The southerner., 1852-10-23

| lgin in an impure fountain; then you should be
mindful to start from correct principle or their
fountain One correct principle we'll understood is
calculated to lead to others; and to correct innu-
! merable errors in the detail Of small matters.
We have now arrived at the last stage of farm
ing, when the-light of science is to account for
the success of the past, and direct it to the i'm
provcment Of the future.
Art has ever been the precursor of science,
and agriculture has been pursued merely as an
art-an initiative art. Science has ever been
SLOW to lend her assistance to any branch of bu-
slness, until it has worked it's way by expert
lnent into respectable stand: then will science
follow on, and write in legible language all that
Is worth preserving, and blot out the errors of
the past. Observation and experiment taught
the first cultivators Of the soil, that certain
nateral growth Indicated soil which would pay
tor It's cultivation-this may be viewed as na-
ture's unerring guide; but the unnatural pro-
cess ct tlllage has, in many parts, done away
with this fact, and other modes of arriving at
correct knowledge must be resortcd to. The
days are passed, or passing away quite fast,
when the farmer can subdue the natural forest,
exhaust it by tillage, and go in pursuit of more
OF like quality. He begins to discover the ne
ccsslty and value Of manure, as the only ayala-
Die means of perfect success; and to seek more
correct knowledge of its formation and applica-
ton. lie feels the want Of knowing what his
soIl needs; he feels the want of knowing the
most easy and direct way of supplying this
want; though in the way of improvement, he
has done much, that is correct in principle,
hpLp to ~, H.
1t than that he has applied manure. Indeed this
Is all; and business conducted in this way is
we'll calculated to lead to an initiative routnism
III detail and the establishing of ponaccas, Oh
empirical facts. Ask q farmer how lie las sue
ceedcd IN the production of certain crops? he
will tell you, thut he did It by the use of Ger
tala system Of manuring. Ask his ncighbol
who has pursued the same system, why he has
not been equally successful? and he will al
once candid!y acknowledge that he don't know
lie will probably condemn the whole plan as
useless, at any rates upon his farm. Now i
ali soils Were alike, the same system of man
agcment would lead to the same result, an
prove equally beneficial; but as they arc not, j
; certainly tchooyes every man to know, what Iii
soil has, and in what it is deficient in the inor
ganic material: and there is but one way to dt
this, and that is by a correct analysis. Upor
this alone must agriculture depend to relieve it
sell from suporstltious habits, and the belief il
!: panaceas and universal remedies.
t. Then gentlemen | appeal to your Judgment
your good understanding Is it not high time
that you should. have your agricultural chemist
Is 1t not time that this society shall break through
the prejudice of the age, and show to the world
that it is Eot so devoted to cid habits, and usa
ges, as to forever follow the same blind expert
mental course? If you are then prepared to en-
ter into it, however untricd it may be in th
minute way, say SO at once, and act at once
An over-cautiousnoss has ever been the stun
bling block to improvements too penurou:
calculation has always had baneful effect upol
agriculture, as you daily discover; for some mel
can never see the benefit to be derived from
spending one dollar in the Improvement of the
soil, that two may be realized. Then if you car
bring your minds to knowledge Of the nccessi
ty of employing an agricultural chemist, suFe
no procras stination, no delay; but do it at once
You should he the first to break through the pre-
judice Of the times, and show to the world tina
what was once in ridicule and derision applie'
to Adgecombe on another and different subject
is not applicable to this society in regard to ag
ricuture 'hat where ignorance is bliss, It's foil
= to be wise" You should act promptly, decid
edly, and effectively: act at once and.- let th
: thing be done. l am we'll aware that the cx
s pense will appear heavy upon the society, but
= is an expense, that will probably not last beyon
r one year; and by this expenditure each membe
: will have correct basis for his experiments
t operations for many succeeding years. Unde
: these succeeding operations, you will be enable
. to account for the laws of disappointment or SUI
. cess, and will have contributed much to foun
r the science Of agriculture upon correct prime
0 pies; for to establish this upon firm basis, an
$ correct principle, requires both science and ez
e pertinent.
+ In the capacity of society we can do mucf
n We can do it with much more ease and econOm
;, than in any other way. Gentlemen what is
s society, but a concrete aggregate OF many part
: combined for mutual protection, mutual ASST
q tance and mutual benefit: with a design to al
complsh in this collective or aggregate capacit,
S that which cannot be so easily Or economical
b accomplished by any one of its integral parts
e Edgecombe is our mother, she gave us birth an
| ,,ct,;,o1 re ,,,opbood. chould 1Eo over thin