Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1848-11-17

glons which the recent emergency called out
in the service of their country have been dis |
banded. The notes of preparation which were
lately sounded throughout every town and vii |
lage and cottage in the land are heard no more.
Led on by their respective knights of the quill,
armed and equipped as the law directs with the
necessary paper ammunition, concentrated with
more than Napoeon's skill upon one point
the ballot box,-whose possession has cost the
milton so much of eloqucnce, treasure, and
generalship,-our doughty citizens have man.
fully done their duty on the field, and now, at
length, weary of the "din of battle and the tug
of war;" are returned once more to their happy
homes, and the pursuit of their peaceful call
ings. To those who have thus turned their
swords into pow-shares, and their spears into
pruning hooks, as well as to ALL who feel an
interest in the true welfare of their own profess
sion, in their own State, the publishers of
work, perhaps more closely connected with the
real growth of Vermont than any other issued
within her borders, beg leave to address them
Selves
That an Agricultural Journal of high char
acter has always been needed by the interests
Of husbandry in our State; has long since been
acknowledged by the more liberal minded of
our citizens. And it is n matter of surprise
that in State where almost the whole popua-
ton is directly engaged in tilling the soil, no
attempt to establish such Journal has been
made among us till within the last three years.
while neighboring States confessedly our
interiors in an agricultural point of view, have
supported for many years works of highly
useful character on this class of subjects. Many
of these have been extensively circulated in our
State, and have beer undoubtedly productive
of vast amount of good. They have aroused
thought, suggested experiments, and ditfused a
great deal of valuable information in regard to
our profession. They have been thus benefi-
cial in our latitude, because the principles of
agriculture are in all countries the same; but
when we come to the details, the differences of
climate, SOIL and situation render all foreign
papers, whether southern western, much less
useful to us, than if their matter were entirely
devoted to our peculiar circumstances. Nor is
this the only reason why Vermont should have
an agricultural paper Of her own. The statistics
of the last census show that our agricultural
products bear the largest proportion to the
number of inhabitants, as compared with the
rest of the Union; but statistics of another kind
will also show that the productive powers of our
soil have never begun to be developed. The
profits of our husbandry may perhaps average
50 per acre. Emigration is too often consld-
cred by our young men as the first impulse OF
the principle of seipreservation. An uneven
surface and rocky soil have required a vast pro-
portion of mechanical labor in clearing the
land, while its chemical constitution has yet
attracted but little attention. Our distance
from market has hitherto cut off the great slim
uus to exertion in production. Our growth as
a State has been very much slower than that
of most of our sister States. The great inter-
es,s of education have but lately met with any
thing like their proper share Of attention. So
that a journal devoted, as onrs is, to the bmid-
ing up OF our productive, mechanical, and edu-
cational interests, enters upon u field vast in
extent, but almost destitute of cultivation: pro-
ducing now but little, yet requiring only enter
prise in its improvement and diligence in its
management to repay bountiiully the labor eX-
pended on ii: At the present period especially,
when the successful experiments of other States
have at last convinced us of the advantages to
be derived from railroad communications with
the Atlantic cities; when the demand which
will shortly carry off from our own doors every
article of production we can spare, is s,imula-
ting us to do our utmost; when the competition
with the West, which will soon affect us more
nearly than ever, requires us to produce rs
cheap,y as possible; and when the influence OF
travel is doing much to arouse our hitherto
inland and indifferent population to emulate the
deeds of others, is it necessary for lis to make
use of every appliance for the promotion of the
great interests whose improvement we design
to advocate.
In view of these considerations. the under
signed commenced in July last the publication
, of the VERMONT STATE AGRICULTU.
RIST,-a monthly quarto of III pages, devoted
to the interests of agriculture, horticulture, do
4 nestle and rural economy, and education
with all the other subjects usually treated of by
that class of periodicals-.for the district Of Ter
mont. They designed, as they still design
that the work should be fitting companion fol
, the scientific and practical husbandman within
our borders, and creditable representative o.
. our agriculture abroad. They intended it tc
be vehicle of communication between the
friends of improvement in all parts of the State
, and the public to stimulate thought on the
part of our practical farmers TO advocate the
necessity of educating our agricultural class il
order to elevate them to their true position il
society. Hitherto the undertaking has beer
greeted from all quarters with the voice of ap
probation. But, owing partly to the poltlca
campaign, partly to the untavorableness of the
. time of starting, and partly to the pre-occupa
ton of the ground by foreign papers, but little
y has yet been done towards securing us the cir
4 culation necessary for our support Two o
e these obstacles are now removed. The cleo
n tons are over. The haryests are gathered
Mems minds are now at leisure to attend I,
>. objects of this nature. May we not, then, con
iidently hope that our appeal for aid, at the sea
A son usually devoted to making up subscription