Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-11-28
srEEcn 81 3. ?. HOLLOWAY,
Befare tAe lo,ra State Fair held at Fairfield.
the lodi Of .Sepsrsa5er, 1855.


" am not an orator. Ny business does not re
quire that ] should be proficient asa publ
speaker. The lawyer and the Clergyman stud,
: and practice those arts which enable them /,
!, most eifectnally reach the hearts and convinc,
: the minds of their bearers. am simply me
+ chanic, and accustomed to the labor of the shop
h hence should fail to speak in glowing thought,
: and burning words, you will not be disappointed
Speech making is like all other tradesit requires
practice. This much for myself-one word fol
you. Sc a35 g
My friends, you have assembled here in that
spsrit OF progress which characterizes the age
IN whichxe live. Improvement is the order oi
the day, and you in common with all other class
es OF your countrymen feel the impeling influen-
ces that drive you onward and upward in the
march OF progression. But few years since,
and you as agriculturists were willing to plod
: on as your fathers had done before you You
plowed the ground three or four inches deep,
and thought not that the sources Of vegetable
production came deeper from the earth. Now
you know the deeper you pillow, the more rapid,
the more vigorous and the more matured will be
your vegetable productions, for it is fact prac-
ticably demonstrated, that all plants in a deep
and finely pulverized soil, receive sustcnance
from depth ofsoil, eqaul to the height the
article cultivated, usually grows above the stir-
face. Wheat that grows four or five feet high,
under proper cultivation sends its roots or at
least its attractive powers for collecting
the means of production, an equal distance in
the body of the earth, SO with all o.her yege.a.
bic productions. Without this there cannot be
perfect maturity of grain, or other productions.
Hence the practice of sub-so plowing was intro
duced. Formerly you paid but little at
tention to the quality of seed yon sowed or
planted. II it was coFn--grains of corn were
suficientifwhcat, grains of wheat were sufficient
If potatoes, the scmblance of that popular veg
etabie was sufficient. Now with what care the
intelligent farmer selects his seed corn-desirous
of obtaining that variety whchis most produc-
tive in its nutritive qualities, and produces the
largest result from given quantity of ground
Formerly you paid but little attention TO the i'm
provement of your breed of cattle. The science
of animal improvement was unheeded. Now
the exhibition before you demonstrates that you
have learned that by certain crosses you can Sc
cure much increased size at much earlier day
more symmetry-more beauty--and the more
essential quality, more profit. Look at your
Middlesex and Leicester hogs, and compare them
with the longlegged, slab-sided, alligator-look-
ing animals Of 90 years ago Look at the broad
forms, the heavy proportions of your full-blood
and thoroughbred cattle, in comparison with the
broad horns, and guant looks of few years ago.
Your horses your sheep, and even your poultry,
oil indicate the agricultural Improvement of the
age. An English writer states that ''about the
year 100, the average weight of oxen killed for
the London market, was 370 pounds-of calves
80 pounds-of sheep 27 pounds" The average
weight at present. is at least of oxen 900 pounds,
of calves $50 pounds sheep 80 pounds. 1t
would be most interesting item in the agricul-
tura knowledge of this country, if we possessed
the data from which comparison could be made
of our progress in this respect. But the farmer
has no record, and tradition alone is his source
of knowledge.
Your presence here to-day, is to still advance
in this progression-to learn from each other, by
comparing your respective theories and practices
what is the best plan of cultivation. One sows his
wheat broad-cast-another with drill. They
compare the results and adopt that which has
been most successful. One plows, sub-soils har-
rows and rolls his grounds, and another simply
plows and harrows with big brush. The result
is too palpable not to follow the former course
Thus by personal intercourse YOU learn from
each other. True, there is another means by
which this same information might be obtained,
but there is regret to say, too great prejudice
existing in the minds of many in regard to it
for if farmer of Iowa, were to write an article
for the excellent agricultural paper published in
your own State, the Iowa Farmer many would
read it, and however true might be the facts de-
tailed, and however plain be the course describ-
ed, to produce the result announced, they
wcul1 throw it aside, and say it was nothing but
"bcok-farming-men that write for the papers
do no work-they know nothing about farming"
This is false prejudice, and should not be enter
tanned. The farmer who writes for your paper,
tells you Just what he would were he sitting at
your treside, in social conversation, and his re-
marks ought to be implicitly relied on. The law
yer has his books-the merchant qualities him.
self for his business by the study of books-the
mechanic has his publications. In them they all
find the history of the past experience of. the
world, and all who have gone before them. and
those who are now operating in their respective
| occupations. The lawyer enters the study of his
preceptor, and has placed in his hands the ele-
mentary expositions of the common law-com-
mon Justice. He learns what the world regards
as the basis law. He then reads the exposi-
tiOn of this basis as recorded by the abest minds
of the profession at the day in which they lived.
He then learns the decisions which the Courts
have given to these statutes, and commences his
| profession with his mind stored with the knowl-
edge of the minds which has preceded his in
his profession. He knows the result of all past
experience, and he is thus prepared to take hold
of his profession fully posted US to the course to
be pursued which will insure success in just
cause. But how is it with the farmer. He re-
ceives limited education in the common, very
| common school he learns to read, write and the
rudiments of Arithmetic. Although it is settled
he is to be farmer, in his education there is
scarce an idea in regard to his business He is
not taught one word in regard to the basis of
successful agriculture knowledge Of the quail
| ties of the component parts Of the soil upon
| which he is to engage. He knows nothing of
agricultural chemistry He should be able to
anayze the soil-he should know the ingredients
composing the different kinds of grains and veg
etablcs, thereby enabling him to determine, more
! definitely and certainly the adaptedness Of the
one to the growth and maturity of the other-he
should be able to determine, in a great measure.
the quality of soils by the common appearance
they present, and the natural productions which
grow upon them. This, in brief should be the
education of the young farmer. Education OF
the right kind is essential to the agriculturist as
it is to any other profession or avocation in life;
and until this education is acquired the farmers
of this country will not occupy that high posi-
ton they ought to occupy in securing the com
mon prosperity OF all and of our free institutions.
Agriculture, however, my friends, is not a
special theme for eioquence, or the display of
rhetorical PICTURES 1t has an importance that
rises above the mere flight of imagination
beautiful language, and finely rounded sentences.
As such shall treat it; and Ishall be fortunate,
if in thus presenting myself before you, as the
humble advocate Of this great interest, shall
| oe aote " heep IFoIi your minus tue Iact tnat
am not an agriculturist. We are all disposed to
look with distrust upon those who step aside
from their ordinary avoeations, and attempt to
| instruct US in the line of our own business. fla
carpenter attempts to instruct blacksmith, the
latter rejects such a course with derision. If a
lawyer should presume to advise physician
| to the treatment of fever he would be treated
with contempt. am aware of all these preju-
dices, but notwithstanding theirexistence, hope
to be able to give you few thoughts which may
not be Improbable, although | have not the
honor of tilling the soil. ,-s
Politicians may speculate upon the influence
which free institutions, or partizan administra-
ton, may have upon the prosperity of the coun-
| try-commercial men may extol the advantages
of an extended foreign commerce ce-manufactu-
| rers may claim prc-eminence in conferring in
dependence upon their country, and literature
may assume the exclusive credit of rendering a
| community enlightened and polished-yet after
all, agriculture constitutes the broad basis upon
which the whole superstructure of society de-
pends for support. II that languishes, either
from want of protection or patronage from the
| constituted authorities or from the inattention