Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-01-26

draining, and actlre surface culture, our
ing seasons of the creates. drought. We
must recollect, in this connection, that,
previous seasons when excessive quantities
of water have fallen, the same means have
proved to be equally valuable, and for
obvious reasons Hence, when We are
expending money for preventing damage
from accidental seasons of dry weather, We
are also prepared to ward off damages of
an opposite character. Hereafter We hope
to hear nothing said by practical farmers
against thorough modes Of culture.
From various causes, unnecessary to be
enumerated here, the commercial world
received shock of serious character the
past season. The difficulties arising from
this, it was expected, would be entirely
alleviated by the time the results of the
summer crops were realized-but the time
has passed, and we have been disappointed.
Although there is enough for all to subsist
upon until another harvest, yet there is
probably no superabundance Farmers are
permitted to see the extent and influence
of the agricultural interest; they should
embrace the present opportunity to learn
lessons which will be of the greatest service
to them in future years. The present mo
ment is the proper time to note the means
Of rendering their results more certain, ,and
also to take stand in defiance Of all party
leaders or schisms, for the maintenance Of
their rights. Now is the proper time to
consider the propricty Of demanding that
the millions Of dollars annually spent by
Congress in purchasing useless territory
and making unnecessary appropriations, be
set aside for the establishment Of an Agri-
cultural Department, for the better provi-
ding for the dissemination of useful and
reliable information on agriculture ; for
the formation Of funded associations under
government for the drainage, improvement
and settlement of worn-out lands; for the
in.titu.io1 Of scientific investigations TO
develop the truths Of agriculture-in short,
to put agriculture on a footing with COM
merce, manufactures, and the arts generally.
Let not the tllers of the soil take part in
the movements of the Hards, or Sotts, or
Know No;hings, or any other party, until
they are fully satisfied that their own inte-
rests will not be neglected.
Such, then. are the present aspects OF
agriculture. BY a peculiar combination
Of circumstances, the inhabitants Of our
favored country are less successful than
heretofore; business is almost stagnated in
consequence, and full opportunity offered
for deliberation upon ways and means Of
avoiding, in future, Ike calamity.
\ large proportion Of farmers will not
have enough to carry their stock confer
tally through the winter. Many thor-
sands Of cattle, unfit for market, will be
slaughtered, thus the supply Of butter,
cheese, and milk will be lessened, whiie
the means Of increasing the stock of the
country will be diminished, and the ratio
of animal to vegetable food reduced for the
two or three succeeding years. The amount
of farm-made mauures will be less than
usual, and although it is true that rot 50
7, l. .o,,,o--nl crap> tba coil IN
crops, as would have been in 4 good sea-
son, yet we may fairly anticipate no great
consequent increase in TIE crop of next
year. We fear that the temptation which
great prices hold cut will cause far
mers to part with too much Of their better
class of seed wheat, corn, etc. 1t is very
probable that the purchase of special ma
nures will not be SO freely INDUCED in as
would have been the case in a season Of
plenty, although there is every reason for
increasing the amount used, and also of
ezpending more money in mechanical cul-
tivation. Heavy clayey soils should be
treated to a coating of long manures, and
thrown up into steep ridges this fall. If
this cannot be done, the land should
be roughly plowed, and the sub-soil plow
run in the bottom of every furrow. Drains
should be laid, and everything done to IA
cili:a,c spring work and to favor the rapid
growth of crops. Manures should be more
carefully housed, divided with muck, char
coal dust or other absorbent materials, ,and
thus increase the bulk and save gaseous
portions which would otherwise be lost,
Corn stalks and hay should be cut and
moistened before being fed, and all
grain ground ard for all stock, except
horses, soaked or boiled previous to being
presented to the animal. In short, econo-
my must be rightly practiced, and we have
no doubt Of the results. Vegetables must
enter more largely into the list of articles
of food for time, sufficiently long to allow
the production Of animals fit for slaughter,
as the former can be produced in year or
less, ana the latter requires longer time.
Therefore We hope to see the best vegeta-
bles grown, and means taken to increase
the amount of fruit.
IL F,r