Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-09-24

tT' NCTlOU WTE1 OWf sNTTTUs HWTTCUTrHrHT TTUUUUrTUT
will increase with increasing years and population =
Compare the censts of 1880 and 1910 with the map OF
the T.. States and witness the increase OF population III
the new states, which are almost exclusively agrlcul'm-
raj, and who can doubt the strong and resistlcss incli-
nation of our people to this pursuit.
Connect with these considerations OF extent OF
country, diversity OF soils, varieties OF climate, and
partial and imperfect cultivation, the present agricul-
tural prospects OF this country. Witness the advances
OF the last dozen years in the character OF our cultiva-
ton, the quality and quantity OF our productions from
a given breadth OF land, and the improvements in all
the implements by which the labor OF the farmer is as
sisted and applied. Mark the vast change in the cur
rent OF educated mind oil the country, in respect 10
this pursuit the awakened attention to high respect
ability asa profession, TO its safety from hazards, 10 it,
hcalthiulncss /, mind and body, and 10 its productive
ness. Listen TO the calls for information, for cduca-
cation, upon agricultural subjects, and TO the demands
that this education shall constitute a department III
the great and all p%eryading system of our common
school education, a subject IA, this moment receiving
the especial attention, and being pressed forward BY
the renewed energies OF this society. Dchoid the
numbers OF professors, lionored with the highest testl-
monials OF learning conferred in our country, ievoting
their lives TO geological and chemical researches cal
culatcd to evolve the laws OF nature connected with
agricaIturol production. Go into our colleges and in
situations Of leaning. and count the young men toll
ing industriousiy for their diplomas, 10 quality them
selves to become practical and successful farmers, al
ready convinced that equally with the clerical, the le-
gal, and the medicnl professions, that OF agriculture
requires n thorough and systematic education, and It's
successful practice the exercise OF an active mind de-
voted TO di.lg'nt study.
Apply thcs, bright and Frightening prospects to the
almost b%oundiess agricultural te!d OF our country,
with its varied and s%aubrious climate, its fresh and
unbroken soils, its cheap lands and lee simple title, aud
who can hope. II he would. to turn the incllnatons OF
oar people from this flir field OF labor and OF pleasurel
Here the toll which secures a certain independence is
sweeiened by the constantly varying exhibitions OF ma
ture in her mos. lovely forms, and cheered by the most
benignaut manifestations of the wonderful power and
goodness of Natures God. Cultivated by the resolutc
L.. NO. ..1. go, ,,..1. - .,np,a ,y.,.r- 81
the soil, properly educated, as farmers, under a wise
and Just administration OF a system OF liberal public
instruction, should and will be, and aided by the re-
searches OF geology and chemistry, who can calculate
the extent OF the harvests to be gathered from this vast
field of wisely directed human industry
The present surplus Of breadstuiis ct this country,
could not have been presented in n more distinct and
interesting aspect than during the present year. A
famine in Europe, as widespread as ii has been de-
ynstating and terrible, has made its demands upon
American supplies, not simply to the extent oi the
ability OF the suffering to purchase food, but IN super
added appeals to American sympathy III favor OF the
destitute and stary ing. Every call upon our markets
has been fully met, md the heart Of Europe has been
filed with warm and grateful responses to the benev-
olcnce OF our country, and OF our counttyinen, and
vet the avenues OF commerce are filled with the pro-
auctions OF American agriculture. Surely the con-
sumption Of this country Is not now equal to It's agri-
cultural production.
ii such is our surplus in the present limited extent
and imperfect condition OF our agriculture, can we
hope that an exclusive domestic market is possible, to
furnish a dpmnid for its MIXTURE abundance ! In this
view Of this great and growing interest, can we see "A
limit to the period, when the United States will pre-
sent, in the commercial markets of the world, large
SURPRISES OF all the varieties OF brcadstuils, ot beet,
pork, butter, cheese, cotton, tobacco, and rice, beyond
the consumption OF our own country And who,
with the experience OF the last few years before him,
can doubt that the time is now at hand, when the two
great staples of wool and hemp will be added to the
list OF our exportationsl
These considerations, and others OF a kindred
character tIgl fItnn Nlt IA prlI ma 4 Ipfal
seem TO me, with unfeiencd Difference, to prove that
the agriculture Of the United States, for an indefinite
period yet to come, must continue TO yield annual sup
plies OF our principal staples, far beyond any possible
demand Of the domestic market, and must therefore
remain, a, II HOW Is and has ever been, an exporting
interest, As such, it must have a direct concern in
the lDrelgn trade and commerce OF the country, and III
al. the regulations OF our own and OF foreign govern
incuis which affect either, equal to its interest in q sta
bic aud adequate market.
Ii this conclusion be sound, then our farmers must
surrender the idea OF II domestic market to furnish the
demand, and measure the value Of their productions,
and must prepare themselves to meet the competition
OF the commercial world in the sale OF the fruits OF
their labor. The marts OF commerce must be their
market, and the demand and supply which meet in
those inarts must govern their prices. Inc demand
Tor home consumption, as an cement III that market,
Inust directly and deeply interest them, and should be
carefully cultivated aad encouraged, while al! the 9TH
er elements acting with it, aud constituting together
the demand q tie market, should be studied with
equal care, and so tar as may be IN their power, and
CONSISTENT Will OA4l'l uIl DlIullpuIIl huNIES,
be cherished with equal care.
Does any one believe, that FIR generations yet to
come, the agricultural operationso OF the United States
are to be cIIcumscrlbed within narrower comparative
limits than the present or that the agricultural pro-
ductIons Of the country are to bear IA less ratio 10 our
population and consumption than they now do! |
cannot suppose that any citizen, who has gwen his
attention to the considerations which have been su1-
ge-ted, innds himself able to adopt eltheroi these opiu-
ions. On the contrary, | think Il fair examination
must satisfy every mind that our agricultural surplus,
Tor an indefinite future period, must increase much
more fapIdIy IMAM our populauon and the demand Tor
domestic consumption. This ! believe would be true
without the efforts OF associations, such as this, To I'M
prove agriculture. The condition OF the country, and
the ilciInnllon and preference OF our population tor
agricultural pursuits, would render this result unavoid-
able; AMI II this be SO, when the impetus given tong
ricult1ral production by the Improvements OF the day
the inilyldunl and associated efforts constantly max
lng To push forward these Improvements with an ac-
cclrrdtrd movement, til" mass Oi educated mind turn
ed TO scientific researches in aid Of agricultural labor
the dlwuliG Of n yst"matic and universal agriculture
education and tire immense bodies of cheap, and
fresh, ana fertile lands. which invite the application Of
an improved agriculture, are added TO the account, who
can measure the extent or duration Of our rricuituIll
surplus, or doubt the sOundnrss OF the conclusion, that
the export trade must exercise a great Influence upon
the marnctiOr the agricultural productions OF the coun-
try ior Il long series o. years to come !
Such is tue conclusion to which my mind is II forced
from an examination Of this subject, in It's domestic
aspect simply but there is another now presented Of
vast ma niludc and engros>ing interest, and demand
ing alike from the citizen and statesman of this repub-
lie, the most careful consideration. All will ut once
understand me as referring to the changes and promis-
es oi chang in the policy of the principal commercial
nations OF the world, touching their trade in the pro-
dGctOns OF agriculture. BY a single step, which was
nothing less than commercial revolution, Great Britain
practically made the change as 70 her trade and sub
scquent eycntshave clothed with the appearance OF AL
most Super-hulnan sagaclty, the wisdom which thus
prepared that country to meet the visitation offamine,
WATCH mas 50 soon followed. without the additional av-