Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-09-02
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Agricultural Talking.

many NalIaD41 AliL5 upon one auu an
other branch Of the subject At the meet
ing of an Agricultural Convention held At
the State House on the 10Th Of February
1851, the President, Hon. NJ p Wilder,
gave an address replete with facts and
considerations adapted to the occasion
In regard TO the Agricultural portions OF
Massachusetts he observed
Facts warrant the assertion that there
is occasion for great Improvement This
is apparent from the rapid Increase Of pop
ulasion aud the comparative decrease Of
agricultural products II this State By the
report of the valuation committee, it ap-
pears that although since 1870 there have
been added to the area under Improvement
IN Massachusetts, 34z 600 acres Of land.
which at that time were classed as ''un-
improved" or ''unimproyaOle.' and al
though the tIllage lands have been Iucreas-
ed more than forty thousand acres IN the
same time. yet the grain crops have large
" decreased and although, during the
same period, the upland aud other NOW
ing lands have increased nearly fifteen per
cent, yet the hay crops have been increas
ed only about three per cent.
AIN 1910, the population Of MassachU
sets was 737,700, requiring, at SIX bush
els per head. 4426.200 bushels Of bread
stufs for their subsistence OF this, the
soil produced 3.7O526l bushels. leaving
700 600 bushels to be supplied by foreign
production But in 1850 the population
Of the Commonwealth IS one million, al
increase Of thirty-three aud two thirds
pr cent, requiring six millions of bush
els Of bread stuffs for consumption, aud Of
which she raises but about three millions,
the balance to be supplied by foreign pro-
duction, showing a depreciation IN her
cereal grains Of more than COO OOt bushels
and should the inhabitants Of this Com
monwealth increase in the same ratio for
the next ten years, aud without a CORES
ponding increase of the grain crop We
shall at the close of that term be depend
ent on foreign sources for nearly five mil
lions Of bushels Of bread stuffs annually.
To show what may be done BY an i'm
provement on present facilities he gives
the following calculation
1--WE have 10000 cows IN this Com
monwealth Suppose science enable these,
or improved breeds. to yield one addition
al quart of milk per day this, at three
cents per quart, would increase the pro
ductive capital Of the State 4 800 per dav,
or Sl.642, 500 per year; or, if two quarts
per day. gain of more than three mil
lion dollars annually
"We have 20 600 horses IN the State,
and which might BY better knowledge
Of the principles Of breeding be improy-
ed so as to command a least iiftv dollars
each, lncre than they are worth at present F..
this would increase their value three mill
ions and five hundred thousand d.liars-
Who doubts that with u better der
standing Of the laws Of AGRICULTURAL chem
istry aud the proper adaptation Of crops
and mauures to the soil. that our cereal
grains might be Increased ten bushels to
the acre, without additional expense
This would add several millions Of dollars
TO the present amount Of products
President Hitchcock OF Amherst. being
called to the stand. gave the following
testimony to the close connection of azri-
culture and science
But. sir l say that this business of
raising plants, as men who conduct a farm
do it. is very complicated affair and a
very delicate one [ have been a lectur-
er on chemistry for twenty years 1 do
not now lecture on it. l have tried
great many experiments during that time.
But do not know Of any experiments
so delicate as the farmer is irving every
week. do not know any so difficult
The experiments of the laboratory are
not to be compared with them "
On the old matter Of Agricultural
schools. the President spoke Of his obser-
vations IN Europe in regard to that sub
ject:
1T does appear to me that the question
about the establishment of agricultural
schools in Massachusetts. is merely
question Of time after ALL
The subject has made such rapid pro
gress IN Europe within a few years, that
/ was perfectly amazed TO find the facts
deyolp themselves as they did. one after
the other; to discover such a multiplici-
~ Of facts with regard to them. Gentle
men who have not seen this report viii.
perhaps be surprised when I tell them
that | give there an account of $50 schools
Of three different grades Though some
Of them have been IN operation for fifty
years. the most have been recently estab-
lished. Gentlemen there did not seem to
know how many schools there were.
i recollect getting acquainted with
the Chevaligr Buusen. | thought II
should know from him all about the num-
Der of schools in Prussia. He gave me
a list of four schools IL that country -
When went there. I found thirty Prob
ably he had not heard of them Some of
them were small In France there are
seventy FIVE In Ireland they have fifty. /
And the Irish schools pleased me more
than any other except the French /
had an opportunity, in Ireland, of hear
ing examinations Of tie Young men
They were called in from the farm aud
asked questions on the subject of practi- /
cal agriculture, as to draining. and how I
TO adapt crops to different soils, and 9th /
er matters Of that sort And then, as tor 1
agricultural chemistry. they we're asked !
what would you do in such and such cir 1
cumstances What does soil with such
and such properties need ? and SO on. /
do not believe there Is 4 class of students 1
Of any kind in our country, would be able |
to answer one tenth Of the questions |
which those Noua- lae-. 4l.s0e 81. Tl., {