The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-01-19
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
"A NcU Years Salutation-and Sometime
ts M0ro

"A Nc1 Years Saskatchewan Sometime
More.
II y customary at the beginning of the year
lot EDITORS OF papers to salute their readers
aud ofer their congratulations.
we thInk the time not unfit for come other
things which we shall briefly notice. For our
selves, we have not much to say, being nnabIe
or rather unauthorized, as far as we now see
Southern Planter.
Though we have added about Thousand
names to the subscription list, thereby increas.
ing its circulation about thirty per cent. its
meaDs are yet too small to justify an attempt,
at the improvement that we, or any other man
just as well as we, could easily make. But
its limits must, for while longer, remain too
narrow for that increase ofreading matter, and
that sort of intellectual food which we could
wish TO provide for the farmers of Virginia,
and which they require. So, for the present,
we are restricted to the purely practical, but
still useful routine, that has heretofore marked
the progress of our little book" As we have
said before, to obtain subscribers is as much
labor as we can undertake; and it is eur first
duty. That close view Of seif-interest which
marks the Northern farmer and the Yankee,
and is sufficient TO induce thirty thousand of
them in New York alone, without the inter-
vention OF paid agent, to subscribe to one of
the several farm journals Of that great State
has not yet animated our people. But it will
animate them, sooner or later, and then we or
some other editor, can work with brighter
hopes and better fortune. ave believe I'M"
the Intelligence and energy of Virginia far
mers. They have done we'll; they will do still
better; they will regain for Old Virginia the
stand she has lost, not in character, thank
Heaven, but in ply steal superiority,
But, before they can produce such consum-
nation, there is much to be done for them
and by them. They are to be taught not onIv
to increase their already considerable knowi.
edge IN the processes of their profession, but
10 take an enlarged view Of its duties, to med
tate It's bearings, to contemplate its important G
aud lts dignity, to know Its wants, to under.
stand the weakness ofisolation and the strength
OF concert, and TO learn upon " hat they should
combine-in one word, to ascertain what ia IN
be done for their country, as well as them.
selves, and to do it with patriotism and public
spirit.
There are several such things that now
loudly call upon US, and demand discussion.
what more vital subject, for instance, than
State internal improvements Virginia has
gone backwards in the track of commerce un.
I'll she ranks behind State she gave AWAY
New York enterprise 'has turned the com.
merce OF the st. Lawrence down the Hudson.
and placed the mouth of the Mississippi as
much at Sandy Hook as it is at the Balze.,,
whilst our equal advantages are unimproyed.
our resources as yet but partially developed.
our mineral treasures dormant in the earth. our
richest lands but little better than desert-all
because our means are wasted, our improve.
ments conflicting and unproductiye. and. in
some cases leading out of the State. How
few OF US understand these things: how few
see the reports in which such things are SET
forth and how many, when they do see them
In the columns of a newspaper, pass them by
to read - the election news But two
months ago, majorilies in two counties OF
wealth and responsibility, one Wing and one
Democratic county, both containing lands OF
great fertility, now unproductive for want Of
market, threatened armed resistance against
a slight railroad lmpos., and vowed to DESTROY
the work! Scarce q man among us cried
shame on their folly
Great improvements are projected. 1t is de.
monstraed that they will benefit the whole
State, every part of it, that they will bring
commerce and enrichment from beyond ON,
bounds, that their revenue will relieve us o.
taxes, and give the means for further improve
ment. and people our wastes. What nexl?-
Companies are charteled-the whole conduct
of the matter is entrusted to them, The people
shut their eyes, even stockholders become lam
guid and vote by proxy-until we wake up TO
find that thousands and millions have been
squandered upon the schemes of visionary
presidents, and the theories of scientific engi-
neers! What next? We shut our eyes again,
and "let the Legislature work it out for us %
We hold conventions to produce direct trade
We make speeches and reports, we "resolve
and re-resolve, then die the same" Whyi
Because it takes produce to make trade, a
back country to build up commercial city
And we, the farmers of Virginia, more etnpha.
tically than at the North, the bone and sinew
OF the State, because we own so large portion
OF its labor, we do not consider that fact anc
rest satisfied that we have spent, or misspen
our money.
at is not in our stars but in ourselves, that we arr
underlings'
1t is our fault that New York City has out
stripped our cities; and il is our duty TO ses
how it has been done, and to take counsel how
it shall be undone. What place. did the lbe
rality of farmers justify it, more appropriate
to discuss and mature plans for this purpose
than paper devoted to their concerns; which
not only seeks to improve their lands, but also
to enlarge their sphere of action, and into
which politics cannot enter TO distract atten.
ton or to excite prejudice. Closely connect
ed with commerce, as showing the locality,
extent and value OF our mineral and other
treasures, and the practicabiIity of getting
and still more intimately related to agriculture,
are the questions Of geological and topogra-
phical, (i.e. minute geographically surveys
An accurate geological knowledge is the basis
OF an enlarged, or national, system OF agncul-
ture, because indispensable TO correct classi-
hcation of soils. Information of the geologi-
cal structure Of particular districts would Of
ten enable plain farmers TO detect the quackery
of consulting agricultural chemists" and to
IL. =.
or, that being, from any cause, impossible, TO
adapt the crop to the soil. The same sort OF
information, as to the State at large, is great
if not necessary, aid TO the scientific man in
analy zing soils. Yet we have put the cart
before the horse, and appointed State Agri-
cultural Chemist before we order geological
survey. True, we commenced one, some
years ago, which was pronounced complete
and mastery as far as it went. Maps of par
ticular districts, and other materials of great
value were laboriously prepared by Professor
Rogers which now slumber on his shelves, the
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