Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-01-22


cie1t action on your part upon his. Subject; va,
will relieve these officers Of sdis bu theii aa y, t1
them 70 devote more OF gheir time and labor 3, ~
osheT important supIecs that claim their attention
and, aIthe same iiale place this ALREADY iu,poTtsn
and growing intersst 10 the hands Of Others ,rho
having no oher duties 70 divide their time n ern
nv rher attention. will Be- the bester enahlei 4; a.
vote 70 the subject their whole energies, which Il
merits would 50 richly justify. and Which It's want
The annual re porto The Board or Public n orb,
is herewith communicaied. Your attention + g
peeialy Invited 10 The sail cal information and n,
many valuable suggestiens contained therein
Il While wiselF directed government IN mos
cases, will ind Unnecessary 10 leave the variou.
branches OF Industry TO the guidance aud control 81
individual enterprise the Agricultural interest 81
! cur STATE is Of such paramount importance that Il
may well claim tIe serious attention of year body
Whether We consider The vast amount Of capita
invested and the number of our citizens engaged in
pursuit and who psnc alone upon il for theiI
subsistence or in .alonal point OF view, look ic
the benefits which must result frot1-is successful
prosecution and the evils which must Apw from its
neglect-he high claims oi this department. of labal
upon your kind and fostering care will BE- apparent
1 10 all The General Assembly at an early dag de-
vsed and established an educational fund, the an
naal proceeds OF which, amounting at this time to
the sum OF Sl0i0l6 - is chiefly devoted 10 the ad-
vancement of elementary education in primary
schools. And liberal appropriations and loans
amounting in effect donations, have from time
10 time been made from the Literary fund and the
treasury OF the Stale the higher grades OF schools
4 and colleges throughout the Commonwealth, for
the promotion OF education In the other departments
/ Of science. Why, then, should agricultural The
most important, and in State the most neglected
4 branch of education, be made an exception En-
gland an other European States have sutficis ntly
and successfully tested the efficiency OF goverGmen-
/ tai aid in The nreInotion of agricultural science
Some Of cur sister States have extended to this
branch Of industry their fostering care with the
most beneficial nesuits ;~aEa why should Virginia
refuse % join id This march oil agricultural pro-
gress! Voluntary associations and individual skill,
uaaided by the government have ALREADY iesleS in
different sections of the Commonwealth the practi
cal ethciencAoi agricultural science in retaining
our wasted and WORN out lands, and in making our
own soil more productive. This science in no
longer an untrieG experiment The increasetlv val
ue VI the lands \ ing in the Tide Water District
as exhibited by the returns Of the recent assessment
vndicates the science and appeals strongly ~ you
for aid and encouragement in its behalf. la 1919
the lands in this district were valued in the asgre-
gate at the sum Of ST. 49b 997 and in lSs3S at
SO, 70iIO53 20k exhibiting decrease in value
during nineteen years that idtervened, to-the snor-
nous amount OF SO, 1872 i3 793. And yet jhose
lands were recently assessed at the sum Of
ST. 96I 57l So showing an INCREASE in their value
during the last twelve years of $l7 $50 52l 3t4.
THIS remarkable and gratifying change in the
value of these lands Cannot be attributed To- any
ternal improvements Tor thus far these improve
ments have heen.chiehy confined 10 other sections
of the State. And in vain will we look tor solu-
tion Of this problem, unless remember that for
several years past the enieTprsing citizens this
section of the State have been deroting themselves
with commeneabe zeal 10 the subject of agricul-
tnral Improvement and by proper application Of
compost, mari and other manures and the use of
other means whRch knowledge OF this bTaBch of
education has placed at their command, they have
redeemed. made
heretofore worn Dot BY an improper mode Of cult
ration, and consequently abandoned by the farmer
as worthless and unfit for agricultural purposes.
SUBJECT sss des pepods orced se r. u lS5h
the attention of Your predecessors, but no geneal
system has al any time been devised for its promo
ton. In the session of 1899 and 40a Board of
Agriculture was established, which failed Of sue
cess in consequence of the fact that in mistaken
spirit OF economy no means were supplied TO detray
lis expenses. AT The last session OF the General AS
sembly, an actwas passed authorizing the appoint
ment OF an agricultural commissioner and chemist
and assigning to him duties OF a most important
and interesting character. From this much practi-
cal benefit was anticipated BY the friends OF the
measure But .the Legislature adjourned without
eleeting a commissioner. and no other mode was
divided for disappointment. Ii j. known thatthe
labors of your pres session will be complicaed
and arduous; iii h .refore, il should be found i'm
practicable to devise and perfect any more general
and permanent scheme for the advancement of ag-
the election of al agricultural commissioner in
pursuance OF the act above referred TO, aud suggest
the propriety of amending said TO authorize
said commissioners TO taaish agricultural societies
in such counties as he may visit in The discharge
OF his duties
The subject Of primary and free schools has for
MANY years more or less occupied the attention Of
the Legislatures YET The practical operation of the
present system shews that ii is inefficient and radi
cally defective These detects have been so fire.
aaen;ly pointed out, that il is unnecessary to rete
rate them here: but in view Of the additional rev.
enue that will accrue TO the educational fund under
a provision of ahe new constitution, il is believed
that new energy might be impaired TO this branch
of our State policy, without detriment 10 any other
interest beg leave, therefore, to call your atten-
ton this subject, and ask for that consideration its
importance demands.
viii doubtless be gratifying TO you learn that
the higher schools and colleges throughout the COM
monwealth are in prosperous and improving
condition.
transmit herewith the annual reports Of the rec
and visitors Of The University, and of the board
of visitors of the Virginia military institute which
represent these Institutions TO be in very flourish
ing condition, and ask for them your respectful
consideration. Provision has heretofore been made
for the maintenance and education in each ofthese
institutions. at one. young man from each senate
rial district nhe State The number Of districts
having been increased il might be well to consider
whether provision should not be made for he ac-
commodation, and The necessary means provided
for the support Of a proportionabe increase in the
number ihust lie educated; and beg leave TO call
your earliest attention TO the subject
The annualrepnrts Of the hoard nf visitors Of the
asst dumb and blind institution, of the Eastern and
Western lnnatie asylums, and ofthe adjutant gen.
eral are herewith submitted for favorable notice.
The hank returns herewith communicated exhib-
II sound and healthy condition OF these institu-
lions.
The annual report on the penitentiary exhibits
the manufacturing operations as proDtaoie % iae
SAFE. The balance on manufacturing account was
81 org ~. and alter deducting The commissions 81
The agent and expenses Of the store ~ inc
next balance was 81 39997. The profits, howey-
e. have fallen of and the agent was able only to
FsssS S $40 The treasury The dimnuion Of
chars 49, sse iast Two years IS attributed 70 The
Gus % ih~ " Us sssninal law in 1S48 Previ-
hned IN Inc sns. yer persons not con-
ana %eIs eol.sssHsatS able g han three years
useiul % me Under sks their labor
so per cent fir less than three Ta Cor s.sr
Der received in the last Eve yssrs nrssLage nun.
laws was "a annually while unaes ~. .ornes
co tie number has run up to 81. ana tie 80.
average 10 S. being increase OF thirty psr cen,
IN hire yeats II j believed By the snperinten
dent from these facts. thai crime is Increasing un
der The existing laws that short imprisonments ar
less efTectire and the labor Of the prisoners les
profitable Examples are given Of the increase 3
Imprisonment from 1912 70 1923 Of 100 per cen
while similar punisbment< prevailed and aftel
wards when the Psfiey was changed impfisnr
! rnenis diminished Al per cent up 10 1877 II a,
also hlsaf N five and half wears from i6I
to 1891. The clear loss on manufacturing account
mounted Ii g HISS per annnm while in fy
wears from 1874 20 1919, the clear gain was 81
u H. Nl