Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-01-20

changes made al difiereni times in r organization
the duties of the board devolved npon the Gnverao-
Register Of Land 0fice, Treasurer and frs, and Sc
cund Auditors, Al that time the business of II,
board was considerable and could. without inconvc
nience, be discharged by these State officers. Blu
now, while tho business Of each department Of ;hs
government has been greatly increased, requiring
more attention and labor the part those who pre-
side them the subject Of internal Improvement,
has become most important * complicated interesf
and demands more attention from those under WHOSE
control it is placed shsn their other
will permit them to devote TO Its duties. BY prompt
and efficient action on your part upon this subject
you will relieve those officers Of This bursen and en-,
allie them to devote more Of their time and labor to
the other important subjects that claim their aten-
ton and at the same time, place this already
important and growing interest in the hands Of 9TH
crs who having no other duties to divide their time
or oeeupy their attention, viii be the better enabled
to devote to the subject their whole energies which
its merits would richly justify and which is wants
SO imperiousiy demand
The annual report the Board ofpubl;c works il
herewith communicated, Your attention IL espr-
ciay invited TO the statistical information and the
many valuable suggestions contained therein.
While wisely directed government In most cases,
will find neccesssry to leave the various branches
Of industry 10 the guidance and control Of ndyidu-
is Of such paramount importance, TINT it may well
clam Tie serious attention ofy your body. Whether
we consider the vast amour, Of capital invested and
the number OF our citizens engaged in This pursuit
and who depend alone upon ii for their subsistence,
or. in national point of v,es look to tie benefits
which must result from its successfu. prosecution
and The evils which must Gov from is ncrlcet--:hc
high claims Of this department Of labor upon your
attention and fostering viii bc apparent to ALL
A =. = .
and established M educational fund the annual pro-
cceds Of which, amounting nj this time to the sum
Or :sI0i, 0l6,ea il chiefly devoted TO the Advance
ment of elementary cducationin primary schoois-
And liberal appropriations and lcanr aronnti,- In
effect TO donations hase, from time TO time hcen
made from the Library fnd and the treasury Of the
State 70 the highrr ..f.es or schpes and colleges
throughout The colanonweah far the promotion OF
education in TIE oiaat departments Of science
Why, then, should assitlsarai, tlie most important
and in our State tas faos' neglected branch Of etlu-
cation, be made IN reception England and other
European States ssafe sufficiently and successfully
tested the eiiieierry ~ governmental aid n the pro-
motion Of agricultural scicnes. Some of eur sister
States have eNtepar1in this lranc oindus;ry their
fostering care with the most beneficial results. ana
why should Nng.,iia refuse 10 Join in t,,is march Of
agricultural progrsss Yolustary associations and
individual Ok IL, unai:cl b lie cow nfnent have
already tested in dcTcn. sections Of the sonn,o,-
wealth the practical eicisney of agricultural sri-
cnce in retaining oHf vastaJ aud worn out landa
and in making our own soil more productive. The
science is no longer an untsird experiment. The
increased value Of the iands king in the Tide Wa
ter districts as exhibited ~ the returns IL the re-
cent assessment yinJc stes Tho science and appeals
strongly to you for aid and announcement in i,s
behalf. In 1919 the lands Of this district were val
Gcd in the aggregate al the sum Of $7l495 9g7:
and in 1888 at SEQ, 7Dt,053 204, exhibiting De-
crease in value during the nineteen years that in
tervcned, 10 the amount CT $40, 792 943
T9i. And vet those sa.e lands wcro rsrrrfiv as.
sesscd at the sum Of ST., 90. STA SO, showing an
iacrease in their value during the last twelve years
of Sl7, 2ct. 52l 3i4.
ThIsTemarksbie and graft Tying change in the yal-
of these lands cannot re attributed to any great
extent, to benefits resulting from works OF internal
improvement for thus far these improvements
have been chiefly confined to other sections Of tho
State. And in vain will we look Cor solution Of
this problem, unless remember that for several
years past the enpr2rsng citizens os this section Of
the State have been dovotng themselves with a
commendable zeal to the subject Of agricultural i'm
provemcni; and Ivy proper application oil compost
mari and other manures and the use Of other means
which knowledge Of shis branch of education has
placed at their command, they have redeemed and
made productive and valuable, lands heretofore
worn out by an improper mode Of cultivation, and
consequently abandoned by the farmer as worthless
and unfit for agricultural purposes.
The property ofgosefnmental action on this sub
ject has at different periods forced itself upon the at
tenlon OF your predecessors, bat no general stem
has st sny timc been devised for i,s prcmotin. In
the session Of 1889 and 40 Beard u Agriculture"
was established, which failed of success in conse-
quenec Of the fact that in mistaken spirit Of econ
omy no means were supplied 10 defray its cxpen-
ses. At the Inst session Of the General Assembly
an act was passed authorizing the appointment OF
an agricultural commissioner and chemist, and
signing to him duties Of most important and in
teresins character From this, much practical ben
eft was anticipated by the friends OF the
But the Legislature adjourned without electing a
commissioner, and no ether mode was provided for
his appointment. 1t is known that the iabors Of
your present session will b. complicated and ardu-
Gus; if therefore, ii should DO found impractical to
devise and perfect any general and pcrmancn,
scheme for the advancement of agricultural science,
| would respectfully recommend the election of ar
agricultural commissioner in pursuance Of tho ac'
above referred to- and suggest the prcpr.ety OF a.
mending said act so as 10 authorize said commits
sicner to establish agricultural societies in such
counties he may visit in the discharge Of his du
tics.
The subject Of primary ard free schools has fol-
many years, more or iess occupied the attention OF
the Legislature; yet the practical operation Of tho
present system shows that il is inefficient and rad
cay defective. These defects have been so fire.
quently pointed cut that il Is unnecessary 70 rrter
ate them here hut, in view Of the additional revenue
that will accure to the educational fund under pro
vision Of the constitution, it is believed that
new energy might be impaired to this branch Of oui
| State policy, Acknowledgement 10 any other inter
est beg leave, therefore, call your attention Il
this subject and ask for it that consideration its I'M
portanec demands.
II will Doubtless be gratifying 10 you to learn that
| the higher schools ami colleges throughout the
commonwealth in prosperous and improving
| condition.
transmit herewith the annual reports Of the rec
tor and visitors Of the Uniyersiiy, and OF The boart
fvisitors Of the Virginia military institute which
represent these institutions to he 10 very flourish
ing condition, and ask for them your respectful con
! alteration. Provision has heretofore been made
| for the maintenance and education, in each eftsesf
Institutions, Of ono young man from each scnaton
al district in tho State. The number Of dssifiet
having boon increased. il might ba well 10 conside
whether provisions should not DO made for the &C
commodation, and the necessary means pEoydet
for the support Of proporiionaslc increase in th'
numheT THIS to he educated and beg leave 70 cal
| your earliest attention 10 The subject
The annual reports Of the board Of visitors Of th'
deaf dumb and blisa institution, Of the Easiesa
Wesserri iiaiic aeyiunns and Of the adlalant gen