Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-04-23
900 Oa5s1te.
ENCOuRAGEMEs 30 IMPROVE
MENT IN FARMING.

EriYacs fran m address # Franklin Minor.
Esq, jsfore the .4l5emagle Comfy .igTieuiia
raj Society.
"What is there in The farmers condition
and occupation, 10 destroy the desire CT I'M
proyement--a desire so invariably implanted
m the hearts Of all nen--or % prevent Of that
innate sagacily, which Ta-ly fails 70 discover
the means Of doing so, ii left free and nnuam-
inelied Compare his occupation with that
Of the manufacturer. engaged IN the unbroken
rnonoony Of single employment; or Of the
merchant. chained 10 his ledger and counter
IN the penf up atmosphere Of a city or OF the
carpenter, toiling at bis work bench, and the
blacksmith, sweating over ms anvil or 81 the
sailor gazing al eternal wastes Of wave and
SKY which only change to threaten him with
shipwreof and rum; and why should they
improve foster than he? SO far from there
being aught in the nature Of his occupation 10
prevent improvement, every thing is fayora-
bic 10 it. His pursuits are tull OF variety. and
call into constant and active exertlon all the
mental faculties. The manly exercises Of the
farm and the pnre air OF The fields strengthen
his constitution, and preserve his health while
the grandeur and beauty Of Nature, displayed
ia all her operations, are constantly occurring
before him to awaken his curiosity, tindle
tMAt VI iNttNt8 III Ills itA(As anu paul anu
refine al lis moral affections Why hen
has he improved more slowly than those en-
gagged in other pursuits II the Merchant
find Gu. q new secret for selling goods, or
sure way ofcollecling Old debts, or che manu-
factufer Z new invention VII Oh enhances his
profits. or the mechanic a new machine which
facilitates his operations how speedily and ca
perly do those interested seek 10 avail them
selves Of the benefits o. the discovery, sparing
neither pains nor money DO SOL But Jet
farmer introduce an improvement 10 husban-
bandry, and how slowly do those around him
profit By his examples They look on with
indiaefence-nay nine out Of ten shake their
heads with an ar 50 characteristic oi agricul-
uual obstinaey. and pertnaciously stick 10
thesysfems which they and their fathers have
followed from time iBlnemotiai and do t. toe.
with patient selfcompiacency which would
be wholly iuexplicable, had not Solomon in
his wisdom told us, that ''the siuegard is wi
ser IN his own eonceit than seven men that
can render reason" have known man
who waited 20 years to see il plaster would
make ms neigAbor's clover grow. Alas, for
the delay When at last convinced Of its
utility. he was grown toe poor 10 purchase 1t !;
and his land had become toomueh exhausted to
he reclaimed by its use. How long shall such
lpliY idst nave Tue idlAiit3s VI ti5 tulddotlS
with their worn out lands, inherited all the
stupidity Of the age? If, then, there is no
lack Of wit, and no obstacle in the way, surely
nothing is needed but the win 10 improve
Can it be so And is the desolaiion which
sits upon our fields, and with quilted hills, and
barren wastes, and stinted heritage, fnocks our
hopes, removable at our win 2 / iondly be
heye it. Only let the farmer set about to i'm
prove, and TO acquire skill and knowledge in
the art of husbandry, with the same zeal and
energy which goes to so many other pursuits,
or with even half of what he often expends in
the vain and polludng contests ofparty politics
and the friends OF agricultural improvement
will soon have no cause 10 sigh over the slow
progress ofthe modest and most useful OF all
the pursuits. ol man"