The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1851-06-25

COuSutucu 10 Wuke tnc Pi"h'S, "hoSO VI
ganic and inorganic elements are taken
from the soil and never restored! If lhis
he true, then all fertilizers are not only un-
necessary, but absolutely worthless. This
cannot be SO, for lands that, seventy years
ago, produced from twenty-five to Thirty
five bushels OF wheat in the State Of New
York, now yield only from six 10 nine
bushels per acre; and in all the old plant
ing States the results OF exhaustion are
Still moro extensive and still more disas
trous.
81 A lack Of mental culture and discipline
is the most serious impeachment to the diffu-
sion of agricultural science among the
mass of farmers. Its language is 10 them
an unknown tongue. Hence the most
sublime truths in the economy of nature
are shut ont from the popular understand
ing. 1t is feared that this will ever be the
case, until schools, designed to teach those
branches Of learning which the practical
farmer greatly needs, but does not possess,
are established and maintained throughout
the United States. So long as we refuse
to plant the seed, it is folly to expect rich
harvest Of knowledge.
We over.estimate the value OF mere
physical strength. like that Of an OK or
mule, and over-estimate the intrinsic worth
Of cultivated, well.developed reason, in
practical agriculture. No inconsiderable
degree Of mental culture must precede all
scientific tillage and husbandry. An oak
is not matured from an acorn in a day,
nor in year; nor is it possible to form in
a single generation, universally educa-
ted and highly improved race OF men,
Such improvements, to be general and fix.
ed in a people, as distinguished feature
in their character, must be deeply impress
sed on several successive generations.
As a class, farmers have few advantages
for being well informed insthe rapid pro-
gress now making in the economical i'm.
provement OF soils, cultivated plants, and
domestic animals. This lack Of opportu.
nity is serious misfortune, and leads to
this practical result: With five million farm
laborers-two million seven hundredthou-
sand in the slave-holding, and two million
three hundred thousand in the free States
American agricul,urists so misdirect this
immense power Of production. that the in
Jury done to one hundred million acres OF
land is nearly equal to all the apparent
nett profits on the whole rural industry OF
the country.
To illustrate an important fact as well as
principle, let us suppose farmer produces
crops worth one thousand dollars, and
they cost him, including all expenses for
labor, wear Of implements, interest on cap
i,al, &c., eight hundred and fifty dollars.
Nominally, he has profit Of one hundred
and fihy dollars. But it often happens
that, if he should undertake to replace in
his cultivated fields as much Of potash,
soda, ,magnesia, phosphorus, soluble silica,
and other elements Of crops, as both till.
age and cropping had removed, it would
cost him one hundred and seventy.five or
two hundred dollars to effect that purpose.
II is only by consuming the natural tertl-
ity of the iand that he has realized any
profit.
In q national point Of view, all labor
that impoverishes the soil is worse than
thrown away No fact in the science OF
political economy is more important than
this. To reduce field, which in its virgin
state produced forty bushels of corn per
acre, down to twenty, in ten years, ana
then cultivate it forty years, and harvest
only twenty bushels per acre, in place OF
forty. is equal to a loss Of four hundred
bushels oil corn per acre, or one-half the
diminished product, without any equlva.
lent whatever Thus to impoverish land
is TO wither the muscles Of both man and
beast employed in its tillage.
Human toll is often praised for being
highly productive, when, had the whole
truth been known, it would lave been
seen 10 be remarkably destructive. La
Dor never creates particle OF new mater
by blowing deep or shallow: but 1t ire
ouently places the elements Of grain, cot.
ton, and provisions beyond the reach OF all
scientific farmers who may live hereafter
and find the soil wanting in the raw mate
rial for making human food and ralment.
There appears TO be no government that
realizes its duty "to promote the puolic
welfare. by widely diffusing among its CIT.
izens a knowledge of the true principles OF
,illace, and by impressing upon them the
obligation which every cultvator OF the soil
owes to posterty, no, to leave the earth in
a less fruitful condition than he found it.
ANOTHER FIRE IN STOCKTON-THE
CITY IN ASHES!
Another disastrous fire has taken place
at Stockton, which has left this flourlshlnS
city in comparative ruins.
The Merchants Hotel was fired by an
incendiary, and spread with great rapldity
over the most valuable part OF the city.
The following are among the principal
losers:
r. Robinson, $153 900; Webb & Han
cock, $50, 900; Baker g. Hickman $50, 600;
C. j. Brown, $50 900: Heath & Cemond.
$50, 1000; Calvin, Paigne & Co., $50, 600;