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

Improvement in many essential particulars some of which
shai take occasion in the of this address no.
uce But even in these sections, and particularly in the
tobacco region and red Soils the fertility of the lands
has not only been gradually, but certainly diminishing
# it be true, has lately been asserted in England on
high authority, that the fertility Of soil can be best
measured by ITS copacifyfor groWing tcheatf
And to such lands that must now invite your at
tenon to recent accoun given in the Farmers Library,
tween the RaPpahannock and the Blue Ridge and which
we are all IN the habit of regarding amongst the best
and most productive lands of our State.
Now, there various causes which have Corpora
ted though not with equal efficacy, upon the agricultural
interests OF Virginia propose to advert very briefly to
some OF the most prominent
| repeat them what have before said, that the evils
OF system mainly from the fact that
fully deficient in agricultural education and knowledge,
and especially that part of it Immediately connected with
practical chemistry, and animal and vegetable physolo
gy That to enable us to succeed upon the most limited
scale, it will be necessary, shall endeavor TO show,
for Virginia TO abandon her present systems OF cuva
on and adopt those which science and experience have
largely to change the whole agricultural systems of the
world. Now, to accomplish this will be easy matter
with the great mass OF our farming population Opin-
lons like manners and customs, change far less rapidly
among the inhabitants of the country than those of cities
and large towns-ad scrpta gieJG-the popuahon--the
husbandry, are all more or less stationary And as men
toned In former part of this address, must all be
aware of the strong attachment which prevails amongst
cultvators of the soil, class to old systems of hus
bandry, and the implements even with which, from in
|
their invncibe repugnance to every shadow OF nnova
ton. Indeed, with regard all the social Of
man SO closely interviewer with his habits Interests
and atectons-the translation, from to truth,
rarely accomplished without effort; and consequently it
becomes often difficult to persuade renounce
erroneous opinions, than to adopt new ones. And we
have the authority of Sir James Macintosh in maintaining
that the convictions of philosophy always nsnuate them
selves by slow, but certain progress into the popular
| sentiment
Now although the elementary principles of agriculture
are Jew and SIMPLE most OF us are too apt, at the first
glance, to imagine the art to be extremely limited and
requiring neither the aid OF science book knowledge
And 1t Is not until, upon closer investigation, that Is
found branching into infinite details, and compreendng
large fields not only of practical science but philosophical
inquiry; and yet, strange TO tell how many respectable
and intelligent farmers of our country continually de-
crying the whole system of scientific agriculture and APP
plying to its friends the sobquet of book farmers and
visionary theorists, and regarding the whole system as
little else than popular humbug OF the day. Now, with
some, this doubtless the effect Of ignorance and dstrust
but with othersand they are much the most numerous
II is only plausible men of salvng over the places
OF their Incidence and vanity Of they all belong
to the family of the Good Enoughs."" Allow me to il
lusrate this strange hostility to agricultural science by
personal anecdote II was but few weeks ago, in
versaton with an intimate personal friend, man OF
liberal and vigorous mind and OF great intelligence and
the owner OF large estate, that he actually laughed out
right at the notion that any substantial good had
been dOne probably would be- to agriculture from
what he was pleased to denominate scientific, or book
farming.
Now Mr. President, can we be surprised at the lam
entabe fact that all the advantages that have been de-
rived from modern science and especially agrlcultu al
chemistry and physiology, so little known and appre
Eciated in Virginia
And is ii, Mr. President, at such time this, when
experiment essayng everything, that to be told
that science and knowledge have nothing to do with the
arts OF agriculture and that the whole scheme is popu-
lar hnmbug gotup by book makers and theorists to gull
and deceive the poor farmers
Was John Taylor Of Caroline, whose hand it was that
first seized and guided the agriculture of Virginia
and hOpefu< career, one OF these book farmers?
Was Edmund Rufhn, who terminated the spirit which
had been awakened by Arator, in his most invaluable
work. and done for lower Virginia than all the men
in it, visionary theorst Let those who doubt go
Hasecood and the banks of the Pamuqkey and see the
results of their abors. and what be done exhaust
ed lands by scientific agriculture
AGRICULTURE IN ENGLAND.
And here, Mr. President 1t may not be undressing
to compare, for moment, England in an agricultural
point of vew with other European nations, hut more
pecally her great rival and neghbor, France the next
10 her agricultural importance. The entire surface of
Great Britain amounts to something like eighty millions
of English acres In 1927 there in cultivation
about fifty millions of acres; fifteen millions capable OF
being cultivated andfteen incapable of any cul
vaton The uncultivated portion, then, is about one
fourth including Ireland In France the amount OF uncul
tvated land stated few years ago by member
OF the Chamber OF Deputies to be oheeigh only Thus
making the cultivated superces OF France to England
about three seven Now, according to recent data,
there is excess OF more than fifty millions sterling of
British over French-agrcunral products, with terrific
ry not much larger than that of Virginia, supplying
population nearly as great as that OF the whole United
| States
Indeed, in comparing English and French agriculture
and especially their modes OF cultivation, is struck
with establishment
The oats Of England in the spring, are never chosed
with charlock, as in France The wheat is rarely d.
versfed with the flower Of the poppy AT maturity the
thicker, longer, and heavier and supported by
stronger STEM The fields present much evener sur
face, if the shoots from every grain of seed had
grown according to common measure
The color too, instead of being parched pale yellow
is of the richest orange-te whole presenting feature
of and attention not 10 be found in any other
try
The only branch of agriculture in which it can be said
that France supasses Engand and indeed all Europe
in the cultivation of the vine and to that the existence
her delicious wines due. But this, presume will be
recommendation to temperance friends, who are
to-day in great force making proseytes and hope do
ing good.
| England may truly be said to be garden spot And
to what is it all to be ascrIbed Not to soil and climate
certainly; because there few countries with less
propous climate, less cheering sun, or natural exuber-
ance of soil, than England boast.
will tell you, gentlemen what il is 1t is TO be found
in the fact that no country on earth is cultivated like
England II has been done by practical science, by
tablishing agricultural societies and schools every part
OF the Kingdom and by rousing the whole nation up
regard agriculture in its proper and legitimate character
is because agriculture has there asserted its claims and
become the road to wealth, power and responsibility
l. Is because men OF the highest connexions and most
distinguished talents feel honored now instead of being
degraded, by regular and assduous application the
cultivation of the solestablishng their in situa
tons in which they may look to the of main
tanning their families accommodating property and doing
honor and service to their country Well has it been
said to be the nerve OF her power and the of her
wealth." enabling her to gather to herself as il were
4 Lab Al.