The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-08
Agricultural.
From Mapes' american Farmer.
Agricultural Surveys, etc.

ledge. Politicians ready to assert the import
of agriculture, and TO praise in no weak terms
the farmers honest life; yet these topics
finish Grafton, give point 10 adisplay of rheto
rio, but farther needed; and our Legislators
seem TO forget the lessons which they heard during
the canvass.
The very small amount of money that would suf-
hce 10 give US accurate information the agricu-
tura matters of State, would be well invested.
few thousands would produce incalculable ad-
vantage.
Congress has attempted something of the sort in
the returns of the Patent Office but this Is very
feeble attempt at what is required Ii is peculiarly
the duty of the States foster and improve agri-
culture.
have been highly gratiied by the recent peru
sal of the fourth report of the commissioner for the
agricultural survey of the State of Massachusetts,
and sorry to learn from il that the Legislature
had failed to continue the survey by the requisite
appropriation.
lin and Mddlesex, but ii is prepared with apparent
care, and is highly valuable as standard book OF
reference.
A statement of some of the contents will indicate
its value. They are, general description, aspect,
soils, condition of the inhabitants, agricultural pur-
suits, crops, the dairy, maple sugar, live stock,
sheep, swine, horses, manures, rotation of crops,
particular results, reports of farms, SC, &c
In fact, the volume gives very minute account
of the then situation of all agricultural matters in
the two counties, and furnishes information,o
IRENE value.
! hope that your paper will impress on the Legis-
lature Of our State the Importance of having an
agricultural survey made of our entire territory.
The subject is well worthy of public attention, and
am satisfied that your journal may be very profit
ably devoted to advocating such measure.
Wishing you great success, am
Yours, respectfully, IT, J. H.
We welcome T. j. III. to columns, and are
glad to find that he, at least feels with us the
cessity Of an agricultural survey of State and
we hope that his extensive influence will be used TO
furt her q nd we hen
ticated statements of large crops unaccompa-
MED by any detail of the means by which they
produced, and thus our farmers are amused rather
than instructed The agricultural community is
not migratory; their avocations require their pre-
sence at home, and thus they have means of
knowing what is actually the difference in the
modes of agriculture even in different parts of our
own State. Any real improvement IN the mechanic
arts becomes generally adopted, and the itine
rant habits of the workmen soon disseminate the
necessary knowledge.
Not 80 with agrculturists; the shabitant" of
Canada still yokes his by the horns, while his
neighbor Of the northern part of our State places
the yoke on the neck of the oxen The manure
purchased at high prices in part of our State,
ia thrown away without their virtues being known
in another part; and all these public wastes
from the want of proper agricultural survey of
each county, detailing the mode of culture, results,
manures, sc.
The immortal Washington recommendeda home
department of agriculture, which, like the far
famed but little understood resolutions OF 9s, has
been trumpeted forth in laconic defamation, but
has never found an advocate who has accompanied
the proposition with bill for its organization. The
farmers are tired of waiting for any action on the
pa ri of the General Government, and now, almost
Ia despair they ask the States individually to com
mence action. The. mechanic arts have patent
office as the means of disseminating their improve
ments; bat the farmers, Notwithstanding their inn
portant position producers are without any such
means; and while their exertons give tone to all
the other interests, they are supnely silent IN as
,na,r r,crbf heir
them from being public men, and therefore they
pay the larger share of the public taxes, without re
ceving any of the public benefits awarded TO other
branches Of national industry.
Who answer, at this time, the often asked
anestion of what IL the proper depth to plough Who
could not this question if the results OF crops
should be given in agricultural survey, accom-
panied with all the necessary minutlG OF culture!
Thousands of loads of fertiizng materials daily
thrown away in our large cities, the value OF which
would then be rendered available.
Let our merehants. propr,etors OF railroads, &c
all recollect that an improvement IN agricultural
knowledge, which would result IN an increase oi
product Of one per cent. on its present quantity
would add more to the national wealth than the
whole amount of revenue of the General Govern
ment and this wealth would be received in the coin
and commodities Of other countries becoming per-
manently added to capital, instead of being, a.
with the present revenue, payment made BY our
own citizens to Government officers, 10 be again
redistributed partly at home and partly by our
public servants in foreign countries.
Even the bill passed by Congress to enable the
Commissioner Of Patents 10 print an account OF the
agriculture Of the country, restricted his report TO
four hundred pages; and since the early part Of
lS47 no new appropriation has been made for It's
continuance Let us beg Of brothers Of the agrlcul
tural press join in calling public attention TO
these facts and arouse our readers to such action az
will secure their rights.
Why is it that Congress should have refused a
Gift Of land 10 the American Institute, 10 be appro-
lima of nil n
c,sDd but one hundred acres in each of the Allan
tic States be appropriated TO this purpose, We
should be able gradually to acclimate the plants OF
the tropic, many of them, eventually 10
settle the long mooted question Of acclmation.
POSTAGE on SEEDS AND GRAFTs.-we learn by
the Maine Farmer that the Cincinnati Horticultural
Society are preparing 70 petition Congress on this
subject, asking for law to permit packages Of
seeds and scions weighing less than two ounces ~
be sent by mail for the same rate Of postage a.
newspapers Such a law would enable agricultur-
lists 20 order seeds by mail, and thus have a safe
and dry transportation. We often receive cat
alogues from many parts Of the country, and would
be glad TO order small quantities of seeds If any
method were provided for transportation, and thu
products Of particular sections of the country arr
prevented from being generally disseminated
Our farmers seem TO despair Of receiving any en-
couragement by legislative aid, and spirit Of nu
tual encouragement IL manifesting Throughout
the country The agricultural papers are daily
giving new proof Of the rising importance and i'm
proyement of agriculture, and new societies, k
daisies in spring, the forerunners Of happy pa
rents. We notice that the North Kennebeck Agr
cultural and Horticultural Societies distributing
premiums establishing library, &c. Until TN
establishment Of Home Department At Washing
ton, such societies must be the only means Of col
iating agricultural information.
The necessity Of disseminating agricultural in
formation cannot be better understood than By
stating the fact that many gardeners at Hsrsimu
pay rent Of from $50 70 $50 per acre per an
num- for land of no better quality than many acre
within few miles, which could be bought for les
than the rent Of an at Harsimus for two year
but that from superior knowledge, these gardener
are enabled 10 make large profits and pay the-
exorbitant rents. Their crops are double those
less scientific operators, and the continued hlg
rents in that vicinity only 10 be accounted fo
by saying, that IL one hundred men hshin
from bridge, the catching the first fsh Il sur
20 have every line thrown in HE immediate vicinity
II shall be our care TO furnish readers with a
the improvements in agriculture as fast a. they o
cur and also 90 make them acquainted with Oh
current knowledge Of the day.
While there is too much Legislation most sal
n he ~