed bill, all these things would be ac-
complished, but like the entering wedge,
which ultimately cleaves the sturdy oak, 1t
wonld be the commencement of a system which
would open to our citizens all the modern ifn-
provement in agricultural science give new
life TO the enterprise of our farmers and invig-
ora,e the system Of cultivation throughout our
Territory.
An appropriation Of smaller sum in pro-
portion to population, was made by the Legis-
iure Of New York in May last, which has been
attended with results more favorable than the
anticipaiions OF the most enthusiastic friends Of
the great cause Of agriculture could have an
ticipated and it is generally believed that this
small appropriation of eight thousand dollars
has contributed more to the general good of
that great State. than any million Of dollars
which she has spent in internal improvement,
since the completion Of the Erie canal.
A State Fair was held at Syracuse in the
month Of last September, which was attended
by ten or fifteen thousand people, most Of them
farmers several hundred blooded horses, cat
tie. hogs, sheep, &C., were exhibited; every
farming tool and labor-saving machine which
the ingenuity Of our country has invented,
claimed premiums; and agriculture, already
highly advanced. may justly regard that Fair
as a new era, in which it will be the pride Of
its followers ever to commemorate, in all time
TO come.