Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-08-21
,yOLUME a6.-NUMBER 20.


employed in the now fertile shire Of Fife,
10 pulling thisiies out Of the oats, and in
bringing them home for tho horses. or
mowiag the rushes or other squstic
plants, that grew on the boys. around the
homestead Such waS the state uf Scot.
land, with but l,ttle appearance Of amend.
meni, up TO 1892. /"
10 1915, The scene had greatly chang
ed. In the low country, "beau,,ful fields
of wheat were TO be seeD--irlled greeu
crops, and clean fallows every where
abounded, the bogs had disappeared, -
the thistles no longer existed. Sooa af-
ter this the farmer could grow iurnips to
any extent, and the bare iallow was AK
ploded. The DeaHs:on system OF drain
ing, and deep plooghing were introduced;
wet lands we're made dry, poor weeping
clays were converted into turnip SOIL
whole parishes were transformed from
the unsightly marshes, into beautiful and
rich wheat-heldS aud where tho plough
could scarcely be driven TOR slush aud
water, were 10 be- seen heavy crops per
acre, and heavy weight per bushe. -
Scotch agriculture has since beea pro.
gresslvely improving, until, as have be.
fore stated, rs average products probably
double those Of this country.
Secondly, ofthe Highland Society, iis
origin, lis operations, and lis present ex.
tent, and means OF usefulness.
In 1854" says our authority, "a few
gentlemen, full of zeal for their country,
and it may be little love OF society.
formed themselves into hole and corner
clue, in a coffee house, called tho Elk.
change, situated in the court of that name,
near tho market cross Of Ednburg -
Here, in the enjoyment of agreeable con-
yersatoq, and perhaps good supper, did
those worthless talk over pans for tho
ameioralion Of the Highlands, and from
this nucleus arose the now widely extern
ded and powerful Highland Society,""
whose members now number twenty
three hundred, and whose, premiums, for
the current year, exceed seventeen ,hop-
sand dolara.
'lr the days o! its youth and feeble
ness, the Highland Society, SCI the lea
ven Of lurnip husbandry into all the glena
and straths of the north, by offers OF
small prizes to certain Highland parishes,
and the Same may be said as 10 tho
growth Of clover and the finer grasses
As it advanced in strength, as to numbers
and cash, attention was turned TO premi-
ums for stock then came offers of re-.
ward TO men OF science TO discover better
implements and machines, to diminish
friction, and consequently draught. suck
as IN the lhreshing mill and other parts
OF agricultural machinery, Sill adyanc-
ing in the scale of intellect and of science,
premiums were offered for essays to bring
to light The facts connected with chfmis.
try and natural philosophy ; and, under
the auspices ofthe society, was set up the
Quarterly Journal of Agriculture. a work
which has been tho vehicle of conveying
so much useful Information TO the sgrlcul-
turIs,, that, we humbly venture to say, il
ought to appear on the table and book.
self OF every farmers parlor. After this.
the great stock shows were resolved upon,
as another link between the society and
the practical farmer, at tho same time
throwing aside all palIry feeling AND
making them open TO stock upon both
sides of The Tweed English as well as
Scotch.) Nor has the society forgotten
the beauty of the country as the premi-
ums offered il regard TO planting trees.
and the such like subjects testify and TO
sum up all, il may be said, the Highland
Society has been point de appui.
rallying point to win CHI the agricultural
Of Scotland, might look, and fostering
mother 10 all who, although strong in tai.
eni, were too weak in interest, 10 make
il public"
May the spirit and wisdom which have
animated, and guided the Highland Socl-
ely of Scotland, animate and guide this
institution; and may your success and
usefulness be as brilliant, as wide spread
ing, and substantial, MS have been theirs.
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