Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-10-25

that every accession which Man gains his knowledge
is also accession to his power and extends the limits of
his empire the world which he inhabits."
About hreefourths Of the population of country
engaged in tllng the soil Legislation promote the
prosperity of this interest," directly benefits the greater por
ton of the people, and indirectly but not less surely the
remainder also Now Legislators and others have
been wanting heretofore in euogy upon the antiquity dig
nty Importance and pleasures of Agriculture but where
has been that fostering which would seek encourage
demand for the cultivation of the soil that conspicuous
place to which it is justly entitledl
But happy observe that improved sentiment
is becoming prevalent That agriculture is of primary
Importance J" that nation has already " advanced in
population and other circumstances of maturity" to that
position which "renders the cultivation of the soil object
of public patronage that there is object which it
be dedicated with greater momety ;"-hese truths
gradually making their way into the minds of intelligent
thinking
We have at length, Home Department and the ques-
ton presents tsef-Can it, and will it, do anything for
Agriculture 1t can, and trust that it will The poll
ticans may seek make it for the further
of party and with the bug-bear of constitutional
Objections they may tell us that nothing be done for
Agriculture under this Department. But let the farmers
moving in mass, call loudly for Bureau of Agriculture
with proper and suitable patronage from the Government
Let it be managed by prope characters, selected with
reference their fitness for and devotion to- the promotion of
Agriculture They should be above political contain
nation and having love for Science for its own sake
and keeping constantly in the great object which
they placed there to promote, they would be in
to civ nd
Board of Agriculture thus composed of proper char
acters, charged with collecting and dusing information,
and enabled by premiums and small pecuniary od to en-
courage and assist spirit of discovery and improvement
by stimulating enterprise and experiment. and by draw
ing to common centre the results everywhere of ndivd
ua skill and observation, and by spreading them thence
the whole naton would soon be found to be very
cheap instrument of immense national benefits"
l. This Board might be in correspondence with scien-
tifc all parts of country and with Boards Of
Agriculture in foreign countries,-thus drawing
CENTRE and from thence spreading broadcast the
land all facts and Improvements of utility all valuable
suggestions derived from the improvements and new lights
of the various natural sciences which intimately allied
with Agriculture.
g Proper premiums might perhaps be offered stimu-
late ingenuity, in the invention and production of the most
valuable acknowledgements and machines and by awarding
to those which, upon proper test were found best TO an
swer desired purpose competition, and an ambition to
eel, would be excited to the highest degree.
3. Persons in the employment Of our Government,
abroad might be directed to collect and transmit to the
Department. those improved seeds, fruits, plants,
animals, Implements &c, which were deemed desirable
As would be part of the business of this Board to s
ute extensive inquiries into the utility of Introducing for
cultivation among us the various valuable productions Of
other countries and the great range OF latitude OF soil
and climate which country embraces, undoubtedly adj
mts Of cuvang the products of almost every other
try may reasonably suppose, that proper effort, in
this direction alone would be attended with very important
results.
A. Premiums might be offered for the most able essays
and the most satisfactory experiments to eucdae vexed
questions and undeveoped principles III Agnculture,-H
deemed proper and desirable
s. Extensive inquiries might be instituted into the hab
its of Insects troublesome cultivation and the best meth
DDS extemnae them prevent their ravages. AS the
nation advances in population and other circumstances Of
maturity it becomes and more object, pecuniarily
with cutvatos to raise many sorts of fruits and tender
plants comparatively unimporant earlier period. Now
fair estimate that onehalf the productions of of
this description go feed the insect world Indeed of some
kinds in they take the whole Their depreda
ons the various ed-crops oenmes also
The subject of Entomology and inexhausble; it
requires such extensive, and yet particularly minute and
often microscopic Investigations that the efforts of ordinary
associations of men avail but little But is believed
that National Board of Agriculture would have resources,
peculiar to ITSELF that might effect important results Its
inquiries might be very extensive drawing in contributions
from individuals and Societies. every quarter the
total of which would be highly useful
The various State and County Societies throughout
the land, might be in correspondence with the Department,
thus receiving and mparng information upon these and
other subjects.
In Short in hundred ways such organization might
forward the great interests of Agriculture Indeed may
conclude that other establishment could parallel this
promoter of the interests, not exclusively of either
tion but of the whole country.
The advocates for such movement may, by some be
cd for La