Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1849-11-15
EXTRACTS
from the Speech of Mr.. Webster

olHerent from the general method Of cultivation il
: the Commonwealth, except this, that have beer
persuaded, by reading and by observation abroad
that there is one species of cultivation almost un
known in the State of Massachusetts which il
still very well suited for places where there is
great proportion oflight land, mean the root cul
tivation--that of turnips and beets. And from al
flights of oratory upon agriculture, l come dowr
to the simple beets and turnips, and to give yo,
one word of recommendation upon that subject
NOW the time is coming when the light land.
must yield themselves to this culture | argue i
from analogy; see that the cultivation of the tur
MP crop is the very soul and substance of Englist
husbandry. see that England would fail to pa,
the interest of her national debt if turnips were
excluded from her culture
1t is just as certain as any thing in the world, il
would be impossible for the cultivation of England
to go on without the culture of turnips 1t is sew
eral years since it was first introduced there No.
body here has hardly yet attended to it. Ii is the
green crop OF turnips which has rendered England
so rich in agriculture
What are the cattle and the sheep of England
supported one On corn or dry wheat! 1t is not
extravagant to say that four ffths Of the beef OF
England0he best in the word) is fattened upon the
turnips of England. AS to rearing so many sheep,
! { | do not know the number-perhaps sixty or
seventy millions of feeces per year,) without
turnps, nobody thinks of doing such thing
Now. l would say that the light lands of this
part of the country favorable for turnips as
in England, with one exception. In Englan the
turnip crop is usually consumed by the anima Is in
the field. 1t is not a country where there is
great severity Of winter. The ground is not fro
zen for any considerable part of the time to pre-
vent the sheep from being out in all weather.
But. this is not the case in Scotland where the
crop is equally profitable. There they draw it,
as it is called-they house it, and very light COW
ering will keep off the frost there and also here
This is the basis of their prodigious production
OF animal food and wool which those Countries
yield. l have compared statstics-I have looked
at the products of my own small field, and l find
that have now down there-the poorest farmer
on the poorest farm in the poorest county, have
turnips which am willing to show TO and to COM
pare with any farmer in Yorkshire. (Hear hear)
We talk about the breed of cattle. and to be sure,
it is very important But allow me to say, that no
breed can be good and strong, and fat and hand
some, without good keeping. Several rounds Of
applause) We must adopt three rules which the
old Cato gave with regard to the raising of ami
mals--"Feed," "Feed well" Feed high" cCa-
to's the man--three cheers for Catos rules.'')
Now, gentlemen We see in the eastern parts Of
the Commonwealth cattle not such as they should
be, because we see pastures so dry, so rocky, so
covered with bushes, that they would be able TO
defy all the breeds in creation. The great point
to which improvement should tend is, to Improve
the means of sustaining anHnals--to increase the
quantity and improve the quality othe food TOR an
mals.
wish well to Agriculture, and yet think Ag- |
rculture is dead and lifeless unless other pursuits
are encouraged. know that the agricultural pro- |
ducer is nothing unless there is consumer. /
know therefore, that the interests of manufactures
are and ought to be as dear to the farmer as his !
handsomest stock, his choicest implements, or his
best soil, (applause;) as, indeed, all these in
terests. There cannot be good farms with ample
where there is no successful ship
making or navigation. Observe I speak OF farm
ing-FARMING in our New England sense. / am
Dot speaking of that whic h is called the planting
interest, where the most is produc ed for export
alton. Ispeak of farming. Planting is connected
With commerce-with capital. That capital is
Usually slaves. The success OF that business de-
sends on the fall or rise of the commodity raised
n foreign market. II is different. If we have i,
surplus, we send it to market if the price be
,ieh and that makes our profit But, if the mar
let be low yet we have enough in our own houses, ,
Without selling or buying food and drink, and are
appy for the winter But we consider that if we +
% to plantation concern where tobacco and cot c
on are the only things sent to the market you per-
eive that any change in the market necessarily c
uns through the whole year The planters sue n
ess depends entirely on one crop, and it compes
i'm to buy everything and sell only one thing G
Now, gentlemen, do not speak merely of one
hing, and not of others. Farming consists offais-
10 articles for the Subsistence of human life and
elling the surplus to friends. | say that is as ;
uch dependent on the success of other classes f
industry as upon the success of its own class
saw that in this view the agricultural, commercial
nd manufacturing interest is common one, bound d
eetber by an iridissoluble connection One can II
II rise if others fail. One will not fall il others
tre1 d. -