Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-02-28
From the American Farmer.

boston. anu receipt LOT pdyHneh ioI IHe sunni
From the American Farmer.
Address OF the Hon. WIilOughby Newton.
Delivered before the Maryland State Agricultural Society,"
Third Amnuai Exhibition the City of Baltimore
October 25th, 1850.
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the SocietU:
The honor of addressing you this, your third
anniversary. cannot but regard as most crafty
ing distinction. Yet should shrink from the seem
ngly easy but really difficult task, which your kind
ness has assigned me- if were not impelled by a
high sense of duty to its cheerful performance
know full we'll the disadvantages of my position. A
stranger with claims upon your favorable atten-
ton it is my fortune to follow in the discharge of
this duty, two of your most eminent and cherished
citizens-thc distinguished in the councils of
your State the other, in those of the nation-and
both not only skilled in noble art but famed for
learning. taste, and all those accomplishments
cessary to give effect to discourse The contrast is
fearful yet Maryland, not combining the benefits of
her Society to her citizens but in spirit of
generous and enlarged patriotism. having summoned
the surrounding States to this Amphictyonic coun-
Gil, no true son of Virginia could be wanting in
public spirit, recreant to a noble cause, as to
decline invitation to participate IN Its debera-
tons.
The establishment of the board of agriculture in
England, has been justly regarded constituting a
new in British husbandry, the of Sir John
Sinclair will descend to the latest posterity associa-
ted with unading honor. the founder of that be-
nifcent institution TWAS his privilege as its pres
i1ent to arouse the attention not only of Europe,
but of some of the first minds in country, to
the study of agriculture liberal and enlightened
pursuit. His correspondence with Washington re-
called the glores ofancient times, when Tully spoke
in praise of agriculture when Cato, the censor, and
Virgil taught it, as a noble art. and Rome, in her
palmiest days. called from the plough her wisest
councillors and most consummate military leaders.
An accomplished British writer informs us, that
before the board established, the bond of connec
ton among agriculturalsts slender each trus-
ted to his information, and knew little more a.
bout the practices of conterminous districts than
those of China or the most distant countries. The
establishment of the board removed, at once, all
these evils 1t made farmers who resided in the
most distant quarters of the kingdom acquainted
with one another, and caused rapid dissemination
of knowledge among the whole profession" These,
and other benefits Justly attributed to the British
board of agriculture have been already conferred
and will doubtless be yet more extensively dispensed
by the liberal and expansive policy of the Society
over which you preside. Here. enlightened farmers
from distant States meet together interchange views
and receive, whilst they impart instruction; and in
genOus mechanics and manufacturers from all parts
of our extended country, have afforded them an OPP
portunity of exhibiting under the most favorable
circumstances. the products of their ingenuity and
labor. And when survey the vast variety of beau
tiful, complicated, yet simple and useful machines,
which the ready genius of our inventive countrymen
have spread before us, in the splendid exhibition of
the last three days, are at loss to determine,
Mr.. President whether, by the establishment of
your Society you have done more to advance the
honor and reputation of American artizans, the
interests of American farmers. In view of all these
useful results may it not be confidently said, after
three years successful operation of your Society
that it has constituted era in American agri-
culture. and that name intimately connected with
its establishment, must be added to the roll of fame
and go down to posteriy with that OF Sir John Sim
clair, among the illustrious benefacters OF mankind
In addressing this large and enlightened audience
find the chief difficulty to consist in selecting from
the various topics that present themselves. such
may be most interesting. appropriate and useful. To
combine entertainment with instruction, is at all
times difficult task and although, this occasion,
/ cannot aspire to its accomplishment, yet hope
your interest in the important subjects to be discuss
ed, will insure your patient attention, whilst
endeavor to illustrate actual condition, future
prospects, and the best Of improving our agrl-
culture increasing its profits, and advancing the dig
nifty and usefulness Of our noble profession.
1t has been very much the fashion of Late with a
certain class of writers, whose views readily
dopted by the unthinking multitude, to decry the
state of agriculture among us. Maryland and Viz
GINA usually selected, by way of illustration
few hafobserved facts hastily collected, dignh
ed with the of statistics and in defiance of the
true principles Of the Baconian philosophy, made
the foundation of Il comprehensive theory. stran
ger, who has never visited our cheerful fre-sldes
well-tlled fields, enjoyed the elegant
hospitality of our refined and enlightened people, has
conception Of true condition. He has beer
taught to believe that poverty grass, broom straw
and old field pines constitute chief productions
And because population has not kept pace witt
that of the manufacturing States of the East, the
and tecming West, supposed to have
reached premature decay, exhibiting melancho
ly picture of homes abandoned focks dispersed, anC
lands desOlate and uneultivated. Moral and poti
cal philosophers, eager to build system, taking this
to be true condition, Immediately set about to
account for it. Some with ready zeal in the cause
of u sentimental philanthropy, find this blightin2
curse in our peculiar institutions and the species OF
labor with which our fields arc cultivated others
who deem our labor the best and most productive in
the world trace, with certainty, supposed decline
to the grinding influence of Northern monopoly, anC
would find for it an effectual remedy in unlimited
free trade whilst third class at the head of which
stand the Nesor of the agricultural press attributes
it, with equal confidence, to the dispersion of ou
populations and the separation of the plough, the
loom and the ANVIL and thinks can be relieved
from condition of degrading nferority, only by
g efficient tariff of protection"
There appeared, some years ago. in the Encyclo
pedid americana. an article entitled {" general de-
scription of Virginia. attributed to the pen Oft dstn
guished gentleman. native of the county of North
cumberland. now u resident of the city of Richmond
In this paper which now forms pant of the hstor,
and literature of the country and has doubtless haC
great Influence in forming opinion to the agrcul
tural condition and of Virginia are in
formed that '' in very many instances, agriculture
among affords bare subsistence, whilst IN 9th
it yields net profit of from TO per cent; anC
Of Eastern Virginia it is said that it is in genera
low, level, sandy and unproductve and parts of i
exhibit almost desolate aspect the pine bar
of Tho viayvS oyprnSSed NV this authO