The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-10
What Is requisite 90 ensure steady and pro
gressive Improvement in Agriculture.

4
! gressive Improvement in Agriculture.
The Plough, the Loom, and The .AauH, for
November, true to the purpose avowed in
Its prospectus, to show to the American
agriculturst that his prosperity depends
on the remunerating markets, which are
only to be had by the encouragement and
prosperity of other pursuits in his imme-
date vicinity, opens with discourse by
the editor to illustrate that principle. This
discourse, from which we make room for
some extracts, was pronounced before
some thousand farmers Of Pennsylvania,
early in the last month, on the invita-
ton of the Agricultural Society Of Bucks
county.
A vote of thanks was adopted by the
society, on the motion of the president,
understood to be gentleman of Demo
cratic politics. and the committee Of d.
rectors requested copy for publication,
with the declaration that they had listened
to its delivery with infinite satisfaction.
The address shows how far, and how far
only, the Plough, the Loom, and the .Anvil
takes any part in politicS-that is, in what
the editor believes to be the true con-
sentative politics Of the plough. The edi-
tor has repeatedly requested those who
differ with him in what he believes to be
indispensable to general average improve
ment and increase in the products of agri-
culture, not to content themselves with
the mere denunciation of his journal and
the editor, but to initiate his example-to
publish his arguments, and let them speak
for themselves; and then denounce in
such terms and with such epithets as
the taste and judgment Of his opponents
may deem most expedient and suitable to
their purposes.
''These annual gatherings and exhibitions of the
followers of the plough encourage sociablity, and
lead to the interchange and diffusion of intelligence
and neighborly feeling while they serve, also, in
their way, to dissipae Ignorance and its insepara-
! bic companions, prejudice and intolerance. But,
let admonish you that after all, the great ques-
| ton which still recurs to every who gives his
| heart as well his head to the subject, is-what
are the signs and what the securities for well as
in the art, indicated by reasonable and steady
enumeration TO labor and profits to capital employed in
| agriculture? And that is the problem, and that
| alone which | came here with the humblest ap-
probation ofmy own capacity, to discuss, For, in
sober earnestness, what can tell you that you do
not know, in mere matters OF practice?-as for in
stance, about the manner and the importance of
! draining your land OF all superfiuous moisture;
which you all know makes, does the orner-stone
| of the building the very first step in every we'll
devised system of improvement, Would it not be
a matter Of presumption in me, in the wake of such
men as Darlington, to dwell on the value of lime,
to be followed and supported by that best OF all, be-
combining all fertilizers, barn yard manure?
| Need descant on dairy husbandry to Pennsylva-
mans, the makers of the best butter in the world
or at least in the United States Shall describe to
you the various breeds and best forms of domestic
| animals and how the best degenerate with us for
want Of that steady and remunerating demand for
the best, which elsewhere and every where leads to
| the highest skill and excellence in every depart
ment of human industry? Were to venture on
any mere practical suggestion, il would be to init
mate, that, of late years, the public mind has per-
| haps been drawn off too much from the Importance
| OF straining every nerve to accumulate, and turn
| every putrescible substance into manure, to go
abroad in search of artificial stimulants-that the
| mind of farmers has been too much dazzled by ac
counts of exorbitant crops small spots, without
reference 10 cost; and their attention too much cap
tvated by the sight of slick and pampered stations
and fat bullocks; while they have comparatively
neglected the more important but less striking OBJ
jects of the most perfect hiiage, and the highest de-
gree Of attainabe economy in the structure Of farm
ing implements. For highly important, perspicu-
ous and demonstrative essay on the great opera
tons Of preparing your land for the reception of
seed and the deposition of the seed when il is
thoroughly prepared, feel II TO be my duty, in
present relations TO each other to refer you to
| the last number Of The Plough, The Loom, and the
AHvii which have here the pleasure to present to
your society, and where you will find the whole
subject philosophically and practically discussed,
and illustrated by diagrams, that place the matter
4 ltont .rln hat hay fbprg fn.k -hT
runs may read
"To these few practical hints might be added
I the strong persuasion, that Pennsylvania farmers
have sacrificed millions, TO their proverbial part
ahy for the large short lived, heavy feeding Con-
estoga horse, for farming purposes, too exclusively
| even where hc might, with obvious economy, be
substituted by the longerlived mule, and the more
patient and edible But our time is too precious
TO detain you here, with question often and so
! deliberately discussed in agricultural periodi-
calls For views OF it, ALSO in all its aspects, may
refer you to the journal already named, and will
only add, that in national point of view, il is we'll
worthy OF inquiry, how much every superfluous
horse dmnshes the production Of meat, and in that
way lessons the return 10 the land of the refuse of
its products; thus doubly abridging the means of
human subsistence. As IAN item of individual econ
| omy, in agricultural management, ! can tell you
from personal inquiry and observation, that were
you 10 compel the New England farmer, whose
opinion il will be admitted Is worth something in
all such cases. 10 use horses in place Of oxen, for
hauling ploughing on his farm, he would on a
view Of that item alone, say-7hen take my land,
and let go TO where people have the sagacity to
see that when you can no longer employ an animal
for your benefit il better 20 put il in the harness
| tub than TO give IL 10 the buzzards Hence IL is,
that among our friends down East, and espe-
cially in the best cultivated portions of it--you
never, or very rarely, see premium offered for a
horse. A farmer will keep one TO carry his family
10 meeting, those excellent roads always TO be
found where the loom and the anvil near to the
plough, and in the week when hauling, TO hitch on
| ahead Of his oxen
alt is the great boast Of Pennsylvania, compris-
ing about many the six New England
States together that che supports population less
than they by about 500 900, but then, she feed,
100000 horses than all these sir States united
Surprising her 10 superscde $4,000 Of them with
oxen, and yet retain 30 900 horses than are TO
be found in all New England, leave you to calcu-
late how much beef could be reared and fsttened,
for feeding men. on the 200 900 acres dedicated
10 the feeding Of these 80 900 horses thus substituted
by oxen, supposing these horses to consume the
produce annually OF six Of oats, at 33 bushels
10 the acrei
"And here, again, this question Of the extent to
which the use OF horses supcrsedes the production OF
butchers meat "a problem we'll worthy of careful
-. H. n ~ Il L