The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-04
AGRICULTURAL.
virginia,

a.. !.
The Loom, and The Anvil,' for February
When the doctors mistake the symptoms of the
disorder, how can they rely ON their remedys
Time out of mind, have they been holding soon
vention:." and forming societies, to improve agri-
culture in Virginia, II her individually
deficient in knowledge zeal Whereas we ven-
ture to say, that in the whole Union the agrcults
raj community 10 nowhere better informed, as te
the structure OF implements the qualities of demes
TIC animals, the value of manure, and as to the
most approved processes Of agriculture, than are
the farmers Of virginia generally And yet we find
the Hon. A. Stevenson, one of her most enlightened
patriotic, and justly distinguished citizens, in
highly instructive address to the agricultural society
OF Albemarle, says; at can hardly be necessary
70 attempt to impress upon you the depressed ana
scretc1ed condition Of the farming interests throughout
me State at large, with the exception of some few
portions Of IL, which constitute honorable and praise
worthy exceptions" Now the question arises, one
which no true Virginian will attempt to dodge OF
blink, ichence this ''.Dretched and miserable
condition Of the farming interest trot hof the Slater?
For one, well know his zeal in the cause, and
the fulness OF his anxiety for all that concerns the
welfare oil his State, we must presume, with I'M
ieigned respect, TO differ with Mr.. S. in the opinion
he expresses that
'n the first place, then, it has mainly arisen from
too great an indifference might almost say total
disregard-of modern scientific knowledge, con-
nected with practical agriculture, foreign and do
mcstic; from decprooted attachments to old habits
ofcultvation. descending from generation to gen.
GRAFTON, and from father to son, and which attach
SO many Of our Virginia farmers with 'hooks of
steel to their ancient modes of cultivation
Meetings Of the same character have been held in
various parts OF the country, where gentlemen Of
superior intelligence and undoubted patriotism,
and public spirit Of both parties, chow Notifying
to speak OF party in connexion with such great in
dustrial questionD have maintained the same views,
asserted the same evil, and called for the same
remedies.
We rather apprehend that the principal cause of
the depressed and wretched condition of agricul-
ture there, well as in many other States-New
YORK, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, included-is
to be found in another passage Of the address,
wnere the orator states, in speaking of America:
or eighteen millions of her population, engaged in
Ininishing."
Here, in our humble Judgment, lies the great &C.
cret Of "he depressed and irretched condition of the
agricultural interest of every State, and of every
country where the agricultural producers are in
such enormous disproportion to their customers.
we had occasion, lately, to run a comparison be-
tween the growth and progress in population and
wealth, of Massachusetts and North Carolina, for
the last half century; by which il SEEM that the
for thirty years to maintain her position ahead,
nay, TO widen the gap between them both going
along at rather slow pace, as long the popula-
ton Of both States remained, in very large pro,
portion, as it still does in North Carolina al he
plough, In the full proportion here stated by Mr.
stevenson. But, twenty years since, after three
heats OF ten years each, and when against the vote
OF Massachusetts, the policy of the Government was
changed, tempting capital and labor to the loom
and the anvil she, with that pliability Of genius
and adaptabiiity TO circumstances which distin-
cuisines the New England man, promptly occupied
the avenues opened to her industry, against her
consent--and 10! what change! In twenty years
she has hlied up the gap, which till then had been
widening between her and the old North State;
and now, at the end of this heat in the year of our
Lord 1850, instead of l27 900 Of population behind
she will come out ahead of her large old sister
and that In spite of fluctuations in the tariff policy
Of the country, which, like occasional calms at sea
have left the sails of her industry to hang apping
against the mast. Even now some of her great
branches OF industry whiting, like corn in
season OF sudden and severe drought; still the in
crease OF her population, her railroads. her schools
her commerce, and all the signs of wealth and pros
perity and power, since she commenced to draw
,he loom and the anvil close around the plough and
the harrow, have been without example in the in
dustrial progress of any people.
Now, what resource facility for manufactures
does Massachusetts possess that Virginia does not
enJoy-two for one? Massachusetts has no coal
Their, with soil and climate greatly inferior
while virginia emphatically abounds in all the ele-
ments Of all the industries that breed customers 10
yarmers The highest-priced wool in the northern
factories has been drawn from her mountains in
near proximity to coal, and iron, and wood, and
water power, that ought TO be spinning il into
yarn and weaving II into cloth. The shortness of
her winters, and the equaninty OF her climate &C.
cure to her iocks AN evener pile and a heavier
fleece than can be had where the growth ia arrest
ed by severe cold And, from the fact that there is
Tor labor but the one channel, her mountains and
valleys are hlled with idle people, who would be
working up her WOOL putting money in their
purses, and becoming good customers on the spot
instead OF being burden to her agriculture.
w heat, at this time, is selling in Baltimore and
Richmond at 3 per bushel. When it brought
81 TO- General jackson said to DR.. Coleman
VIII ask, what is the real situation Of the agri-
eult1rsE Where has the American farmer mar
ket Tor his surplus produce? Except for cotton he
has neither foreign nor home market. Does not
tins clearly prove, when there is no market either
at home or abroad, that there is too much labor
ployed in agriculture and that the channels for la
Dor should be multiplied? Common sense points out
at once the remedy: draw from agriculture this
superabundant labor, employ Il in mechanism and
your breadstufs and distributing labor to the most
profitable account, and benefits 10 the country will
result. Take from agriculture in the United States
SIX hundred thousand men, women, and children,
ana you VIII at once give home market for more
brcadstuffs than all Europe now furnishes U.S. In
short sir, we have been too long subject to the pol
ICY OF British merchants Ii is true that we should
become little more Americanized, and, instead of
feeding the paupers and aborers Of ngland, las we
do by sending there for her manufacturer feed
our own; or else, in short time, by continuing our
present free irade policy we shall all be rendered
Colonel John Taylor, of Caroline, the father of
40 much oil the melioration which has taken
place in the practical agriculture Of the South,
pronounced the opinion, that wheat would not
pay, when its product fell below ten bushels.
Now, we hope we "dont intrude," but does vir.
gina acreage eight of wheat or twenty Of corn, or
as many Of oats' What, in short, is the per cent
age Of profit ON all the capital embarked in agricu
ture, according TO a fair valuation and how stands
the account at the end Of the year of her
capital and labor! Will some friend-say OF the Al
bemarie Agricultural Seciety-let us know what
Ia the general, or his own impression; And we
venture TO ask, e,urete caiano, but most respect
fully, the delegates from each county now at Rich
mond, 20 confer, and inform us at Washn pton
where we are residing, what is their necessarily
rough, but impartial estimate-esch speaking for
their own county-of the supposed average acre.
able product In the various grain crops, and in to-
bacco, where that crop is cultivated, We shall
endeavor TO get at the same object, by the same
means, in some other States. The result would be
valuable item in agricultural statistics-much
more reliable than such estimates sometimes are.
But TO return 70 our subject:
Have not State agricultural societies been repeat
cdly formed and Incorporated in Virginia and
other States under promising auspices, but ending
IN abortion sooner or later they ever WILL until
aided by wise course Of general legislation that
will tempt millions Of capital and Of men to come
within her borders, there to work up, on the spot
the raw materials OF industry which The God Of Ma
ture has bestowed upon Virginia in such profusion
and whch-as He does nothing without dcsion--