Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-08-24

greet the eve of the traveller as ne wenuS h''
through The two States of North Carolna anu
Virginia2 When will The time come Wneue veiy
man will count himself worthy OF Inc name .,
farmer, who has no good granary, an9 s,aoe an5
shelters for his cattle, his sheep and MS nogs
To become farmers we must have The pride OF
f,rmers. We must be proud OF our notses, OF
our cows, Of our sheep, OF our oairies, Oh our
farm houses, and Of our domestic arrangements.
We must take pride in showing mem, ana oe,
scanning on their merits. We all have piiue, ana
this is the best account 10 which ii can De lulneo.
How much better than The pride which 100 oren
fills our hearts and blinds our eye. we h'us'
learn TO place higher estimate on Inc necessities
of life, than on lis luxuries good oarn IS
worth more than fine carriage, ana lhal gooa
dairy is OF more value than piano. Inc ofna,
menls and the luxuries Of lille are certainty eoou
in their places, and are mol 10 De aespiseui W,
when the comforts and the convenienceso i social
existence are sacrificed 10 Them, as IS 100 olen Tue
case, then they are 10 be condemned as nishiy in'
furious 10 Individual and The country's pros
perity. He who INDUCES himself with The
hoeries and The fripperies of luxury, in The
absence OF the solid comforts OF life, is al
ways in danger OF exciting smile on Inc
lips of ridicule. One man INDUCES his want
" by the purchase OF a fine carriage, whose
i'll dressed coachman and i'll kept horses, would
more worthiIy become farm wagon. Another
spends as much on his daughters dress, between
The age of fourteen and marriage, and giving her
lust music enough 10 disturb the peace OF quiet
family, rs would sci up young couple cdmlorta-
bly in life. Another man, who scorns these vanl-
ties spends his nights and his days in pouring
over newspape and in balancing The affairs oil
The nation, and discussing matters which are more
properly considered in our Legislative halls. He
plays the lhriltless part oil a political hack, and
goes from cross road 10 cross road corners voters,
slips into their hands political document and
insinuates into their ears political fasehood.-
He reioices over the success OF his party, and
mourns over its defeats. Flis home is in ruins,
his children are neglected, and the sheriff threat
ems his property but all are forgotten in the midst
OF the victorious shouts OF his party. Another
man, in getting an overseer, enquiries into his po-
lilcs and meets him every day in his field, not for
The purpose OF consulting whether the land is loo
wet or 100 dry for The days work, not whether a
particular field should be ploughed, with Two or
with three horses, but they are talking, The one
from horse, and The other from stump, on The
comparative merits of Polk and Clay. And what
do these worthless care for us farmers or overseers
but as rounds in the ladder oil their ambition
How often are both parties deceived in their men,
and how lately has il been that both have had rea-
son 10 cxcIaim, how improbable have been ouI
labors, and how far have our fayorites fallen be-
meath our hopes and our expectations
Another habit of our farmers gentlemen,
will allude 10, which must be amended before any
great improvement can be expected II is the
habit OF buying on credit and running into debt.
The glory of the farmer in all countries, and in
every age has been independence. Need say
that man in debt is not independents 1t is The
counsel OF inspiration that we should owe no man
any thing but love, and if we..would preserve our
personal and our moral independence, we must
observe this rule. The habit Of going IN debt, OF
getting behind the stump, as we say IN Virginia,
has done more, dare say, 10 repTess all a9ricul-
tural improvement than any OF the various causes
which are operating in our States. Scarcely
merchant in the land but will strike off from l0to
1874 per cent from the price Of his goods for cash.
This to man who makes but per cent. on his
capital is an immense saving, and in life lime
amounts 10 the difference between prosperity and
ruin. The man who deals Tor cash, some how or
other, finds his expenditures al The end Of The wear
smaller. Ii creates habits Of economy. The
pocket is far more sensitive 10 apresent than lu.
ture demand. Sometimes the money is not in
the pocket, and then we are obliged 10 loreso The
qualification. The cash system only allows The
use of revenue, the credit system exposes TO dep
relation our whole capital. l have heard some
farmers say, that they could not practise The cash
system, because they have not the cash. Bul
they have negroes and land, which produce but ;
per cent, and on their debts they pay more than
per cent. and would il not be wise 10 sell per
cent stock, and pay off 6 per cent. incumbrancel
All must answer yes, for the policy is indispu-
table. But The real secret Of their continuing
This runous policy is pride, the pride OF proper
~. Every body sc-e th-ir property, bur every
body does not see their debts. But The world
knows much more oil their debts than they ina
CINE, and il very often calculates how many ne
groes il will take 10 pay them. Let every plan
ter, then, who is in debt, sell property and pay il,
and determine that ne will 60 in debt no more
II he prospers he may, il he chooses, buy The
same property again; for il is much easier 10 sell
and buy again, than il is 10 retain II. Let US not
have our names on any merchants books. II
we have no money, lei US deny ourselves; but II
we are obliged 10 have some article, which we
have not the money 10 pay for, then lei MS sell
what we can best spare, and thus accomplish the
end. II a vile mus, have new carriage, lei a
negro be sold for the purpose II We do mol
sell one before the purchase, we may be compel.
ed 10 sell two after il. The ruth is, that no man
among us need 90 in debt, II is easier 10 pay
this year than The next, and appeal TO every
man who hears me, if this is not his experience.
However scarce money is with us now, il will
be scarcer with us this lime next year. lfany
one thinks otherwise, lei him ascribe il 10 the IL
lusions ofhope.
fear that in these remarks. l may be thought
10 deal with you loo plainly, but really consider
a reformation in the habits OF our farmers as
more important than any change in their methods
of cultivation. II | were called on 10 say what
has done more than anything else to keep back
North Carolina and Virginia improvement,
should say a superabundant negro population
and the Indebtedness OF our farmers. IL is 10
these two points that have directed your attention.
am aware that they are delicate points, but
thought il better to risk your favor than 10 omit
them. With The capital which The gradual scale
OF the hail. or even one third, Of our negroes
would bring into The State, and the aecumulat
ing of more thorough system OF economy, per-
sisted in for lew years. there are no limits OF
improvement which our State not would reach.
Our cultivation now is most excellent. doubt
whether there is better in the United States
certainly none better within The bounds OF my OBJ
seryalion, and have been in Lancaster, Penn
syvania Western New York and Massachu-
sets. They are. ahead OF us, however, in econo-
nv. Their economy saves them money, and
with this money they buy manures, procure the
bes, stock, and build good farm houses. Poor
land is not cultivated. They first make il rich,
or leave il a common. The economy OF Massa-
chusells lransplaned 10 a Virginia soil, warm
ed as it is by Southern sun, would make our
State, in a few years, what il should be, and must
become, the most desirable portion OF the COME
deracy. No State in the Union has SO great
variety OF products, or is richer in mineral re-
sources, and not more than one or lwo are favor
ed with better natural soil. Nature has done
much for u.s. let US do the rest for ourselves.
|, is no part OF myIpan TO discuss before you
today, any disputed principles OF agriculture
That can best be done at your monthly meet
ings, where mind acting on mind, ELECTS lruthby
The collision. | shall content myself with The
enumeration of some general principles Of agri.
culture, which deem settled wiIhou, stopping
10 explain the reasons on which these principles
rest, excep, in the most summary way.
All lands should be ploughed early, and
ploushed deeply. In Thin Soils however, it is ne.
cessary TO commence with shallower work, but
going deeper and deeper every year, Till iull six
inches Of sell is turned up.
Inapplying manures, the practices Of good far
mers are so variant and The theories OF The Learn