The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-10-04
Prom the Deuoi, Free rrsss--erus.

i'o" Wv $500 -T-
Address,
Delivered before The Michigan State agricultural Soeistg,
at as lard annual fair held al Detroit September "a,
rs. and 26, 1851.
BY HON LEWIS CAss.
[coaCLuDED1
And thus is the earth covered with EVERY GREEN
THING and Nth this uniformity OF structure all the 81
versi6sd forms Of vegetable organization almost Infinitely
various are brought into being and made subsersen 10
the purposes OF man Among these gifts Of Nature u our
sugar maple. and elsewhere is the caouchouc nee,
ing that most useful substance. India rubber ns vppy
whose concrete juice is opium, an important -
mseria medica the Aluspar, whose zap ~ order 10
active poison, used TO impregnae inc fvsis ,,s
obtain the fish the Bamonsa ,ss and whose stem
is hollow and divided by joints al SHOT, m ~ e, -
which contains pure mpd walef 10 'ne 'aar
shis n,oducion which supplies milky juice similar IN
4. to The milk OF animals and extensively used
nv The inhabitants where this benehcent production
sSonnJs But the whole vegetable world oilers sub
isct more worthy OF contemplation than the Cocos
Mauia-a found in the tropical regions OF South
America Its green shoots serve as ament, and IT
furnishes. bread and wine, and oil and fruit, and
materials for clothing mats, hats, and sails Tor SHIPS
and for dwellings, wonderful illustration OF The power
OF Nature evolve substances numerous and
rous by the ordinary process OF vegetation, from the
alimenary matter which everywhere furnishes the
nutrment OF plants. The application OF the principles
deduced from the researches OF scientific observers
less important TO the purposes OF the practical farmer
than the increased knowledge OF the beautiful system OF
require proper food for their growth and Tor the ultimate
development OF their properties, and that this food is Sc
GREETED ana sent on 70 lis work by vessels
and that this organization not merely mechanical opera
ting by chemical anities and laws, but EN-
bTacng principle OF vitality low indeed IN the scale oil
living being but mighty in its extentihese facts, now
well established and daily opening more and more TO US
are intimately connected win ne wnoe 6s o. ea
Of nS
the nutrlmenia principle is most abundant, and judi
ciousy applied there it will produce corresponding ef-
feet upon the body that mbbes it, We are thus brought
to consideration OF the nature and condition OF the soil
and Of the properties and preparation OF be materials Tor
manuethe most important part OF practical agriculture
Ii is subject into which have no time to enter touch
but the most general outline The system of creation is
of life and DEATH following each other in reverend
ing successiona system of production, OF destruction,
and of reproduction Ii were idle 10 speculate upon the
final Of this ordination OF Nature and worse than
idle 10 endeavor to investigate the purpose OF the Creator
in this Infinite multiplication of organic beings, perform
ing certain assigned operations and then disappearing 10
give place to their successors. From the flower that
blooms but TO die to the giant OF vegetation the monu
ment OF ages that have swept it from the insect
which sports its brief hour the sunshine, fulfilling the
duty imposed upon it, and then vanishes from existence
Levathan, which God Of all his works
Created hngest tina. swirns the ocean stream"
and to man. the visible head Of this wonderful creation
to whom was assigned dominion" ii-al all pro.
claim the universal decree, THAT THEY CAME FROM
DUST, THEY MUST RETURN TO DUST-Wnen, we know mol
but know it will be soon for brief is the interval
when most extended, which separates us from this
momentous change, ordained by Almighty Wisdom. Blu,
the most superficial observation shows that principle
looking the greatest share OF enjoyment by sentient
beings rational and Irrational, compatible with their
diton and TO its greatest diffusion, by the multiplication of
individuals, pervades the system OF Nature; and beau
fu manifestation is OF the power and goodness of God
II death comes 10 ALL ii is but TO give place 10 renewed
life thus fulfilling the great law OF existence We
know but li,te-next to nothing indeedof the ele
ments Of matter These termed such which battle all
our Efforts al decomposuou Al the commencement OF
the present century there were twenty OF these ele
mentary bodies, and now there sxtythree showing
the great progress OF practical chemistry Their number
changes with chemical know ledge; but we must
avoid the OF supposng that their max
known TO us the true primordlal substances which
stitute the basis OF the material world Ii is knowl-
edge we may never reach. But, however this may be,
and whatever is the principle Of vegetable nurment.
experience shows that is exhausted by the supplies it
furnishes, and then becomes useless, and must be
placed by substances in which il abounds. And We
have thus the theory OF soil and and every agr-
cultural observer should keep in view. in The pepara-
ton OF his ground. in the application of ferizng mat
ter. and IN the varous operations connected with the
growth OF the crop II is by combining observations
gether that we give them their true value and learn the
more general laws that control the phenomena of Nature
have already said that the field of agricultural i'm
provemen has prescribed limits that human vision
rest upon and we thus encouraged to extend our
searches with RATIONAL prospects OF success And as an
example OF the effect OF cultivation il is stated by Bousn
gaut that beet seed weighing but the fraction OF .
grain has produced beet weighing hundred and
sixtytwo thousand grains or twenty -egh, pounds Blu
though we know not how far go, know
where cannot 60. We know that increase III,
sxe and improve the properties OF plants by judiciou
culture but that we cannot so change their essential
ture confound the established order of creation anc
TO destroy the boundary that divides the various species
by new families, called into existence by Reason
and analogy and universal experience from the earlies
periods. leach that efforts ameoraon should be
confined within their legitimate lmIis-ihe attempt 10
improve the qualities OF existing plants and animals and
not TO invade the province OF the Creator by rash
deavors to multiply, with the faculty OF reproduction the
forms of matter, endowed by Him with life II we have
to be proud OF the advance OF modern knowledge
have TO be humble when the presump D.
ton with which 1t is too often applied MOI content with
the proofs OF intelligent Creative power, which &C
company from the cradle to the grave and which
elaon and experience equally announce, we seek
ing with blind rashness TO reject the true origin OF this
great scheme Of Almighty Wisdom--ths union OF mind
and masr-and to find some kind of foruilous creation
some shadowy plan of progression by which the mos
imperfect organization gradually rises in the scale of be
ing, and step by step, spontaneously and by its own in
herent force, ultimately the perfect forms
OF animal life.
There ~ tendency not 10 be mlsundersto towards
cold and hearless materalIsm IN many physical inves
tgatons OF the present day, and there is tendency
equally obvious in moral investiga 10 be carried
away by and arrange doctrines, one OF which teaches
u.s. as its HieTophant announces in work captivating
for it's bodness and novelty that all distinction betceen
the physical and moral annied that .grades of mind
Ike forms OF body, mere stages OF development and
that there no essential difference btiueen and beast
And unfortunately, the restraining pow Of the Chris
uan religion the hearts and minds of men has bee
neither directed by wisdom conducting TO truth From
the great etOrehouAe German