Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-22
Scientific Agriculture.

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Hon. NJ. P. Wilder, in an address before the N.
Hampshire State Agricultural Society, at its last
exhibition, speaks thus truthfully and forcibly:
Under system Of scientific cultivation, the az
ricultural products of this State might be doubled
without additional expense, and, of course, her
capital. You would thus retain the enterprisng
sons of her yeomanry on the farms Of their fathers;
those sons who now seek their fortunes in other
States, professions and employments. In New
England there is enough and to, spare. It appears
from the recent valuation committee of NTassachu-
sets that if forest be excluded, not more than
fourth of her remaining improveable territory is un
der cultivation, If the other three fourths were
only as highly improved, her agricultural products
would be quadrupled but much of it is capable of
higher cultivation, and Of producing crops many
times larger than the present amount This would
enable her to sustain a population OF many mil
lions. Away, then, with the apprehension that
New England cannot sustain, by her agricultural
products, her swarming population. She may not
only greatly multiply her present crops, but intro
ducey other products equally important with any
now under cultivation. What a vast amount of
trade has resulted by the introduction Of fax from
Egypt, which by recent improvements in mechani-
cal and chemical science, may yet become as i'm
portant to the free labor Of the North cotton is 10
the slave labor of the South. What an amount of
commerce has been created by the Introduction of
the mulberry from Eastern Asia into Europe, which
gives employment to millions and clothes, other
millions with their silken fabrics; by the introduce
ton of the potatoe from South America, which has
for ages fed the furnishing millions of Ireland, and
the partial loss of which, within few years, has
produced starvation and misery in that i'll lfated
country, and such pecunary loss and lamentation
through the civilized world; BY tie introduction of
wheat, which gives immense wealth to the rising
empire of the West, freights innumerable cars and
ships, and feeds millions in our own and other coun-
tries. ,+,.t
Science has already improved our agricultural
productions, and will continue to improve them
How much she has done. for the potato! Compare
the original-small, black, tough and acrid--with
our numerous fair, mealy, palatable varieties =
pare the luscious peaches with the orginalspeces
the almond-tough, dry and bitter; our magnif-
cent'apples with the sour crab; our plum with the
parentsloe. The Bartlett and the Seckle pear, the
Green Gage plum, and the Baldwin apple, were
produced from accidental seed; butscience teaches
how to obtain new and rare varieties, by hybridiza
ton, or crossing the existing varieties.
This art depends on the sexual character of
plants, which was developed by LinnRus, one
century ago, amidst that ndicule and scorn which
so often attach to discoveries, inventions and
theories ip our day. Our farmers are familiar with
facts which develope the principles on which this
art depends They are aware Of the Necessity of
keeping their varieties oftcorn, squashes, and 9TH
er grans and fruits separate, lest they Should in
temix and produce, not each after its own kind,
but other sorts unlike the original; sometimes as
tspeckled as Jacobs cattle. But science alone can
teach how to turn this law of nature to the highest
pracucaI account anu now, ~ ~ " FtouuGe new
and valuable varieties, adapted to their particular
location and climate, BY correspondent law in
the animal kingdom, we already have ornitholo-
gsts who pretend to beed fowls to order, respect
to size, plu1nage, and other qualities; and also,
among our experienced stock breeders some some who
profess to raise domestic animals with similar exact
ness. Infinite Wisdom has fixed those laws and
given faculties to comprehend them, and theymu
tho1oughly understood before farming can be
raisedtoits legitimate and rightful position. Wit
ness an approximation toward this general result in
the improved breeds ofour cattle, swine ana nor
ses. and the idless number and variety Of fruit
and flowers proIlced the last twenty afys IL years,