Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-02-10

olt the Southern section of aiir Union,
: IL Is applrent to every coilsiderate mind
that the principles bg which yo1r association
is governed, are such az are best catcnlater
to promote The object yoiI have III yiew-fhe,
are such as have received the sanction Of thC
ainPiest experience in th0se transatlantic coun.
tries most distinguished for their advancement
IS agriculture aud the arts, as we'll as in the
northern sections of our own country. They
are such as ensure an ultimate triumph over
obstacles which may tempnrari Y inlerpose, by
bringing into operation the combined efforts 81
alb who are equally interested in the same
cause. They give pliancy and Vigpr to men.
tai activity open to The otherwise ~listless vic.
TINS OF apathy more powerful inducements to
a laudabIe emulation, and thus inpart an ir-
r%eslstlble momentum 70 the current Of human
thought.
Hitherto your honorable and useful ayoca.
tons have been pursued with ~alacrity and
zeal, but with an eye sinrle to The prom o,ion
Of individual benefit alone. Until within 4
recent period, you have been engaged in a
contest, IN which it would appear that "the
race has been to the swift and the battle to the
strong" and the successful competitors have
preferred in silent Indifference and conscious
superiority, TO enjoy their victory. The most
prominent, and perhaps the most commenda.
Die feature OF your association. therefore, is,
it's direct and powerful tendency to meliorate
TIE condition OF society itself, by removing
barriers which aelishness on the one hand,
and envy on the other, have mutually contri-
buted to establish, and thus harmonizin0 the
conflicting elements Of that society in an un.
restrained fraternal communion. Il possesses,
indeed, ali the attractions of a social fellow
ship actuated and controlled by the spirit of
an extended philanthfophy. But, besides it's
tendency 10 cement the bonds which bind 80
clety together, by creating a community Of in
terest and feeling, It's s~alutary influence will
be also powerfully and permanently exerted
10 promoting improvement in The various
branches of domestic industry, and here, with
out INDUCING in Hypothetical speculations, we
may safely appeal 10 the experience ofolher
countries and communities, most renowned
for tefr devotion to the pursuits Of aericul-
ture and their patronage Of the arts and scien.
ces. The custom Of bdlding conventions of
the citizens Of particular districts at conveni.
cnt places, il one that has been observed from
almost time imnemorial in Great Britain, and
for a long series Of years in the northern and
eastern sections Of our Union and The eager
ness With Which, at every anniversary, th III.
sands Of all c~lasseEj throng to witness The ex.
bloltlons that usually take place, /. conclusive
evidence Of The useful instructions those ex.
hIbltl0ns afford To The curious enduireri in eve.
ry department of knoa1edge. They Dire al \
ways found 10 be Of practical utility as well as
never falling sources Of rational amusement. !
They consist mainly in bringing before the
eye Of the observer, the best productions of 4
the different departments Of agriculture and
horlicuiture--the finest specimens Of The me-
chanlc arts, and OF every description Of handi.
work. 70 these are usually added ext'aordi-
nary specimens of Improvement in the breed
Of domestic animals, the beat In each deDaFt3
meHt being exhibited, if it be at all unconI!
mon or remarkable, naturally aWakeus enqiil
~ from the curious spectator. This enquirNI
ELECTS from the maker (if the specimen happen Y
to be ID The mechanical department,) a lecture
on the peculiar merits of bis discovery He \
relates the circumstance which originally \
ton, afndagAia mfnd the Necessity Of the inven-
he satisfied Himself or446Feaaoning by which
then proceeded to disclose, in detaI, me Ia
cess through which, step by step, he finally
attained his object. In the agricultural de.
partment, a large ear of corn ia presented, and
the producer at once grafifes IA with a short
history of the kind OF seed from which it sprung
the quality of The sol, in which it grew, and
tue pFuEGES vi dEFlCutluEE ny WHICH II was
brought 10 its extraordinary maturity. In the
horticultural department we see a remarkable
Specimen Of tile turnip; beet, potato; or supe.
rior kinds Of drangesJ ~Ieti1ns, apples or pome-
granates, and our interest is at once awaken.
ed by a brief dissertation on the most appro-
we'd modes of cuItivating gardens nd orchards.
In he department Of domestic animals, a fine
horse is exllibitcdY and an expression Of admir-
ATTN, F-,,,, ~, .pro,.I.S Lii E..4L e. II
owner an eulogiuni on the superior qualities
Of the animal, a statement Of his pedigree, and
general remarks OH his adaptation to this or
that particular service. From this we are
naturally led into a free and instructive inter-
change Of sentiments, in the breed of this
most useful animal. The exhibition of sheep
and cows opens The field for the expression Of
opinions On wool-growiug, and on the manage
ment of that most Indispensable department
of domestic ecunomy-the dairy. II is in this
manner that the be- efits to be derived from
your association and its annual fairs, are di. /
rectly and Immediately felt by all who take
an interest in the objects you are endeavoring
to promote, You have presented TO them a
fruitful and illinitable field of useful specu-
Iation; and itG&1a ustible source of improve
ment in every branch of domestic industry.
4 DC l9ID may lGiC at 1tiCC ttsaLiDC lIL LAiEcL
~saIutaFy maxims for the g%oveFnmsnt of his
conduct, from the simple inculcations Of ven-
cradle and u~nerring experience. The adept
in one art may impart his knowledge 10 the
adept in another. and receive i'm return an
equal fund Of information in a sphere of prac-
teal utility hitherto by him unexplored and
unessayed. Tie planter imparts to The farm
pr the propitious results Of experiments in the
Il MI iyat fut, Cf o4trar and o1IfoD. md fha rapFp
er in return enlightens the planter upon the
subject ofthe most approved system oilnanuf-
ing and pasturing stock, and thus they mufu-
ally afford the requisite knowledge BY which
the two aYocations, hitherto for the most part
distinctly and separately pursued, may be
conveniently and advantageously blended.
An improvement in the sugar mill or cdrt5n
gin is discovereds but it's p~ecullat advantages
may not he generally known. Theyare, how
evers illustrated aud explained, by the planter
who has already tested them, to his fellow cit.
liens engaged in tie same pursuit, and the
practical knowledge of one man becomes at
once subssryient to the interests Of the COM
munity at large.
From these xamflessgentieRien, you per-
cejge that you eventually render The particu-
lar spot you select for your annual assemble
ges a sort Of mari, at which every species of
useful information may be exchanged upon
the principle Of a Iberal yet perfect f~eeipfoc-
ity. Nor will the benefits to be derived from
this unobstrueted circulation Of thnught--th!s
free Of ideas, pfote 10 be merely
local. The information acquired by a single
individual resident in a Remote section of the
State, will be communicated to bis immediate
neighbors in that section, aud the beams Of
intelligence graduating from a common centre
will ultimately be felt and enjoyed throughout
our extended country. Nor is the ~salutayy
influence you are destined to exert, likely to
prove ephemeral or temporary in lis character
.Hhn shirt of emnlatinn once faMa aEnnsad.