Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-02-16
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF AGRIcu

TURE AND MANUFACTURES.
, On tie subject y appointing ar Agrieutqrc'
, Chemist ami MinerG ogist joy he State II ia,
gina.
, The committee on Agriculture AMI Nam
J features, 10 whom was referred the resolution I,
} the House oil Delegates instfuctins them Il e.,
qure into he expediency OF "appoinllne anlN\4.
cultural Chemist and Mineralos>t On The pa,
! the S ate If Maryland, or such other plan !,
J may be suited 10 the vans OF Virginia, hay.
! had he same under consideration, and beg Leave
; respectfully 10 make The following report:
, Your committee are satisfied lha, agriculture
, ranks first j. importance among the pursnus a
, mankind. supplies our mosi urgent wants, ant
contributes The material which, under the trans.
:: forming hand OF ART, ministers in ways innunrr.
,, allie 10 our Mell beng and happiness. Il is the
,, pursuit in whicn ne great majority Of he peope
, Of Virginia are engaged: aud ron the character
OF our Climate and SOIL, as we'll "a ouf social con.
/, citiun, il must continue 10 be. Ii becomes az
oblecI oil high interest, therefore, 10 The Iep;e>eR.
, aves ut the people 10 contribute 10 rs advance.
, menI BY such means as NAV be IN their power.
The progress IT science within the present Gel
llry has exetle: remarkable inf ience upot
nearly all The arts Of ltle. l. has abridged humal
la5uuf by >ub,iuine The forces .! nature il ha,
eCOLomiZsd time and expense by teaching ne
principles upon which The operations oi ar! de-
pend: mi il has elected applications OF naiura
forces thai are producing results which iophe
generations only can duly estimate. Agflcu.
lule that art " bich is the parent and precursor
~ all other ars has been among the las 10 pro.
I'll Nv the discoveries o, science. In EDeiarc
Germany aud France, however, an unwonlei 70.
eles his been awakened on The subject within
The last lew wears, and The productive powcr d
The sill have been increased in corrcspon4il.
ratio Even in our county and in our own
Stale, agriculture IS beginning 10 reap he beEe.
ifs OF enlshien,d observation and experience
amt the use oi calcarcous manureS has given
new lerlili 10 extensive Gistric's. Observation
NAV ieach the value Of certain applications q
The soil aud ~ particular modes Of cultivation in
given locally or district, bn, experiment mas
and generally will prove thai processes OF anne.
Iteration which produce the most osnriicIa r.
| suits upon one soil, are not equally well a!apet
to another II belongs 10 science 10 enquire mo
the nature of lhe soil; the adaptation OF us con.
stilucus 10 the growth ot particular plants; The
lrrms Of combination in which these Constituents
exist; the means by which they are 10 be tllmi
mated and presented in the most eligible form 'oi
supplying tie wants OF vegetation; 10 sucgeN
new methods OF ameiuraiion; and in general 70
deduce he principles upon which ferizlne
agents and processes depent; and 10 furnish pfac.
llcal rules 10 guide the farmer IN improving his
lands.
The applications oil geological and chenica
science Ia agriculture, though Just beginning 2
attract attention have yet produced results which
give the most cheering promises Tor The future.
Among The points already well asceraiued BY SCI
enii6c enquiries, are The general character Of ne
soil resulting from prevailing geological ior.
nation, and The mineral Constituents Of many
rlanis as determined from The analysis Of her
| ashes From hssc data The aGaptOn Of given
| soil 10 particular agricultural products mas
readily be determined and the means, il any, II
improving such AS are barren, indicated. "
barren lands some may b. improved 50 amply
TO repay the outlay: some from heir locality y
other causes, may in The present state 81 our
knowledge be irteclaimahle. Science can oicn
point oul thcr differences and prevent the vase
II time and capital in making experiments Which
may altogether fail OF success, or al best imref.
fecIy accomplish The desired end.
Every asrcul.uIisl understands he importance
Of The rotation OF crops and II the failow. Chem.
islry establishes the principle upon which Their
beneficial effects depend. The same plant vii
rarely flourish in the same soil for series q
| wears 10 succession, because the constituent all.
ment supplying It's healthiul growth, becomeseS'
| hausled, or ceases 10 be furnished in torn sui
able Tor assimilation. But The soil may Still e.
tain an abundance OF materials Tor the supply .!
ed To The improvement, OF he soil, whether
in The form Of animal, vegetable or mine.
raj manures, and ferlizng agencies, such as
drainage, irrigation, burning, and admiStufe o.
the surface with the subsOil by deep ploushue
furnish subjects 81 investigation the highesi IN.
tercst 10 The practica farmer To these much
scientific enquiry has OF late been directed, and
great deal OF valuable information has already
been accumulated.
nj x,,na nj Han
dependen upon charges in the chemical cous.
tuIion Of The soil, il is evident that science mus
b. appealed 10 Tor The rationale Of these changes
and Tor The discovery Of rules or principles 10
guide The agricultnrisl in economical methods Q.
bringing hem about. The lisht which e1istlHg
chemical knowledge throws on the natural pro.
crsspS OF vegetaion and on the artificial mcth,i,
Il practical agriculture, has awakened, wacrt.
ever il ha, spread, new hopes and new intefe,;
in lhe cultivalors OF be soil. Every day IS A..
ling TO The number and value OF is revelations.
Bu, our aoriculturists cannon. without assistance,
reap the benefits If Them The great majority
are deficient in The knowledge OF those principles
on which their most important operations dcreGt
and the most intelligent hnd il impossible T. ~,
pace with the advancement Of a science Whith
he proies sed and devoled chemis, can scarcey
overtake
Your committee therefore, respectfully recon.
mend 10 the House II Delegates 10 follow h. e.
| liahlensd torecasi oi The STATE III Maryland ~
appointing BY law an Agricultural Chemist IL
| Virginia, under such regulate as NAV he suit
81 10 her localities and wants, and in .uch man
n-r as odispcnse Ia the farming interests through
out the Stale an equal participation in the bed'.
flrs II his lab'nr
Your cOmmrc are moreover sati,fi thai ne
duties pertaining TO he Office oi mineiaIo2i>; ar
50 intimately brrd,d with agricultural chem"
ry that The duties oi boh offices BY The sam.
person, will cost bnt one exploration OF the SAT-
and will mol add very much TO Iaboufs OF ne
chemist, whilst the Investigations and reports =
a competent mineralosisl must disclose iacis o.
! ncalculabe importance Virginia is now urge
ny every consideration OF duty and interest TO a.
ford facilities for transporting her varied minera
resources their dip and extent are imperieclf
kGoAr; The facilities prop lsed, il Carried out
must soon lead 10 their full developemenij ar
in order that our citizens may not MAKE unpfcs'
table OUTLAWS oil their moneys, and h.. pubic 1ea'
sure expended in illJuiged enlerpr,uafyo COM
mitee deem il o great lmpor ance 10 he state Al
this lime, TO invoke The aid OF scientific enquiry
on that subj CT, and they therefore recommehl
that he agricultural chemist perform aiso the1
ties al mineralogist.
Your commiltee propose 10 present some b.e.
outline OF heir plan; with the means At their con-
mand they cannot divide the Stat oil VIZ
sinia, so as 10 produce pefiect equality in le'f'c
rial limits and population, nor do they deem
Decessary; a Sufficient approximation 10 equally
will he found IN making four divisions Of ~ h
Sta,.. The tide waer region teing one; lhs +
mi,dle country between The head Of lidesaN /
and The Blue Ridge h-ing another; nc wales /
country between the Blue Ridge and All"shaN i
beine another, ard the trans-Alle2hany resoi I
ano,htr with provision hat these four tlsic' !
shall ascertain by lot, (unter The direction .! =
Governor and CouhciI,) numbered from one
four, As hey Taay respectively lie SO drawn, in
the officer proposed 10 be created shall dschaIs'
his duties Tor one year, beginning with ne o.
trict Iha, shall. draw number ons, and 50 90 ~
nu4liy afterwards, in each division, as n, ~,
b. respectively craUn, 10 number ionr; that y.