The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-04
THE q MON.

i III Ia |
grass" Its character and poverty, however admit OF
lowing remarkable inscription, IN marble;
, wn seat on n an open barren ,,,, estate,
II And inhabited, the middle OF the 18th century,
II by Thomas Coke, Earl of Leicester"
On taking possession OF the estate the first effort to-
SELL lie offered II at rs Cd an acre. but being unable TO
get even that he determined borrow the necessary
funds and reclaim it. He did 50, removed to in his
twenty second year and devoted himself to il for life
Amidst the preqdces ignorance and apathy of the peo
pie OF Norfolk, he continued firm and resoue, and kept
to his opinions and persevered for years with all his
characteristic energy oil purpose Then that things
began to change Men of talents and enterprise began
to take up the matter The people awakened out
Of the sleep which precedes dissolution consider and
reflect on the subject and their duties and in less than
quarter OF century his patriotism and industry ul-
umphed over ignorance and apathy, and poor barren
estate, that could neither be sold nor cultivated in
Its then STATE was made perfect garden spot, yield
ing an income of 40 shillings more an acre, and
producing average crops IN later years of forty to fifty
bushels OF wheat and to an acre Ii was during
one OF my visits that he told me that he had lived see
all his expectations than realized and justified and
that one OF the most gratifying things connected with his
had embarked with his wife and four on board of
vessel which was launched at Wells, small town near
Holkham which had been built out OF ogk Produced from
acorns OF his own planting He was then, suppose,
more imam eighty, and of course the oak was sixty
years old will not suffer myself speak of the extent
and vasness of the estate created, it by one
certain data, idea OF the extent and character Of the
coPpngI will read an extract from Treatise on Prac-
gushed agrculturs, published in 1897 and copy OF
which he was good enough to present to me- In page
80, he says
'At Holkham the wheat being short in the straw is
medatey follow ing the mowers, binding up assisted by
weeds, if the weather is particularly fine, they will carry
without setting the sleayes up in the usual manner in
1881, at the time wheat harvesting and ami
mating sight it was: | counted above hundred men,
way three hundred and 0tyfpe of wheat We're cut
carried, and stacked in tx days This getting with
power of any other person in the kingdom. l the
d1a sass y in wheh R coke d chs
lenged me find single weed, excepting that light
weed that hree or four long aud this was clean
farming on as large scale as probably could be in
amy part of the.world"
Now, call upon ant-scientifcs and on the good
enoughs to explain how these results could have been
Produced under any circumstances upon such estate
this war, without the aid of the most high and finished
system Of scientific caticdtiont One field of three hun
dred and fortyve producing between fourteen and
fifteen thousand bushels of wheat and four hundred and
fifty acres more in luxurian ''turnipsw Why, gentle
men, must strike the magnatons of these friends of
ours more like the entertainments OF fable and story
than sober reality But why speak of him as the most
markable agriculturist that vedi 1t is matter OF
history, and not to be questioned
But il we need examples home, let us profit by
those of eastern and northern brethren How is
that they out-crop far and get rich, while in
the south remain poor 1t is in their modes of husband
ry and manner of living Ii because their farms of
So l0o and 200 acrcs-rarely exceeding 30Oare divided
and well cultivated on scientific principles. 1t is because
they have the means and knowledge of Analysing their
soils, by which they ascertain the nature of their ma
shtuon OF fallow crops in the place of naked faows,
and the establishment of agricultural societies and schools
throughout their whole country: They have moreover,
the aid and enlightened influence of the press-a
improvement They are, besides reading people. But,
above ALL it is in their habits of industry and systems of
economy and the knaek-f may SO sI,eak-of turning
everything to account on the OF increased comforts
improved arts, and increasing Prosperity and only pray
to God that we Vginlans could follow their example IN
these and many other particulars connected with domestic
economy.
And why shall we not' Why shall we abandon our
good old State for the rich lands of the west What if
we have not their boundess plains and trackless forests
and their magnificent vegetation What if they have
the advantage of fertility Of soil have we not our pecu-
liar advantages asol Our lands, originally rich, may by
art and industry be made to supply the failure of natural
fertility and again be restored They more easily
cultivated, more accessible to the ocean; and with
proper systems OF internal Improvement their produce
more cheaply transported than in many portions of the
west We have bold rivers, milder winters, delight
full climates, and the valuable productions of south
en climates We have, besides, available means for
restoring most of our exhausted lands especially by
failing our estates and limiting our cultivation.
By adopting methodica rotation in crops compris
ing alternate succession of white and OF green crops
by erecting suitable barns, stables, and sheds and thus
dnures required for the cultivation of farms, and
enabling to administer them to the best advantage
with convenience and without waste.
Never were the advantages for successful agriculture
more bounfully bestowed never more glorious coun-
try for health and prosperity than ours But insure all
this shall need agricultural societies in every part of
the State and one central society at the OF govern
ment These societies will be powerful stimulus TO
the dormant faculties OF thousands OF populations,
who doing away their lives in trying to dig
OF their poor and exhausted lands precarious subss
ence There is an unaccounabe-1 had almost said
scandaou apathy the part OF epeope, which must
be shaken off.
But we have already been led to continue these in
terestng extracts from Mr. Sevensons speech further
than we intended We have exceeded the limits we laid
down to ourselves; with one more must stop, and
then leave the orator with best wishes for his pros
pery in the noble cause for which he is now dedicatng
portion of his time and the energies OF his character
Mr.. President, am, as you know, just essayng to do
this myself but regret to say that find few who seem
disposed to cheer me on On The contrary if were 10
Judge in my own case, should say that the public
mind in this meridian upon this subject, not in the
most heahu state. In retiring from the vehement stfes
and agatlons OF that great in which labored
long, and spent so large portion of my life to the
peaceful pursuits of agriculture, have been told BY many
of my best friends and others without number, that
had committed one oil the greatest of my life and
hazarded my future peace and happiness Indeed, hear
ii continually asked, Why matter of choice, any
in my situation Judging, presume, from the pasD should
ever think of settling down the country to cultivate
and exhausted lands shear sheep, or fanen pigs,
and superntend the drudgery OF Virginia farm How
often hear asked. what benefits