Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-19
AGRICULTURAL.
Advance Of Agriculture.

Our readers VIII DC Surpfiscu W iedi IL
how much is being done by European
Governments for the advance Of Agricul-
turc, while our own general and state gov
ermcnts are supinely inert on this allmpor-
;nnt subject.
Every political economist knows that an
Increase OF production adds permanently
10 national wealth, and hence the English
government are ever ready to lend judi
tious aid to their farming interest. AS FL,
example by long experience it has been
asccrtained that by thorough undcrdrain-
ing, an acre of land will produce onc-tlird
more nett results to the owner, and there
iorcthc government have enacted laws and
appropriated funds to be used forthat pur-
pose. Several appropriations have been
made during the last session of parliament,
one of which is $4,000, 900 sterling, equal
to $l0,OO0,00O. This sum is placed al
the disposal of commissioners, who loan II
TO applicants on the following terms -
The farm fthc applicant is first valued,
and then loan is made to him on mortgage
to be applied to undertaking his land UNI
der the inspection OF the commissioners
This mortgage is only active on the in
creased value of the farm by underdrain-
age The borrower is required to pay
per cent of the principal, and thus in 20
years both interest and principal will be
paid off; and the first instance has not yet
occurred where The increased products of
the land have not been sufficiently great to
enable the occupant to meet these pay
ments Should the borrower fail to meet
the requirements ofthc mortgage, then the
farm may be sold, but before the govern
ment can appropriate any part of the a
mount toward the liquidation of thcirmort-
gage, they must first pay the borrower the
amount at which the farm was valued be-
fore being undcrdrained, and long expc-
rience has established, that underdrained
farms will always sell for more than the
cost of Undertaking added to commits
sioncr's valuation.
In addition to this loan of ten millions,
iheg ovcrnmenthavc appropriated 81 ,000,-
600 for similar purposes in Ireland, and
further sum offs 100000 0 if the commits
sioners shall think it advisable.
Many other acts have been passed for
enclosures, general public DRAWINGS, &c,
all requiring appropriations from the pub
lic1rcasury. In addition to these appro-
priations by the government, we find half
a column Of advertisements in the Mark
lane Express of chartered companies, with
capitals varying from 100000 to S5,000,-
900. Offering to make loans for undcrdrain-
age ofland in terms nearly as liberal as
those offered by the government. We
find also the reports ofCounty Agricuttur-
lists pud by County Societies, whose bust
ness is to visit the different localities, de-
liver lectures, and give gratuiious advice
to farmers. Schools for giving instruc-
lions in Scientific Agriculture are being es-
iablished in almost every township, and
the wiscst and best men in the land are Civ
ing their aid for the general advancement
of Agriculture.
Necessity may truly be said to be the
mother of invention but in our country i,
seems as il Mrs. Necessity was away from
home, and her offspring has gone to sleep
Why is it, that while our mechanics arc
busily employed in the application of the
science to their vacations, that farmers a.
lone will suffer theirs to remain without
Improvement. The exceptions TO this rule
are really rare. nor do we claim from oul
lcoislators anv amendment.
We find our covcrnmcn, ordering new
s,c,m xcsscls oln,,s, p,n,,IIv fnr The NOR,
purpose Of TESTING new inventions in steam
machinery. and the WHO'LL mechanical in
forests of tho coup,rv us;ng their ipaucnc,
and ;n,eres, n nres: cnrvarJ Tho ap,ro
pra,;on Morr ,han one hundred ,fon.
sand dollars bav, becp spen, for improve.
ncp,s in the telescope. and not one cen,
has Observation-Disclosures improve.
,n.n,s i ~. rlnw W;,b;n Tho las, tyclv.
mou,bs Fame has endowed $50 Agrcul.
,ur,I collcc.s and ,c,l,,u;cs, Will. tbc
noliticians Of the tinted states lave told
The farmers ,La, they we're the hone and
sinew Of the country. and paid ninc.tentbs
of the taxes, in consideration of which they
had better attend to their business in the
old wav. and vote for them again at the