Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-11-07
u,Ty aNu STATE NEWS.

delight tho ynrious articles collected oil fho GROUNDS q
in. Socie,y. have departed Ia their homes anu left III
in conuaratiye ouiet. Now that the hurry AMI bus
tie are over, We propose u REF retrospect ut th'
week, with its wonders.
1t is enough to saY, that the exhibition was hight!
creditnhle to all concerned. Through our local 20
lumns We have given our readers glimpscs of thu
ground, and of the fat cattle, fine horses, tall Shanghai
and splendid collection of agricultural implements, ~
exhibition there. As compared with the Exhibition
of last year, the one last week was greatly superior
save in two departments. Those were, swine arl'
sheep. OF the former, there were some sp!cndl'
,pccimens; but, taken us u whole, II was II decided
failure. or the latter, we can say nothing c"mineh
dntory. Both Us RESPECTS numbers und quullty, The
sheep were insignificant. Indeed, OF all except ON,
or two pens Of Mcrinos, and one of Nubians, there
was nothing in this department 10 attract the spccta
tor. This was the moro surprising To H., because We
had learned that the rearing Of sheep was entering
much more largely into the plans %! the farming cont
munitv, and we had therefore anticipated Il tine show
uf animals. We have heard the circumstance ar
counted for, but have not been Wiling 10 accept thu
explanations which We're gwen, AZ they were ralcu
lated 10 lower our estimate of The patriotism "f q very
worthy man. BE the cursc what II way, We trust that
another ycar will afford II different spectacle.
Ii is u graiiivin. lnrt, thnt, MISUNDERSTANDING the
Fair Grounds were crowded from early morn unit!
sober eve, no accident ar disorder occurred Ia mar the
harmony and enjoyment VI the uccnnl9n. 80 judi.
cious were the regulations adopted by the marslIals,
and 40 prompt were oil III enforcing Them, that every
thing moved on as smoothly as tbs machinery OF II
wcll-cuns,ructcd time piece.
Interesting as il undoubtedly WAS Ia witness the re-
suits OF industry, intelligence and skill collected al
the Fair, there was another element OF the E1tibi.
ton much more worthy OF attention. After spending
n few hours i'll inspecting mules, i%nnrhinCs, mammoth
oxen and mammoth POTATOES, We turned 10 the men
who Ind brought these Things together, und 10 the
dalscls and danes who cnlnc 10 add additional
charms Ia the feast of the first fruits. Here, indeed,
was Il study Ia occupy days. And Ms We looked upon
the vigorous, hcnlthy yeolnanrv Of Virginia, and upon
her smiling, happy daughters, an emotion Ut suprc!ncst
delight WIS awuk cucd within Us. We frl; then, rs we
stood among them. and WI feel now. us W. rcrur tn
scenes enacted before Us, that however rich the State
may be III oil he elements of natural wealth aud pros
pcrity, her Srcatcnt glory Is Ia bc found in her intrlli-
gent, gcircIuIs sons, and lovely, smiling dauglt-rs.-
Never, we venture Ia uiiirIn, were there III Virginia,
or III America, al asscmblngr OF men uId women SUI
superior Ia those who ihrUnged tho grounds Of tho
Agricultural Fair during the past week.
And, here, We are reminded OF benefits other than
those which accrue directly Ia agriculture, which ar.
dispensed by these annual convocati"ilH uf the farm
crs ri Virginia. That The farming Interest is here
ilitrri, no one VIII pretend 10 deny. FHrnlcrs are pro.
vuked la strenuous cxcrtlnns. ana under the impulse ut
ambition acquaint themselves with the most approved
method Of cultivation, become cumvrrsuni with the
nature OF NATURES, ana learn Il hundred other facts
vi tho greatest practical value Ia the cultivntor Of the
soil. In addition 10 this, they become cngnIZaut ut Il
thousand collateral facts, uf which they woGl! never
know while i'll the quiet scclusiOn of their hOmrs.-
Every man and every woman who walked through
the fair grounds las, week, with open eyes, learned
some new iHct md added To his and her stock Of
ideas and fund of information. The facts and ideas
thus acquired will not be barren Of results. They
will be communicated To those who could not Or
would not coma 10 the fair, and will excite in them II
spirit of inquiry and Investigation which mny con-
duce Ia n higher intelligence aud 10 better directed ct-
forts; nlId thus the minds and manners Of Virginia
farmers will be elevated and improved. In nn unim-
portant sense, these agricultural .inIrs are educational
institutions, ana supply the lack Of agricultural pro-
icssurships in our Colleges and Universities.
Nor are wo disposed to rat" TX nothing. thn; fraicr-
nillnS influence which IL excited by these gather
in@s. Sectional jcaluusics and p~rcjudirr- rapidly pas.
away when men ARE brought into contact with one
another and become acquainted with ind ividual excel
lcBcics md pccuIIar!tiCs. so extensive IL the ar-a nj
Virginia TINT 1t Is not Ia be wondered ~, thar scct,on-
al feelings hive been strong and controlling. But
when mountaIHeErs and Underwater Incn meet with the
dwcllcro III Traus-A lcshuny, all moved hvU common
impulse. nnd all striving Tor the same object, they
SOON learn to appreciate anJ ~ esiccn, and the Only H.
willy then entertained Is which biIGll attain Ia thu
highest excellence and d" the most for their common
cOuuiry. That such has been The influence Of the two
fairs held in this city, will not be questioned by any
man familiar with the facts.
In this connection. we cunnOt deny ourselves the
qualification of Ill alluslon ~ the altitude which our
city has assumed towards tho farming community and
Ia the effects which has been produced. With n VIA
dom that cannot bc tho much nppiundrd, our city In
theirs, from the just, extended IL the Agricultural ST.
cictv all the assistance that could be desired. Nell
ticr effort or money has been spared. Tho citizens
at large, have seconded the Council most heartily,
and have opened their houses 10 The strangers from all
purts Of the State. The blessing OF the grateful hns
not been withheld. Our pcoplc have "cntcr!ainel an
gels uawurts.' and the fuels vii br seen utter many
days. Ii Is already partially Seen III that klndlIrr sem
ti,ilrnt for our city urd her people. which Is growing
up in the public mind; and an Increased trade will he
tho legitimate consequence. Truly there 10 III Ibis
reason for rejoicing.
Among the lessons of practical utility dcducablr
from this exhibition, il one that we would llnprcss
upon 0vcry citizen OF Virginia. IL lrls long been con
tended that the people oi the South are not 80 mven-
tive ~ those of the North. Ii IL said that We OF the
South contribute nothing TO that department ut hu-
mau labor and skill which seeks ~ cCununize time
and power, aud IL accomplish the greatest results with
the least expenditure ot means and slavery Is us
signed rs the caIse VI this deficiency. 10 all such
InsinuatiuIIs the r~eiH;aiIVn wns gwen hy The late rN-
hiLitlon on the Fair grounds in tins city. Then anu
there was afforded the most convincing proof that
Virginia has within her own borders inventive gent
US, and ull tho facilities to render that talent available.
Whatever else of evil slavery may have rntal!cd upon
us, il has not robbed our people o! tho inventive ia-
Guilty, nor rendered them uuskiltul III the production
of htbur-saviug machines. They grossly err who M
,lul.r in loose assertions Of tho kind, nnd those who
believe them have tho bump "f creduii'y excessively
Developed.
1t may not be- aniss to remind those charged with
tic duty OF making announcements oi premiums 10
be awarded nj the next State Fair, that they have II
in their power greatly to stimulate their c"untrynIcn
Ia the exercise of the inventive faculties Let them
offer prcmiuns for useful inventions by nntirr Nn-
giniulis, aud especially III cases where II hrSidfrd'nm
i. desired by tie farmer. For instance, the t%lrcShlns
machine was Il great IMPROVEMENT upon the old plan
Of getting out wheat hv beating with Halls or tgcnIing
with oxen or lIurncs. The YttaClIulcnt "l lho improve
Incnt which separated tho wheat from Tue straw was
another alvnncc. So also was thc addition ct the
machine Ia separate the grain from The rN"h ami
now we have II - machine which does nll We have sinted
aud then bugs the grain, putting accurately two bUsI-
els Ia the bag, and ut the same time Keeps Inc t"Hy.
Other machines may need Improvement, md wherever
they do. premiums for such improvements should be
offered.
If VIC turn from tho exhibition Of this year tn the
mr-tin-s ri tho Society, we shali not tnd such ur-
mixed pleasure in the contemplation. Here there
was Il snd luck Of harmony, ami dcc"rnii. Instead
Of employing the time, IL was done last year III con
vrr-uiiopnl DISCUSSIONS concerning matters hpprrt"iIl-
ing IL the proper conduct Of farming "ptrail"hH' night
after night was cUn.uincl III exciting ana unirollinblr
drbntcs concerning constitutions, committee ana other
paltry and ricayunc CONCERNS. III common WIN many
VIII" hoped for better things. TcdctPly regretted WHAT
We hhd no power 20 prrveh' or 'r'"'"l - '""l ''r
CAUSES which produced the excitement 10 longer eX'
i-i, We caution nil concerned against II renewal o; snch
scenes. Nothing good can result from them, while
tllcir recurrence will be very likely 10 destroy the ct-
iicicnry oi the Sucicty. Here, ns III every STATE ell
harmony in council and concert IN action, Is
Indispensable to success. Tho end sought TO be Ht'
tanned by the Virginia Agricultural S"c;r'.y' Is far too
tn be- sacrificed by discord among those
who profess to hc animated by the nohl.st imPmi'o
that ever e~nrrgiztd a human being. In view OF whnt
las been attained and of the far greater results wii!cl
ARE almost of certain attainment, VIZ ih'itnrc Inc lar
mcr. of Virginia to put away from them ali chickering's
nnd icalou,ies, and with united encrssc' I" nr"v" on
ward to the goal Of their hopes aud l"''rc-,, a Judi
cious and intelligent cultivation oil the SOL "i 'hc
State. 80
y brief glance NJ the addresses d"Ilvcrc" w!H"p-
close these dcsuliory notes OF impressions
during the week OF the far. Much We can
not say, for it wa. but little We heard, IN consequence
of III. noise and ronfu-iou during their delivery. The