Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-05-29
WAKE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.

WAKE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
This Society convened in the City Hall on Mon
day Eth INST, and the proceedings of the previous
meeting having been read, the President introduced
l.. OBJ. BRANCH, Esq, who delivered a very able,
instructive and patriotic address.
He adVerted to some facts tending to show that
North Carolina was not in prosperous condition
amongst others, the decline of her strength in the
of the whoIe-and to some of The consequences which
have flowed and are likely to flow from this alarming
decrease of her political strength.
What has caused this decline in prosperity was
dwet on at LENGTH He paid mered tribute to those
who, supPosing it due to a want of Internal I'm
proVements, had strven successfully to supply the
supposed deficiency. But he showed from table he
had prepared, that in 1s47, North Carolina had more
miles OF hall Road in proportion to free population
than the balance of the States Georgia excepted
1t was true that owing to injudicious location, con-
strucon and management, We had not derived the adj
vantages We ought from our Rail Roads but owing
to causes which he mentioned he feared the time had
not yet arrived when could hope avoid the
radical errors He warned the friends of Internal
Improvements, of whom he was one, that we suffer-
ed not so much from want OF means OF transportation,
of something to transports that Rail Roads could
not sustain themselves without great increase of the
amount of produce demanding transportation and that
no material Increase could be expected unless the
Roads cere made subsidiary to it, by Transporting
nures free of charge.
He argued that the decay of our agriculture had
duced 10 low state, and it only by improv-
ing soil that could recover our prosperity. We
had reached the point at which we must emigrate
improve our lands, and he examined at length the
ative advantages and disadvantages of those aterna
ves He gave desert pton of the lands at the South,
spoke of their liability to wash and ou-of the
slight means at command to resuscitae them if
the culture of Cotton allowed time, and the habits of
the planters were favorable to such improvements.
He expressed the opinion that the light, free lands,
which he regarded most valuable because most re-
table, would average about half bale, or 800 lbs.
seed cotton to the acre, which good but not
10 nfu Of tho 10 hIn
of. He spoke of the habits and axioms of the plan
tiers as incompatible with prosperity, though they
possessed the richest staple, and the only lands pro-
ducng it to advantage, in the world and Of the plan
themselves the most intelligent body of agri-
culturiss any country could boast but the most
unprosperous; and any one who supposed that seeing
these in the practices of others he would avoid
them, grossly deceived himself. He would be
soned or tempted into the prevailing bad habits,
dragged into them by his overseer and agents.
in this connection, he called attention to the swamp
lands of North Carolina, and exhibited statement
of the labor actually bestowed in draining, clearing,
fencing and making the hills in 20 acres, all done
in the most perfect MANNER and showing the cost to
have been 1913 O6 per acre, which can be materially
reduced by permitting time and fire to do part of the
work. AS evidence of the fertility of these lands,
he stated that ne himself had gathered last year, in
the county OF Hyde, 80 bushels of per acre;
and his neighbor David Carter, had gathered $500
bushels to the plough. He enumerated many advan-
tages attending the reclamation and cultivation of the
swamps, and stated that portion of the population
of the State enjoys better health than those residing
in Mestoamps. Being generally elevated from to
SO feet above the neghborng water courses and re-
ceiving water except from the clouds, they not only
present obstacles to perfect draining, but when
drained, are dryer than the surrounding country.
He concluded that if our people would look less
abroad and make themselves better acquainted with
the of their own State, would no longer
be paralyZed by emigration.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Branch's remarks. Mr..
Lemay presented the following resolution, which was
unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED, That the thanks of this Association
due, and hereby rendered to L. OBJ Branch, Esq
for the able interesting and instructive address deiv
cred by him this occasion and that he is request
ed funsha copy thereof for publication under the
direction of the Board of Managers, who author
lied to draw upon the Treasurer for the money
sary to pay the expenses of the same.
Mr.. Apheus Jones then introduced the following
resolutions, which were read and adopted:
ResolUed. That Chairman pro tenn. for the Improve
ment Committee of each precinct, be appointed by
the President of this Association, whose duty shall
be to call together the members thereof early
practicable, with the view of organizing the same
and proceeding to business according to the provis
ions of the constitution.
Resolved, That the Recording Secretary is hereby
list of the members in his precinct
The following persons were then admitted as new
members:
John B. Johns, ]. ]. Ferrel,
John O'Rorke, Pascal B. Burt,
G.. B. Root, Sion Rogers, Sr.
On motion of Mr.. Branch, the Society adjourned
until tomorrow (Tuesday) IL o'clock, A. M.
CHAS. L. HINTON, Pres't
WILSON w. WHITAKER, Rec. Sec.