Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-11-08
ArrENDIS A. TO THE PRESIDENTS REroRr TO
TIE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
RrcnuoNp. Thur,d,y Evcpipr, Dec. 1. ls5s.

The Executive Committee me, upon the ca. Of the Pre-.
siisnt
The President submitted the following report the
ganizaton Of the society:
GrNrLtNKs or rHE COMMITTEE;
year Of most successful ,bor behalf Of the great
agricultural interess Of State, having just been
brought to happy termination take this first occasion
of meeting with you to congratulate you upon tho
OF tho past.
sborious aud unrcmitug effort the future promises
thing but What shall uresed FROM il by still greater
efforts Of miad aud Of body.
| For the first time in the history OF Virginia have We
succeeded In organizing the elements OF great State
Agricultural Society. In single year have
| seen the Society Increase from few hundred to
many thousand members, aud advanced from state Of
almost entire restitution of funds to the accumulation
| Q fund Of at least 100000.
We have moreover seen tho public mind profouudly
stirred upon the subject Of agricultural Improvement in
somuch have brought together exhibition
In Richmond, greater asscmblaee OF tho aud Of the
mind Of Virginia, than beloro witnessed upon
other occasion whatever.
In short, gentlemen this committee, from having been
but year ago the representative Of fe~ hundred in
viduiS aud charged with the labor Of organizing 50.
cety finds itself the representative of tho rroa
agricultural classes OF State and charged with the
labor Of eevatng aud advancing all the great interests
those classes.
In view, them OF tho great responsibility of your posi-
tion-ia view Of the magnituds we'll the @ uty OF
the task be accompished-you have beon convened
thus early to deliberate upon the best be adopt
ed for accomplishing your abors aud OF fulfilling in some
the just expectations oil those who have
you with this great aud patriotic work.
In the report Of the Executive Committee. which
unanimously adopted bv the Society il distinctly
nounced that the great Of the Society would hence
forth be "the collection and dfison OF useful wej.
, connected with agriculture"
To begin then. this goat work OF the collection and
diffusion Of useful knowledge Of agriculture AMI kin
dred and sciences is what this committee Is pledged
TO do what it Is expected do AMI in which, should it
fail TO accomplish what be practicabe-~ha may
possibe-the result will be the lasting discoura cement
aud Injury OF all the interests condcd to our Keeping
to the ruin ut the brilliant prospects Of this
ciey; aud must the disgrace ot failure visited
upon the heads of this committee. But feel that | need
not argue with this "rnec to show them their position
their obligation responsibilities. suggestion is
all that's necessary, and ready response it, the wok
mus; be done
Let anime into the nature Of this work. aud Icbc
rate upon the OF its accomplishment
First, then III what consists this useful knowledge
necici with agriculture.
Ii is profound rcnirk Of Sir John Sinclair "Tha, 10
its present state knowledge may be compared To Il small
portion OF gold dispersed though great quantity
in that rGic condition, the strongest cannot boar
It's weight Any heuoi. bc derived from it. But
ii the pure metal separated from IL, dros. CHILD
my carry it without difficulty, and may be
used With Advantage"
Such il the state aud condition of agricultural know.
ledge among "a at the prcseut day in Virginia and
carry on the aEslcgf, say thit ore is rich
and will vel! repay the working. The agricultural
mind OF our state is as Intelligent. sad often more
highly educated th,n Is to he found in similar classes
III many other States in the confedoracy. IL H.
however, scattered uhinly the wide surface o.
cue Stale. IL is task to devise a process by
means c which reach this mind separate its
knowledge, scattered cruicy through the mass of our
rural porut'ou au in the eners process Of the pre-
c,uus metals, from useless native elaborate
thcrsom the beautiful and useful metal and then 10 coin
II and put it into circulation.
IL order however, conceive def 1itc idea
OF the vast range OF useful knowledge which propose
To set about the work of collecting and diifi.ug let
hastily rcHcS Of the chief heads under which this
great subject may he arranged
And first; perhaps might be named the Geography Of
Agriculture. rhe description OF the typographical and
Other phy,ic, features OF the Counties, DISTRICTS other
divisions ri the Sa;s in their agricultural relations the
rivers bays, hirhors creeks marshes meadows swamps
!,GSi.! aud table lamb; the ioreWs the water-fis the
plains, the vIliey-. the hills, the mountains.
si. THc c!rnite-Nhich affects temperature moisture
electrical phenpmsn aud dur the seasons
aud oIe' manifold conditions, all having Intimate rcla
lions To agriculture.
sl. Geology -" includ, thorough geological survey
map aud report for the whole State. The of such
nap ah report, connected with the development oil
tie Agricultural, mining, manufacturing and conmerc.l
'c"E o the whole State are too obvious TO be dwell
upon ia this place
+h. The Chemistry Of Agriculture, vast su,j.c,,
infinitely connected a. it i with animal aud vegetable
physiology aud setting forth the law. that govern the ul
Tim c PARTICLES of all in their initiate changes com
"''i,s itl psrmniitons, which Result from chemical
attraction affinity.
Includes the elects OF nas arod nivigable rivers or
bays OF Mariiamzed, of turnpike common rolds-in
short the elect oi cheap means OF transportation Of til,
pro iuctS of the soil TO the markets. This subject
also inclIes the determination of the best Of con
ructOn OF farm and Couuty roads nuI bridges of mill
ponds, management of water power in general Of r
son dwelling, ditching aud draining in general OF DIV
king, oi embankDs oil streams Il % waters Of
ration OF heights aud distances of land surveying the
whole subject OF Machinery Sc.
6tn the Architecture of Acriculture-.he science
aud art OF constructing houses for the habation Of man.
the protection o: our domestic anmA thu other varied
wants and usagc% OlTurll life.
7,h. The Civil or Political relations of Agriculture or
the laws Of the inl they are suerv.nt 10 or burlfu
OF the best interests OF agric ulture.
sth. The Social relations Of Agricultnre-a effected
by the institution OF savery-by the peculiar education
and habits OF people.
9Th. The Statistics of Agriculture viz: pooulation
employment Of subsistence ply condition.
land III cultivation, products of the SOIL capital invested
IN agriculture profits of the same, aud the other ten
thousand facts upon which base an accurate kuowl
edge OF the present coalition OF sgicutvre and TO
nskc calculations Tor iLs future Improvement.
10th The system OF Agriculture pricrsed in differ
eEt sections Of the State rnder the varied iu.ces Of eli
mates, soils, markets, labor &C.
llth THE aject Of Agricultural Eigcation the csab
lsment Of prooSsorships and schools in which the stu
dent may receive instruction in all thea. branches of
encc SO intimately connected with tho pursuits of acu
turc.
Audlrst, but not eas-,he moral and religious circum-
stances and condition Of the abnrng portion OF rural
which we have the authority Of Holy Writ for yug
passeth the natural understanding.
Having thus hastily glanced at OF the Leading
heads OF useful knosledge to be colected-and must be
confessed that the field is WIDE infinite one
let u To consider how accomplish at least
aportion Of the great work Of collecting aud dfluspg
agricultural knowledge.
The report Of the committee above referred TO- RECON-
inenied VI the best practicable means Of eneCtng the
great objects oi the Society, in this connection the seec
ton ad appointment OF Secretary salirel officer aud
the establishment at Richmond OF Secreiary5 Office
Toe report went ON further to propose the establishments
ultimately at Richmond, OF suite Of agricultural rooms
among't oihcrs large hail. sort OF Farmers E1chango
oil sufficient Dimensions TO accommodate the annual and
other meetings Of the Society," subetye the purposes OF
lecture room, OF agricultural reading room. aud a
place OF deposit for seCds specimens OF soils mne4ls
models Of agricultural implements, and Ia short, Of all
agricultural cabinet museum; to which should b. al
tiched the Secrearys oice library, &c These agr-
cultural rooms Richmond to constitute il the
head quarters Of the Central State Society, aud bo
medium OF intelligence and correspondence for the ayr
ciltura community Of this State well Of other
| States.
Hut az tho extended views Of the committee in
relation to the establishment OF these rooms cannot be
realized in the present condition Of the Socely's f0,n-
nanccs, m. our arrangements by a more