The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-07-03
A Treatise
on TIE
SCIENCE OH A AGRICULTURE
IA rR. John $. EIcir.

Agricnltttrc--as rtea,cl Of in this pee
tho production of vegetable matter: allas
it is no. yet given to nian 10 draw asi1 Ike
mystic veil, and at one glanccnf NSua's
vast and sablime laboratory see fhew CHI
ing beauties thcrc7:and comprch@ thc
amazing machinations of her diric art,
the science is one ol peculiar, dndnarning
interest, independent, OF all othcron"':r-
~atIons, to fhc active and phyiuSrlc ..and.
If TO looksupoh tho green mJaJys: the
iuxhriaht foliage OF the hillside the lns-
'ciols fruits, and the rnultituqe : vatie.a-
tcd tlowers, with their o5ri.,rous per-
fumes' and contemplate III .armG and
exquisite beauties with ,hr cf&oi science
& tesiot the most plcasns IA Natural avo-
cation lio OF man, it ccftayiy Expands the
mind eieyates !ha sUli, AZ, prepares it in
Il, some ca de ,bya tarhilt,Sswits Natures
81 ,le time whe4e shall stand
Id lisesence OF Na.hrfiod.
SO ne 4 a'itiefli,
is Gsss
litiiaiara & isfslfy tsS
most egtnDati6la
of God, and the most di-
patton, the evidences arc not to
j sIdsE Toned. Tt t:as the first sole work
laf:oiir stipare;its were Instructed in the
n! ciice ost and totcxcrcise their hands in
t.1.sst ffS,.s fl,.,.,. a
should have lost the art, which, has
never yet been restored TO their chill
Sdren, SINCE .(orsaoth, it is literally BY
n he - sweat OF the bron:,' that they cat
bread. hSlt was OF divine origin in Egypt, rs
the statues OF their gods even to this day,
Indicate. The Greeks and Romans sang
SstlleiIspTaises TO the goddess Minerva for
: Ut. No sfnalion, either ancient or MODERN
/ 'eYar asccnded in the scale of greatness,
Z without q knowledge of .tgricaltnrc.-
When Sesostrs went forth in pursuit
Iof9mighty conquests, and returned with
kingly captivcs at his chariot wheels,
Egypt was an!Agricutural nation. When
Greece gave birth to such sons as E'ericlcs,
Thcmistocles, ,Dcmosthcnes, Acibiadcs and
ssotliers, and had climbed higl, on the ln,ltIcr
s'of prosperity, i'll the fine arts, in literature,
in wisdom, and in riches, she was an awri-
cultural nation. When Rome's soldiers
went forllIundcr such leaders as I.uculh,s,
sssStiammiius, Marits, the Scipios, the Ca
1 tos, Pompcy and Crsar causing "na-
lions TO quake, and inonarchs to rrcmblc in
theif capitals ard returned in glorious
sefaumph,lwith the Iaurels Of UNIVERSAL en-
( plre on thef temples, they we're an az
@tcnltural people. On the other hand,
= those nations, whose habits were not
agricultural have lived in the lowest
& sdcgradation, in civil tHscortb misery, g-
& &saorancc, and slavery; OF these, the va
$sious American Indian tribes, and some
5stof the eastern nations, arc examples so
'sIsaisit, are Some Of the republics oi South
America, where the main vocation is min
and where agriculture is neglected in
soto. Yet, though the science SssssR6c of d.
sstiDe origin, one by which the numerous
i billions of the more civilized portions Of
shc hnman family subsist, though, il,
f .is the theme for the pen Of the talented
though it is the pride, the boast, TIC de-
light, Of the most houralin. and polished
nations, like other things in the dark mazcs
!; saf Natures mysterious workings, to which
man, for the most part, must continue to be
sitangcr, and ookcr-on, but little is
( known.
the theories heretofore advanced (if
apg1 seem to have been started in igno-
sifaGo and presumption, OF, at least, based
upon no very solid philosophical footing;
anf-if there be any advancement in the
science, il is owing To experience, toll, and
gsbyoecdcnts; like, in the healing art, not TO
! cprrc etihoofy, aud ike TO the healing art,
Z itik a@sahcct out Of which speculation
r,fayspril.g lort', in its most cxtfayagan,
ltacss.
lnaslcrihal anything like new light