The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-13

rude treatment in violation Of the laws Of vegetable
| life. On many plantations, the vital force Of the
sugar-cane Is nearly exhausted; and this Office is
strongly urged to procure from countries where the
plant is Indigenous and grows from the seed new
stock, both Of seeds and rattoons, for the use Of
planters In cultivating this tropical plant in dis
uicts bounding its zone the north, much care
and some science will be found highly useful.
Both seeds and cuttings of the best figs and olives
grown the coast Of the Mediterranean should be
procured through American consuls resident at the
different cities the borders of that sea. Figs and
grapes, .'oii and wine," will some day be number
| ed among the staples of the southern States.
There is reason to believe that the most i'm
proved varieties of wheat grown in England and
France will be valuable acquisition to this coun-
try; and our wheat growers would esteem IT an
especial favor if only few bushels were procured
for general distribution. With the small sum ap-
propriated for the purpose, about eighty thousand
packages of seeds have been put up and distributed
within the last three months. With better
ganization, and greater facilities for ccilecting
| seeds and cuttings, vastly more good might be
| done.
There now some 200, 600 copies of agricultu
raj papers and periodicals printed, which circulate
| more or less IN every State in the Union. These
are doing an invaluable service TO the country
They cannot, however, enact laws for collecting,
annually, reliable statistics Of the results of labor
and capital employed in agriculture Truthful
statistics form the basis Of all reformsof all pro-
gress. State Legislatures must aid in this great
work. II knowledge Is power" Ignorance is
tceakness; aud the removal of this weakness 10
OF the highest duties Of every republican govern
ment. Either the assessors or collectors Of State
and county taxes should be provided with blanks
TO collect useful information, well money,
from the people.
How Cries ExHAUsr THE FERriLIrY OF LAND.
There has been enough of the clements Of bread
and meat, wool and cotton, drawn from the sur
face of the earth sent to London and buried in the
ground washed into the Thames, to feed and
clothe the entire population of the world for
tury, under wise system Of agriculture and horti
.lf..~, A.sss..
been the desoators Of the earth II is for this
that they have been frequently buried many feet
beReath the rubbish Of their idols Of brick. stone
and mortar, to be exhumed in after ages by some
antiquarian Layard. Their Inhabitants violated
the laws OF nature, which govern the health Of man
and secure the enduring productiveness OF the soil
How few comprehend the fact that it is only the
elements of bread and meat, evolved during the
decomposition Of some vegetable or animal sub
stance, that poison the air taken into human lungs
and the water that enters the human system in
daily food and drink These generate pestlence,
and bring millions prematurely to their graves.
Why should the precious atoms OF potash, which
organized the starch in all the -four meal, and po-
atocs consumed in the cities Of the United States in
the year 1880 be lost forever To the world? Can
| create a new atom Of potash Of phosphorus when
the supply fails in the SOIL fail il must under our
present system Of farm economy Many broad
desert in Eastern Asia once gladdened the husband
| man with golden harvests. While America is the
! only country on the globe whore every human be-
| ing has enough to eat, and millions coming G
here for bread how long shall we continue To i'm
poversh ninety nine in hundred of all that
VIC cultivated Both pestilence and famine are the
offspring Of ignorance. Rural science is not mere
plaything for the amusement Of grown-up chill
dren. II is new revelation OF the wisdom and
goodness of Providence, huinanizing power
which is destined to elevate man iinmea-
| surable distance above his present condition.
To achieve this result, the light Of science must
not be confined to colleges; it must enter and
| illuminate the dwelling Of every farmer and me
chanic. The knowledge Of the few, no matter how
profound nor how brilliant, never compensate
Tor the loss sustained by neglectng TO develop the
| intellects of the many.
| No government should be wanting in sympathy
with the people, whether the object be the prcven-
ton of disease, the improvement of land, or the ed
ucation OF the masses One per cent. of the money
now annually lost by reason of popular ignorance
| would suffice to remove that ignorance.
| have the honor TO be, with great respect, your
obedient servant, DANIEL LEE.
Hon. THOMAS EwBANK,
| Commissioner Of Patents