Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1850-01-29
AGRICULTURAL.
Professor MapeS Oh Agriculture


tive wealth, by Improvements in this all
important branch of industry, were clear
ly exhibited and to this end, the import
ance of an Agricultural Bureau, recon-
mended by Washington and sanctioned by
the elder Adams, but neglected till this day,
was shown to he a great national lnstru-
ment for bringing about the desired results.
1t was stated that an advance in improve
mentsewhich would add one half 10 the
agricultural product of the country, would
be equal to the whole annual revenue Of
the United States. But to the lecture, Of
which we suhloin brief reports
Prof. VI. said, it is difficult, i'll address
inc popular audience on this subject, to
suit the requirements Of all. If agricuI-
ture is treated strictly with reference TO It's
chemical or scientific character, II loses
interest with practical farmers; while a
more practical course renders 1t less at
tractive to Il general audience. shall en-
dcavor to convince my practical friends OF
the necessity of understanding theoretical
truths, and also to convince those not so
Immediately connected with agriculture,
that thorough farming is not without gen.
cral interest.
Farming calls into action all our llnoW!~
edge all the sciences are lis adjuncis,
while It's importance to the body polite
renders it worthy the atteNt'92 cI PhiIan-
thropists. In relation to the general inn
portance of agriculture. the lecturer stated
that England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland
and the adjacent islands, had population
OF 80, 100000, and that the total area of
land was but S7.440, 900 acres, while the
United States, with atpopulation of H.
43I GOO, has al area of land of 0,053,-
1870 acres, and that this was exclusive of
territorial and newly acquired lands. The
public lands of the United States amount
in all to I,581.243,2O0 acres of these
immense tracts but I42, 100000 Of acres
have been disposed of
The professor here referred TO the fact,
that much the larger portion Of our whole
population were engaged in agricultural
pursuits, ana advcrted to the late message
of the President, and his recommendation
Of an Agricultural Bureau.
He stated that the crop Of Indian corn
for 1917 was not less than G0,000,0O0
bushels, and that It's export value was
S3O,O0O.OO0. That i'll the world at large,
200, coo, zoe Of human beings are sup
ported by agriculture, and nine-tenths of
the available capital in the world IS en-
ployed in agricultural uses.
With these facts before us, twas strange
that so little had been done to advance ag-
riculure as a science and the lecturer
here gave variety of reasons for the want
OF energy on the part Of farmers in adopt
ing the current improvements OF the day
and cited number of exceptions, show
ing that over 100 bushels of shelled corn
had been raised per acre in many parts OF
the State, but that still no organization had
existed for disseminating a knowledge OF
these improvements. He dwcit at some
length on the improperly OF manuung
soil without reference 10 lis chemical con-
stituents or the requirements OF plants,
and stated that no farmer who could read,
need at this time pursue so improbable
course of farming. If any soil known 10
produce a large crop should be anal wed,
any other soil containing fair share OF
similar constituents could, by jndicous
manuring, based on an anal ySlS, OF the soil,
be made to produce similar crops.
We regret our space will not permit us
to 90 more fully into the details OF the
early part of the lecture, but were fully
convinced that the arguments were tenab!e
and that if our farmers would attend the
lectures of Professor NJ, new era IN az
riculture would be the necessary conse-
quence.
He complained that our colleges have
no organization for agricultural instruction
while those of France and other countries
were founding prolessorsmps for all the
branches collateral 10 agricultural insiruc-
ton.
He spoke at length Of The importance of
geology, meteorology, botany, &c, to a
HIGH state of agriculture, and that for the
want of such knowledge our farmers were
not occupying the position IN the body
polite that the importance OF their voca-
lion entitled them to. Here the professor
made some alluson TO his own farm, and
The high state of cultivation ii was now
under, from merely applying the publish
ed improvements of the day in the best
manner. That he was entitled TO no es-
peciai credit for originality, but that he had
simply collated the discoveries OF others
and applied them with reference TO the
chemical constituents of his soil.
The lecturer then remarked, by the
time he had finished his lecture before this
audience, any of his auditors VIII be Ca
pahIe of duplicating the experiments.
Ii plants are subjected to destructive
u = IL ~ cor