The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-06-25
r,,r .cp,cII.TURAL SOCIETY.

rHE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
II .onol;aoce with our promise we thus
morning lay before our readers 'ns -. '..
Gen Richardson, the intelligent anu '"oe'a
c.hle agent of this Society. IL "a' DC 10,
$50 9Th deep interest by the farmers oil
Wa. and we confidently look forward TO
No. era in the history of Virginia agricnl-
,ure. to be dated from this day.
h. 10, ms saw, once for oil, thst the letter
Gas no, designed for publicasion-that II was
-,;,,.n merely as notes for an editorial article.
Th.,e ia no occasion, we know, tor this quasi
analogy; bat we wish the public TO know the
,,,,a,s ruth. We are alone responsible tor
the nnblication, and we published it, because
we thought il would do most good in It's pre-
sent shape.
This letter is full of interesting matter, and
sfsuggestve intelligence; yet 1t contains but
very small portion of the information OF
which General Richardson has made himself
mas,er. in the brief period that has elapsed
since he first entered upon the discharge OF his
duties. IL would be, indeed. impossible TO
circumscribe Il in such manner as to rem
der it ft for publication. The Generals ears
and ewes have evidently been wide open ever
since he commenced his labors, and if any
thing has escaped him, we certainly are una
HE 10 saw what il has been. 1t is but due to
him 10 saw, that the Society manifested ADM.
rable Judgment in selecting him for their
agent. No man could have been found, from
previous knowledge of the subject, founded
upon actual experimentation personal pc pu.
larily-from a disposition, on all occasions
where it is possible. to conciliate prejudices,
and harmonic conflicting interes,s-and above
all from zeal in the cause-better adapted to
the laborious task which he has undertaken
10 fulfil. He told US, in our interview the
other day, of plans of future operations which
we fear are almost beyond the strength of
any one individual, but which he seems deter.
mined to prosecute TO the utmost extent of his
power.
We learned from the General, much that
was very interesting, and which we did not
previously knoy, relative to Alexandra, Pc
tersburg, and the country adjoining each, and
to other portions of the State which he has
visited. But what we learned from him rela-
tive to the country in the vicinity of Norfolk,
was 10 us the most novel as we'll as the most in
teresting. Are our readers aware, that some of
the finest cattle, not only in the State of Viz.
GINA, but in the United States, are to be
found in The neighbofhood Of Norfolk? II
they are, they have had the advantage of US.
We have hitherto been under the impression
that thi magnificent country-known TO be
such by the whole world-had been most IN.
accountably neglected by it's inhabitants, and
that while it is capable Of feeding the Union,
from its own agricultural resources, lis p'oooc
ton had been limited by the apathy Of its chill
dren almost strictly to the supply OF their
own immediate necessities. There never was,
we are now convinced, a more mistaken idea.
No people are more alive to the greatness OF
their resources, or have manifested more IN
telligent zeal in adopting and advancing the
best system of agriculture. The results
would astonish those who have been accus-
toned all their lives to speak of Virginia, as
they would speak of Venice, 18th the grass
growing in her couityards, and her palaces
crumbling to the shore. The increased facil-
ties of communication with the city of New
York, Baltimore and Philadelphia-lhe access
TO an enlarged market, in word-have won.
derfully stimulated the energies of those
farmers who deal with Norfolk. Their crops
OF wheat and corn are as large as they ever
h.,t in tho. DO
ing garden and truck farming to degree of
perfection Of which they had until lately, no
conception whatever. We hear of straw her.
ries not by patches but by felds-of potatoes,
not by the acre, but by the hundred acres, OF
onions, beets, turnips, cabbages, watermel
ons, and almost every other vegetable, by the
district There is nothing which the garden
produces-either in the shape Of fruits flow
ers or vegetables: which the sea.shore farmer
cannot sell as rapidly as he can get it &c
market. Apart from this, there is in tina
country, perfect ocean of timber, which the
increasing wants of society must soon bring
under the axe, and the places which are now
occupied by the toll. primeval forest, will in
a few years be filled by houses, and cabins, auc
crops, and all the appliances of agriculturallife
We hope old Norfolk, and all her dependent
country, will come out at this cattle show, ant
cease to hide her talent in the ground Let the
country see what she lie, and what she car
do. 1t is so much like old Virginia, 10 al
down quietly and say nothing, while all tn
world is Dragging and growing around her
without one fourth OF her title TO do either
Old Norfolk has, doubtless, too much goo
taste, and too much Of the ancient spirit of th
Old Dominion in her, TO take readily to III
practice Of blowing her own horn. But st
must do il, for if she does not in this puship
busting. self'seeking generation, she will
most assuredly overlooked. She must q
into the newspapers! See how many i
significant little districts, especially in d
Northern States, are more regarded than she
with her glorious harbor, her mighty resource
and her unbounded inducements, merely b
cause they are pulled by the newspapers. N
tice 10 ell that she wants. Let the wor
know that she is something, and the peoE
~vtlt come m toak af her At than, q. ka