The southerner., 1852-10-23

ana clover ana th2 grasses raised moro l,r,oiv
and turned in more freely in a green state.
1t is certainly more pleasant IA de Of FARMING.
| to cultivate one hundred acres of land which
will yield as much two; and withal there is
much saving Of labor by it, and the nan who
first lays the example, becomes benefactor to
his race.
We have heard much said in regard to 6ooh
farming, and am sorry to say that [ hayo
heard of its being used, by way of derision, by
good men OF our own county. [ hardly know
what to say of these old fashioned, stand.still.
penny-wise class of farmers If they are con-
! tented with the routine plans of the last GEN.
tury or the century before, as handed down
from father to son-as contentment is desira-
ble thing in this world of trouble, we should
not disturb their quietudc. But as many Of
these are good men, but mistaken in their views:
| or without the proper lights of science; wo
should meet them friendly, we should treat
! them politely; we should indeed look upon
,, their acts as excusable. Indeed I am willing
| that we shall go still further and view their
course as eminently excusable; and it certainly
cannot be considered offensive to say, that tho
acts of man excusable or emnenty SO.
Yes, gentlemen, We must construe the acts
Il most excusable weakness Nothing in the
way of change of old usages and habits to new.
however reasonable or plausible, can be brought
forward, but up starts at once a party, with de-
rlson and ridicule, their only available weapons.
against reason and science, and with bitter en-
nifty will endcayor to put it down. This how
ever should not In the least disturb US; but
strong in the conviction of the correctness of
our plans, We should pursue our way to final
and successful result uadlsturbed by any set of
men; While we quietly suffer them to grope their
way Ia thc dark, uatll the light of scientific cx-
pertinent Is raised before them, which as imitat-
nag animals, they Will certainly adopt There
must and will be laggards and drones in all
comIaunltles and to the best of causes Expe-
rimental art is the foundation of all science Of
matter it has pcea the fate of the arts. to
first lead the way IN the dark, by varied, ana
doubtful experiment.; as blind man will feei
around the walls of house and stumble over
chairs in his endeaTors to lind the door; and it
is never until many OF these experiments have
been reduced to successful result, that the
correlatve sciences will coAe forward, with their
laws and show the phenomena of changes and the
cause of success.
Chemistry has probably been directed more
to the science ofmedlcine than any other branch
OF learning IN fact within the last 30 years that
science has been completely revolutionized by
1t, particularly In discovering the proximate
principles of medicine. Many of the older
members of this society Can recoicct when his
physician gave him his ounce OF bark to swallow
ia the day. 1t is to chemistry that the world
is indebted for the discovery OF the active
principle Of bark; and what had formerly to be
accomplished with ounce Of bark, can now be
effected by its active principle in few grains of
quininc; may we not look forward to the period,
when chemical analysis will so shed its lights
over agricultural experiment, as to render the
system Of the Improvement Of the soil and veg
etabIe culture, more easy; that farmers will be
relieved from this laborlous system Of manuring
as pursued at the present day, as in the taking
OF a few grains of qulnino in lieu of the ounce
of bark? Shall we not look forward with hope
to the time, when some more concentrated prin-
ciple, will be discovered, that will reheve the
agrlcalturist from the tedious gathering up and
hauling of SO large an amount OF the elements of
water, air and carbon!
Though chemistry has been directed towards
agriculture bat few years, yet within these
few years much good has been done; but vet
there Is much to investigate, and it will prob
ably be several years before sufficient number
of facts can be established to found agriculture
: upon 1rm scientific basis; this however is no
plausible reason why we shall not avail ourselves
OF the discoveries already made. 10 make prop
er advances requires the corporation of chemistry
and experiment. Formerly agriculture had to
rely upon experiment alone, but the period has
now arrived when many experiments can be di-
| rected by chemistry; for instance, that of pro-
fessor Sheppard, in his analysis of the sweet DO
tatoe; by this analy lysis he arrived at the conclu.
sion that potash would be a good manure for
, the growth Of this delicious esculcnt. The cx-
5 pertinent was triedand proved correct. Here
: we see aman who probably never grew a pota-
} toe in his life, speaking from bis laboratory,
, through the light of chemistry, recommending
, principle which experiment proved to be correct;
, and BY which scientific fact was established.
Many other facts have been discovered by the
same process, and many are yet being IN way
OF proper investigation.
Gentlemen may think and say they arc no"
dOiur ,,n,lor +,o old IL system.