Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1853-04-16
From the Richmond Weekly Mail.
Observation-Disclosures
TO AGRICULTURE,

4 rum sue NCHhUHu 'eehty He''.
LEGISLATlvEaENC0uR
TO AGRICULTURE.
| While we are glad to witness th'
Increased interest which is manifested
in Agriculture in Virginia, and whicl
was strikingly exhibited in the pro
cecdings of the State Agricultural So
ciety in the Capitol, we cannot bu
regret the failure of q recent move
ment in the Legislature to appoint
State Agricultural Chemist. We be-
lieve that while individuals ought tc
do all in their power for the promo.
ton of Agriculture, government oughl
to give its aid in whatever is beyond
the power of the people, especially
when it is rccollected that Agricul,
tnre is the employment of nine.tenths
of our population. Popular govern.
men,s ought to be at least as liberal in
this respect as monarchies. Russia,
Sweden, and Austria were scarcely
known among civilized nations, until
the power of their governments was
brought in aid of individual industry,
agricultural colleges established, and
agriculture made an affair Of State
policy. The industry and finances Of
France were in most wretched con-
di,ion until Henry " aud Sully ap-
piled the funds of the government to
stimulate agriculture, and the result
was national opulence. The agricul
tural societies of England have been
literally endowed by her government.
and an analysis Of all the soils and the
best modes of improving them have
been made at her expense. 1t is true
lhut there does not exist the same me-
cessity in this country for the improve
ment of agriculture as in Europe,
where there is dense aud hungry
to be fed, but the limo
must come when the rich valley of the
West will be crowded with the nail
lions which Europe is casting annual
ly upon our shores, and when a short
crsp, here as there, may produce IN
calculablc suffering.
We trus, tha, not only the govern.
ment, but the farmers Of Virginia, by
agricultural sciences, and BY individn-
al eairt, will put forth their best cner-
gics to elevate and strengthen this i'm
portant interest. Lctthcm no; judge
of what can be done by wha, they have
done. Let them encourage them
selves by contemplating the achieve
ments of agriculture in other nations
aud other climes. Italy, by careful
cultivation, sustains one, person to ev'
cry two acres. The owner of twenty
acres in that county considers him.
selfa rich man. A distinguished Gen.
eral Of Rome once refused from the
people grant of fifty acres, declar-
ing that he was u bad citizen, WIN
could not be content with seven
The farm of CincinAatus was but four
acres. In England, agricalsGe has
been carried to such pitch OF per-
fection, that, Notwithstanding an a.
mount equal to one-half the market
value of oil her agricultural produc-
tions goes TO the support of govern
ment, agriculture not only sus,ains it
self but linu,ishes. The superior
husbandry of England has made the
average product of wheat alone, "a
bushels to the acre, and in portions of
England and Scotland the average is
fifty bushels.
One of the reforms which should he
adopted by our agrlculturists is to re-
verse rule on which they have al.
ways acted, and to bestow large
amount oflabor on a small amount Of
land. A little farm well titled will
yield more revenue than a large farm
cultivated by a little labor. 1t will
also yield more content and satistac.
ton as well as money. The words Of
the widow of Helveiine to Napoleon
are worth remembering by Virginia
farmers,-" You cannot conceice ho'o
much happiness can be tound on three
acres Of land"