New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-09-13
ADDRESS OF HOY- JOHN [. SPENCER


VI Pr,,iaeaf end Gaeaeu on, Nsr- Igrs STATE Agri
cultural s0cicn
That I have obeyed your summons e. deliver
the usual annual address b. your society and is
guests a. a very short notice and amid engage.
ments that allowed little time for preparation. is
10 be regarded more as an evidence % readiness
70 contribute whatever ! may 20 the cause in
which you are engaged. than OF confidence ln the
value OF the contribution. ll rejecting how ]
could best aid in accomplishing your object, the
obvious idea at once occurred, that from any one
engaged in the pursuits which have occupied my
life, YOU could not expect any information on the
practical business Of Agriculture. Instead Of dar-
ing 10 enter such held. IN the presence OF gen
tlemen DO are not only practical and scientific
farmers, but y no are distinguished through the
broad extent OF our country for their attalnments
their skill, their devotion and their success n this
most essential department OF human industry, %
would become me rather 20 knee at your foot
stool and with the Submission OF infancy M such
knowledge, learn from YOU its first dement's.
But the promotion Of Agriculture depends upon
other things beside the mere science OF produc-
ton. The highest skill may be applied % the IN
prOvement OF soils, the most patient industry 20
their cultivation and the largest crops OF the most
useful grains may be gathered cattle and horses,
such those which here challenge admiration,
may be produced thousands upon thousands may
attend upon your annual festivals, at once 20 ties
THY and % crafty their interest In such eXLibl-
hons the iOve.iest part OF creation may grace
your assemblages sy their combinations OF skill
and taste m arranging your fruits and flowers Ia
all the varied forms OF beauty, and may add the
higher and more enchanting grace Of their appro-
wing smiles and although our hearts may swell
with JOY at these evidences OF the great success
which has attended the labors of this Society
yet the inquiry remains how shall these magnlii-
cent results Of toll skill, science and enterprise be
made to remunerate the labor and the capital
employed in their production In other words,
where shall market be found tor them where
shall the bcf market be found
As tins IS probably the only topic upon which
you could expect me TO advance anything that
might be useful or acceptable. / shall c0nfne my
seit almost entirely to IT, Before entering upon IL.
however, allow me 10 make few general remarks
on the present state OF the science of production.
Ia no department of knowledge has such eXtraOr-
binary progress been made within the present
generation IN the development of the laws OF Nature
which govern the termination, nutrrent growth and
perfection of seeds and plants The simple truth that
plants like animals have their peculiar food in the soil
that what Is nutritious 10 one il useless or inJurOu.
10 another unlOcks the whOle mystery OF Agriculture
and reduces It 10 question of fact rather OF many
facts. Modern Chemistry although II may not have
discovered this truth has illustrated and sustained it,
and given force and application Of which our fathers
had no conception. Every intelligent farmer now knows
that he must feed his wheat his his barley, his
oss. his potatoes and his turnps. with the same care
and discrimination that he would feed his cattle bis
horses and his sheep. Yes, and he Is told with ~ hat
he Is to feed them. BY the analysis of the cOmpo
nen parts of plants 1t Is ascertained OF what chemi
cal and other elements they constituted. and then
the application OF these elements their subsistence
becomes as easy and familiar as the preparation Of food
Tor cattle.
For those great results we are indebted to the abors
Of scientific men who have devoted their lives to the
study aud 10 nnumerable experiments before general
rules and principles could be established And those
have been mostly retired students and professors,
who have derived their facts from the observations oi
practical agriculturIsts. And ! am that In TINS |
connection your grateful sympahles VIII concur IN
awarding the highest merit to Professor Lebg. OF
Germany, whose work Agricultural Chemistry has |
opened such new and comprehensive views as 10 form
epoch in the intellectual history Of the world.
advert TO this great triumph OF science, Tor the pur
pose OF dispelng II possible, the prejudice against ab
stract investigation and scientific pursuit. The
who acts upon single, or Al most few experiment.
without understanding the principles which govern |
them, and who proclaims the result general law F
essentially quack, IN every profession and In every
department Of knowledge But he who has many |
facts collected from distant sources, arising under the
most varied circumstances, who examines them care
rate the accidental from the permanent and lnvarlabe
and fixes these beyond disputc-reduces his elements
into science, and becomes safe guide. Few prac-
teal men devote the necessary time to such nves
legations or the necessary reflection and study 10 draw
from them useful results. And hence Il was that until
recently Agriculture not a science but cOilec
ton Of confused miscellaneous and inconsistent facts
and observations fruitful of and consequent loss
and injury. And such viii always be the consequences
narrow. observations
ceved general truths.
Let me not be understood as discOuraeing observs |
tons and experiments Far from IL. They furnish the |
elements and materials for science TO work with. But
what is deprecated is reliance upon these expert |
mens before they have undergone the analysis and pu
rihcaOn Of science. do not suppose II possible for
the great body OF farmers TO become thoroughly versed
in geology botany and chemistry is it necessary
they should be- Bat they can be acquainted with the |
practical results attained in each OF these branches by
those who thoroughly versed in them and with the
general reasons and principles upon which those results
depend, SO that they apply them AS occasion may
require The mariner who from his meridian observa /
tons fixes the precise spot on the earhs surface where
his vessel floats does not aud ordinarily cannot know
or understand the processes by which Newton develop
ed the principles and rules which enable him 70 deter
mine IN few minutes his latitude and longitude. 20 |
with the farmer. He may well comprehend and apply /
the results of scientific Investigation without being able
20 follow the various steps through which il has been
conducted, and those results become completely his
own as if he himself had developed them.
These remarks made in the nope Of convincing |
those who cultivate the earth that the quantity OF read
Ing and study necessary 10 enable them 10 pursue their
profession with the grestest possible advantage 70 them
selves and their farms is not great AS 10 preclude
them from acquiring the ts of the most thorough and
exact Investigations, and particularly the leading prin
cples OF the science OF improving soils. Their exper
menls instead OF being isolated facts, will become speak
illustrations of the laws II Nature and each VIII
afford new cause 10 admire the wonderful economies
Of Providence and TO praise and adore the goodness Of
their great Author.
now propose 10 discuss Inc question: winch Is more
important than oil others 10 the farmers OF our country
Where is he 70 look for the best market for his pro
ducts By the best DO not mean that which may oc-
casionaly temporarily give him extravagant prices,
but that which promises steady and FAIR remuneTa-
ton, which shall be certain anything founded on
human calculations can be- And this is question,
which. under blessed institutions, the Farmers
have the means OF controlling and determining, u
is Of vital importance them that it should be thor
oughly examined and well understood and Il ny Efforts
10 present plain and practical considerations to your
understandings should have other effect than 70 cx
cite your inquiries and reflections my labor will
not have been IN vain Here is place for the display
Of fancy, whether in the form OF dazzling imagery or
in the form OF more dazzling theory. We have % deal
with facts ind them have % look 20 our
country its resources and its wants and have 70
inquire not what is the best probable market Tor Eng
land or France, any other country, but Tor these
United States Of America whole and particularly
Tor that portion OF these States with which we are best
acquainted
You need not be told that this subject there are
two extreme opinions among people. one OF these
maintains that should look abroad for purchasers
Of agricultural products and receive IN exchange
for them the fabrics of foreign labor This opinion Is
most prevalent in certain portions OF the southern
States where cotton tobacco and rice the staples
The prevalence there n the