Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-04
Washington City, Jan. II, lS43
AGRICULTURAL.
I,EPORT
Your obedent servant,

AGRICULTURAL.
REPoRT
OF THE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE or VIRGINIA.
To The Senate and House Of DtlrgGtes of Fireinia
Before we atleinp, TO make such Report as The law
under which act requires of us annually, deem
proper 10 call the attention Of your honorable body
and especially of the members 60 the Numerous
duties h,ch that law imposes These are /; ITO
present to the Legislature from time to time re neral
view Of the agricultural statistics Of the Common wealth.
to inform The public Of the progress OF improvements
communicate scch facts when collected and diges.ed
nav promote the agricultural interests in the State :
and 10 yrcst such for the adoption Of Tie
General Assembly as the aforesaid Board may deem
proac, for lhe development of the resources, and the
protection and advancement al that important branch
of Industry IN the Co;nmonw calth."
II farther makes il the duty of the said board "to pre-
sent annually ;he Legislature genera! view of the
condition of agriculture in the State 10 report The
nature and quantity Of the agricultural staples far as
they NAY be able ascertain the 10 collect and
digest such facts III relation 10 the improvement and
cultivation Of the soil and the best modes preparing
various products for their appropriate uses, they may
think would afford useful information 10 the agricultural
community to report, far as they may ascertain the
same the relative degrees Of orded
the state Of foreign and domestic markets; 10 the various
AGRICULTURAL productions of the Common wealth and
10 sargest the Legislature such measure they may
deem advisable for the development of the resources and
the promotion of the general Interests OF agriculture III
this Commonwealth.
Although We were perfectly aware las we presume
your honorable body viii beg othe mpossbillly ofexe
cutting within the time limited, only moiey Of these
duties even if we had abandoned all our private
concerns, and devoted entire time 10 the task; YET
so ANXIOUS SO very DESTROYS 10 fulfil many
Of them as possible, and thereby manifest the sincerity
q. our dey oon 10 the in which had embark.
3D. that We ressrted 10 the expedien of soliciting aid
from oar agricultural brethren III every part of Frg
ma This we did BY addressing about 1900 printed
circulars to such individuals amongst them we had
reason 10 believe were both capable and willing to
swcr certain queries therein contained, which were
calculated 10 elicit information relnve to the various
subjects rnon which thr Legislature Of $50, had made
i, OF. tuty report. We have however, had the deep
modification to find upon meeting oar Secretary, Mr.
Ruiiin that he he'd received in addition 10 some com
ihunica,ions from members, only seven an
swers the whole OF our circulars, and majority oil
these too concise TO aid nGch presenting 70 your
honorable body such report as We were exceedingly
DESTROYS 10 offer.
Under these most discouraging circumstances, we
feel ourselves constrained to say, that IL utterly out
of our power to comply fully hoped to be able
10 do even with the few OF the numerous requirements
of The law under which ac, as we thought al first,
it would be practicable 10 fulfil. The most that we can
do present. s to state in very general TERMS our own
opinions, derived from personal observation, as we'll as
from the information Of intelligent men, upon whose
Judgment and veracty rely. as TO the progress
Of agricultural improvement IN Firglnia-he present
condition of her agriculture, and in regard TO at least
scsnc o; the most obvious mrans O! improving the
same All this, ard much mere, the law has required;
bat for The already stated, we trust that you
will excuse the bfeyi,y CT what we shall proceed
to offer
In regard 10 the FIST po'nis-agricrtural improve
.nen;, and the condition of Virginia acriculture-we
might truly ndop, applicable to BOTH the eloquent
language OF that justly celebrated man, Professor John
who in speaking Of England, "1hs awakening
spirit of the times 10 making itself felt in the remotest
agricultural dlstEc;s-old prrjndc es are dying out
and the cnl;vaors Of this most ancient aad most i'm
portan and nohlcst Of all a,ls ere becoming generally
anxious FOR Information, and eager for improvement
Bat 20 be mere par;icuar-therc is portion of Var
Cihia with which personally acquainted, nj least
none Of any great extent, wherein traveller might not
very manifest proofs Of Increasing knowledge IN all
the various branches OF hrsbandry, and oG augmented
attention 10 the same Ta,s is more obvious in some
portions of the State than in others FOR instance,
IN Western than in Eastern Virginia. II is not very
rapid anywhercbut nevertheless, it is certain, even
under all the dscouragemen.s which oar hus
pardTv has had encounter The proofs arc that the
application of plaster Of paris, lime, ma and putes
cent manures may be noticed on numerous farms,
where nothing Of the kind ever seen, only few
years ago-tla the culture Of artificial grasses is in
creasing-ihat root crops are becoming common
lawns and vnges-that improved modes of culture arc
frequently to be in several PORTIONS of State
that live stocks gradually imp.nving-that
economical modes of keeping them, SO as 10 secure
that improvement diligently sought after-that ex
celien agricultural machines and imp DEMENT'S have be-
come common-;hat the profession Of agriculture IL
houo!ed than II ever was, and that most CT lis
followers daily becoming convinced of the absolute
necessity of uniting agricultural science "ith agrcul-
tnrai practice 10 attain anything like excellence in
their calling All these operating together
have contributed 70 produce The general result which
have ieit ourselves warranted IN stating which 49,
that The present condition Of Virginia agriculture is
certainly undergoing manifest and general change
Tor the better 10 encoura- the belief that march
will he onward, and with increased speed provided our
Legislature will aid the popular sentiment in its behalf
But lament In say that there still portions OF
almost every county IN the State, wherein many pro-
prictors Of tho lands still appear 10 be q least half
century behind all the numerous Improvements which
have lesn made IN hus5andry within that rcricd For
tie proofs OF this assertion Must recr 10 the details
c!ye OF the reports which have been sent TO
our board.
III compliance with the acquisitions Of lie law, per
nit now, most respectfully ITO suggest such mea.
for Tie adoption of the General Assembly
unanimously believe would contribute greatly 10 the
promotion of the general interests Of agriculture this
Commonwealth.
The first of these is en- agricultural survey of our
whole State, such, for example, has already been
made in OF sister States particularly in Mas.
where its beneficial effects acknow
lodged by all who knew the previous and acquain!
ed with the present condition of her husbantsy. Bot,
although it is The unanimous opinion OF OR board tina.
no whatever would prove 50 highly advantage
10 the great cf Virginia husbandry such
survey which We earnestly hope will be
made Al some future time; yet We are equally unani-
mons in inrbearlng 10 recommend that it should be
in the present embarrassed condition Of the
finances Of Tic State. There arc, however, three or
oGr other measures which all orr beard agree in be.