Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-12-01
ADDRESS
OF WILLIAM G. OvERTON, ESQ.
Before the Hcnries Agricultural and Horticui-
turai society.

because 1 believed that I could instruct and inform il on
agricultural operations as well as many Of It's members
IL Is only Tor the purpose Of complying with the request of
some OF my friends. whom | hope IL will always be my plea.
sure 10 obey, thatl am now before you for the purpose Of
addressing 10 your Judgements, and Tor your consideration,
some OF my views and opinions in relation to that employ
ment which this association was intended to advance and
promote In doing this, | shall not enter into the details OF
agricultural operations. IL would be folly to attempt il nj
ms ume, were L qualified for Its performance under any
circumstances.
Agriculture is that avocauon which IL the basis OF all
others, and by which all others are nourished and sus,ain-
edIthe only employment, that is the guardian Of liberty
and the origin OF wealth.
Since tho expulsion OF Adam from Eden. the curse 'ihou
shalt eat thy bread in the sweat Of thy brow" has chung to
his descendants through all time and evsry generation
Many wants beset him on every side, and follow him from
ue cradle to the gravc-his hunger craving for food, his
vanity esgerior display. While The earth no longer yields
her fruits spontaneously. and NO tree of life sears its rich
s'oresior all to pluck aud eat; yet the appetite of man must
DC grained, his wants supplied. and his weakness protected.
Ahmat ne has, all that he needs, and all that he enIoys does
come. and must ever como, mcdiately or immediately, from
the cultivation Of the earth. With truth has IL been said,
that the wealth Of individuals and of nations lies buried in
the soil, and can only be extracted by the plough. share and
the spade.
Agriculture is tho true foundation OF all trade. and all in.
dusty. Towns flourish and enlarge IN proportion to the eN.
tent and fertility OF the surrounding country. The wealth
and influence of the merchant is increased he receives
moro produce he sells more goods. The mechanic find.
ereaaier and better sale for the products OF his skill and in
dusty Tho manufacturer extends his operations TO finer
and better commodities. Science, learning and plenty, are
made 10 take tire place Of ignorance and poverty.
" all the pursuits 70 which mankind, from necessity or
Inclination, have devoted themselves. there is none more
Honorable, certainly mono more necessary and useful than
thatOt agriculture, whose pursuits are 50 conducive to the
health OF the body aud the mind, so calculated to render
man useful, virtuOus and happy. Deeply seated in sericul-
turc, aud are moral elements that bind society together
lhtse are interesting and e,eirung topics, which have at
'rae'ed the attention, and employed the pens Of the best
SPEAKERS and writers Tor centuries past. They have never
wanted advocates, ;heY have found them with the best and
most enlightened Of all ages. with every friend OF his coun-
Try, and CT the whole human race. They are truths that
| strike The mind 81 lnr.fhlu and No. IN zeal l.u,,.,l
ma'n u not necessary to respass on your umo and atten-
uon TO Illustrate them now.
1t is the province Of Agriculture to raise from a
given extent OF land tho largest quantity OF the
most valuable produce At the least cost, with the
least permanent injury to the coil. To enable her to accom-.
Piish these great and all important objects, she has been
seeking from science and art, that light aud knowledge
which would enable her TO obtain from her broad acres the
treasures which they contain. with increasing abundance.
And all che has acquired has been the slow growth Of cen
tuilos OF experiments, not generally known and accurately
understood. Marked and wide is the difference between
the mechanics aud manufacturers. We see steam aud
mechanism and steam engines, working for them, like
dumb giants, performing the labor OF thousands, and max
ing for them mynads upon myriads Of their fabrics, while
the sons OF the soil still toni on, through the long summer
month, and brave the winters cold, 10 reap the same guam.
ry OF produce from the soil that their fathers did in gene
rations which are past and gone.
The farmer possesses advantages in the use of mach;-
merry sud IN the division OF labor peculiar to himself. lie
has the same energy OF character, the same extent Of re-
sources, that have been mainly instrumental in aiding otn,s
divisions OF labor. Why may we not cheer ourselves with
the hope that science aud art may DO more to lortlize the
soil aud develop the resources OF our lands than thas ever
vet done
should hut lily perform the task have undertaken, and,
perhaps, ~disapPoint your expectations. If omitted TO speak
OF agriculture as n science and here | feel my utter in
ability to enighten you. AL the agricultural works which
| have ever read are deficient on this point while a know.
ledge OF this Is. after oil, the great desideratum. Science,
IN connection with agriculture, has reference to all those
changes in the arrangement of matter connected with the
growth and nourishment of plants. the constitution of the
soil, the manner IN which lands are enriched by artificial
means. or rendered fertile by the different processes of cul-
rVation. These are subjects l would not discuss at this
time, II l possessed the information and capacity 10 enable
me 10 do so. Their investigation would require more time
than ought to be consumed on an occasion Ike this.
Wherever We go. farm after farm, even whole districts OF
country, present evidences that agriculture IS not understood
as a science, and that farming is not praeised as an art
the soil Is not ferulized and its capabilities are notincreased.
IT'S a true teSiot art, that improves tho work Of ma ure.-
Any application offOrce which fails in his and cripples It's
resources rs not an art, but a hurfh custom. Itis a fact 50
apparent that II cannot have escaped the most careless OBJ
server, that 4 large portion OF our lands are more valuable
in their natural condition Than they are after they have been
exposed to our careless and destructive tIlage. We see
u ttew farms whose naiu'a! fertility has been arhfcially
increased.
Science not only furnishes 10 the agriculturista knowledge
OF the manner IN which the elements combine in forming the
products which he culuvates, but il slso gives to him those
habits of order, method and arrangement which make his
practical operations efficient ana expeditions. The far
mer's emplnyments are varied and changeable, liable 10
be disturbed by adverse seasons and deranged by causes
which he cannot always control. Many Of those adverse
influences cannot be perceived, nor can their effects be es-
minated with accuracy, and hence we can find other ayo-
cations pursued with more system and scientific skill
But the farmer should not therefore be discouraged. His
industry, welt applied, will do much 10 modify the effects
Of unprOpiuous seasons ad adverse cireum-tlnces; and,
however unpToduetive his labor may be, il would be still
worse, but for the skill with which ii was applied. By di-
Siding and arranging hs labor to suit the different seasons
OF the year, the soil and tho crops 10 DO cultivated, by adopt-
ing method and system in oil his exerhons. he will be ena-
bled TO husband his strength and apply it TO lac greatest ed.
vantage. He will then be informed Of the work to be
done, the implements 10 bo used and the inc and tahcr |
which will be required. When no fixed plan is formed and
directions are given every day which have no reference to |
those which had been given before, the order of business |
3 continually d%Isiurbed; by shifting from one thing to ano-
Their before either Is completed, labor falls into confusion,
"laborcrs come to a fault, and frequently to a stand, be-
cause they are ignorant Of the WORK to be performed. the
implements TO be used and the course TO be pursued. While |
This Is peTplexing and harassing, IL occasions a greater loss
OF time than is generally imagined"
These evils can Only DC obyiaied by established method, !
mace known 10 all mat eacn may labor TO the best adyan- !
tage, and all proceed haTmOni01s.y. This gives skill. as well I
a. expedition, TO business. and conieni and cheorfulness TO /
'hise who perform IT, tie That executes his task with neat.
ness and despatch, looks upon the work OF his hands with
pride end with pleasure, and he is thereby encouraged to
continue his labor with energy and spirit. But " he sees
that his eXer1oas are m~isappled, for the want Of proper di.
recuons and arrangement, and that for The want Of proper
implements and tJols, he dslyes to but hule purpose. he be-
comes eowed and dispirtd, and he looks upon his employer
ad MS employment as a person would naturally look upon
asily tiskmasier, whose interest he neRlects, and whose
services he loaihos. despatch is u rch thing, for lime 10
the measure Of business"
White experienced aud successful farmers have differed.
and ever hereafter will differ in opinion about some things.
YET ihey oil agree that accumulatng, preserving md apply.
ing manures, rearing cattle and other stock, and protecting
them from harsh weather IN winter. are objects too de.ira. |
bic and important to be neglected; with the same unanimi.
~ on opinion they abhor siovenly cultivation. inferior m
plemenis and tools, aHd neglected leans. Action and ma.
nurc are the first aud the last requisites in agriculture. IL
would be an act OF supe1erogaton m mo IN ennr into any
argument 70 convince this society that manure lies Al The
foundation Of al successful efforts to forilize the soil ard
increase ~ producdyshess. Nothing but manure Of some
Eind can restore 20 tie soil those elements which the pre-.
ceoing crops have exhausted.
On the subject " applying monures, two Of tho most die.
ingulshed Farmers Virginia has ever produced, have differ
ed widely m opinion. One Of them is cold beneath the
tomb-tIohb Taylor OF Caroline Yet IN the DAYS Of HE
usefulness no was no less Distinguished ~ on ublo states.
man Than a. a saRacious farmer. The other yet lives. a
light 10 the p,ih and a guide 10 the way-tEdmund RufHnJ
To hin Eastern Virginia is more indebted Than TO any Other
mao; for his researches first discovered tho value and led
10 the application Of those cacareJUs manufes which bsvc
made more ihsn ears Of corn and 1.-TWO blades Of gmss 10
grow where only one grew before" Buthe needs no prais
O. from ny lips tho fruitful onj abundant harvosts. the
plenty aud the cheeflulness Of q portion ot our country. ore
''nsinE evidences Of HE genius and usefulness. This dis.
ungushod agricultural, speaking from bic own Observation
1 M~A nHman L.