Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-07-17
AgriGwlGmrale
THE HARVEST.

ITO i19k tO'iuikhh MS bC'h AbS o1sy
seassn Of our psops- intas embarrassing
couniy--whils our town ha, pres. nt-d the
stiffness OF the Sabbath, without Tvs church,
going cfowds--the country has been
alive with the industrious bands OF cra-
dlers, rakers. binders and shockers--ev.
cry farm-almost eve,s golden-co CURED
hill and valley has been peopled with the
harvesters IN their white garments, secu-
ring the staple Of our country. the wealth
Of the Farmer, and food Of oil classes.
And noble crop it is-never be-
fore within our recollection has Ceres
flung her golden gifts, more proiuscly in
to the lap Of the f,rmer.
Ii has been empha,icalIy Golden har.
vest-no blghting rust, has larEished The
bright straw or impaired the weIl.filed
VIII st-sl kinds of soil. under every sort
OF cultivation, have turned out we'll
slate land. as well as Lime stone the high
lands, and low grounds, alike, have paid
mer, and from oil hands we learn that
the grain is Of good weight, bright and
clear; for Heaven has blessed US with
fair weather TO cut and secure il.
Several r. Elections have suggested them
selves to my mind during tins season
which, without dreading the risk Of be-
ing thought to speak on subject Vi which
have Little pr tctical knowledge; will
give to your readers, as they rose in my
mind.
The first is the conviction that our ag.
rcultu' al,s's are Improving, in the theo-
retical as well as the practical part OF their
honorable and useful calling. The day
has gone By. when our farmer. in the
old cIod.hopper spirit, laughs at book far
merS, aud ridiculrs the spirl: of enquiry.
which guided by science and g 'verned By
fair experiment, teaches him what are the
properties Of the soil that ne tilIs--i,s
component ngredienis--its fitness for Ger
tain products--us deficiency and their
cure. The value of manure and the pro-
per means OF Increasing this food for the
land that gives food TO hlm-ihs value
OF his strdw; which, to keep his soil ready
for wheat, should be- carried back t. the
fi.lds that have pr iduceJ 1t, in It's more
US full state of bnrn-yard msnure-the
value of the mineral manures-under Ger.
tain cond tons oil his land--o, Lime, for
the slate hills, covered with II tangled
sour sorel-or the marshy drains and
sashes, that without il, bring nothing but
sour grass ana weeds-ofpIdisier, Us well
to stimulate his clover crops; as to- fix the
useful properties III tho manure OF his sta
Bile and cow-yard, by mixing il in with
this manure when it is fresh---all these
and many other valuable truths tho far
mer IS now willing to learn and believe
from the reports of the dliigent Ellis.
woRTH--or the ESSAYS of the observant
SKINNRR--snd he propes them by his
own experiments and experience, and the
results of this increased Knowledge, is seen
in the improved condition of our agricul.
ture.
Another thought that has struck u,, and
which we beg leave TO suggest 10 our
country friends, is the great importance
OF having a FARMERS CLUB in the Coun-
~.
Ia many parts ofths country the advan,
tages OF these associations are we'll shawn
in the improved state of agriculture. Con.
nec,e + with them IS a subscription to the
best works on the scienco-the lniofma-
ton derived from those useful periodical
works which contain information on eve
nv subject relating 10 farming. There is
one Just establ shed in New York, under
the management Of tina: dis,ingui shed
friend of agriculture ]. s Skinner, Esq
published by Greedy q McElratn. These,
with the interchange of The exp,riancs Of
The members OF the Ciub-occaslonal lee.
tur.s, if drem.d STANDARDIZATION
ni Stock and Implements the Investiga.
ton Of new vafled.s of seed, and premI-
ums CIR excellence in the art; all tend to
that advance in tn great occupation Of
tho country, which leads firstlo weanh aud
competence -affurdIng tbs means OF sd-
diionnl comforts; and then TO the mental
culture, which calls Tor the reiaements
and the el-gsncies Of lifs-ths results OF
science and the cultivation OF the Taste.
In the learned professions Of Divinity,
Medicine and Law, Their assemblies, and
colleges. and courts Of justice, serve the
purpose of such ASSOCIATIONS; hanical
and scientific men, now, universally re-
sort to their Institutes, Lyc-ums. and
A associations. for their improvement. and
why shoud moi the Farmers meet tog.tn
er and compare the results OF their exper-
imen,s and communicate to :heir who'e
body the knowledge obtained by tha most
successful and enqnir'ng among them D.
and draw further knowledge, tom skill.
ful and learned mn ofthe scientific world,
who are now diligently employed in ap-
olying the wonders of Oh. m siry-the
discoveries in Geology and Mineralogy-
and the improvements in the mechanic
arts. to the great r,imeval profession of
uiling tho grounol There is no good rea
son against i,-every induc"men, in IA.
YOUR Of such plan beg leave to
inv Ike tho attention Of the farmers OF
Berkeley 10 the suggestion.
The third rrfecti,n suggested to the
writer as he looked upon the bounlifu
provision of the aft of life, Wheat, with
fair prospect, so far of a good crop. Of
our next most important grain, Corn
was the Importance of having some statis-
fcal account, made with as much accura.
.t,o.n.klo n H. z.L,. nj ~