The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-10-11

Malthus, one Of the profoundssl thiakers Of
his day, calculated that the population Of
England would increase 90 rapidly, suppo-
sing ils natural growth TO be unchecked, thai
ai the end Of certain time the coil wouId
not yield subsistence for the half of the peo.
pie. For the other hslfs,srvation was the on
y prospect, unless merciful Providence
wouid kindly send war, pesiilsnce and plague.
70 thin them ont and reduce their number to
leysl with the quantity OF food, which they
could produce. This dismal theory was be-
lisved BY the foremost men IN the world !;
and it would have been true, il the land had
not afterwards, been cultivated with greater
skill, than before. Bu, il turned ou, to be
total mistake. The population of England
did increase, as rapidly as Nautilus predict.
ed but the agricultural products of the coun-
try have increased in a ratio Two hundred
and ffiy per cent. greater than the popula-
ton. TIE people, who wers to have been
starved long ago, or else prema,urely cut off
By millions al blow, are living better than
ever, with two and half times as much food
for each individual, as they had when the
theory was announced.
With the system Of cultivation prac,ised
now in some parts Of Europe, The soil of
Pennsylvania, could Be ,.,ade 10 support ff.
teen millions Of persons. There are larg g
regions in Scotland, naturally poorer than
any land we have in this county, and under
sky far less genial than ours, covered all
over with crops, which the richest valleys in
the West, would not be ashamed OF and
wheat is produced, bushel for bushsl, at a
less expense than il is here.
This is but the beginning OF the end. All
that has yet been done, is as nothing, COM
pared 10 what may yet come. Hitherto, Ag-
ficullure has been travelling over rough roads,
in an old fashioned slow coach She is a.
bout to take The railroad, and with a mighty
train Of her sister arts, she will 90 sweeping
along. Not being either prophet, or the
con Of prophet, have no right 10 predict
anything. But one Of these days, we may
be startled by some grand discovery, which
will burst upon the world, like the light of a
new sun. Very so5er-minded men live in
the hope of seeing such things. One of The
most successful farmers in itis Slals has de.
clared his conviction. that, before long, ma
nures will be go concentrated, that a man
can carry oui, in his pocket handkerchief,
what will enrich the land as much as hun
dred wagon loads would now. This is very
sxtravasani, no doubt, and quite as foolish
as It would have been thirty years ago TO
prophesy of railroads, telegraphs, or dagner-
feo,ypes. About fiNeen years since, per-
son, whose name have forgotten, said, that
he knew how any plant from the TALES, for.
ost tree, 10 the .iniest blade of grass, could
be made to grow four times as fas, as it does
naturally, and with almost no additional
trouble. The government refused TO buy his
secret, though the most distinguished men
ct Washington, 10 whom il was confidential
ly revealed, certified their belief in it. If il
be really true, il will. be heard of again. Ii
would be something TO raise four crops q
year, instead Of one. Actual experiments
have repeatedly shewn, that plant may be
made TO germnae, rise above the ground
unfold i,s leaves, and grow TO maturity SO
rapidly, that il seems TO the beholder like
magic. ELECTRICITY believe, rs the siimu-
ius used. A gentleman in England laid
wager, ,ha! he could raise dish of salad,
fit for use, in less than three quarters of an
hour from the moment the seeds were depos-
lied in the ground. He tried il, and won the
bet. Professor Espy has proved, in man.
ner which admits Of no denial, that even the
weather ma, be controlled, and extensive
rains be produced, by artificial means. 1t
has been done, more than once in our State.
In Florida, where the materials can be easi.
ly had, il is no uncommon hing, in dry
time, for persons to get up showers, at an
hours notice, on .heir own private account.
Perhaps such facts as these are more curious
than important ! mention them, merely to
shew that there is something 10 hope for ir
the future, not from these things only, but
others, as yet not dreamed Of in your philos-
ophy. These are but the shadows, which
coming events have cast before them. The
wave which, will bear us onward, has not
reached Us. But we feel il swellin beneath
us, and see its lofty crest in the distance. In
little while, it will lift us nearer to the stars
than we ever expected to be in this life.
But how are the Agricultural Societies 10
help this cause! answer, much, every
way. No grea: change has ever been wrought
in the habits Of any people, without uni.
ted effort Political principles. moral re-
forms, religion itself, are spread only by So
cieties. As bundle of sticks, tied together,
is stronger than any separate stick, so is the
united effort Of an organised body of men,
more powerful than any separate efforts,
which can be made by the individual mem
bers. When You have a building TO raise,
yon,do not invite your neighbors TO come at
different times, and request.each one 10 take
a lifi by himself. 10 that way they nigh.
break their backs without doing you any
good. The building viii never go up, IN.