The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-11-08
Spe ech of D. P. Holloway,

Before The IOUd 'Stdte FdT hetd az T""Je'u'
on The 1Oh Of September, 1855.
Mr. President, and .fclio,g-citizeHs Of Iora:-
am not an orator. My business does not require
that should be proficient as public speaker
The lawyer and the clergyman study and practice
those arts which enable them to most eflectually
reach the hearts and convince the minds of their
hearers | am simply a mechanic, and accustom-
ed to the labor of the shop hence should fail to
speak in glowing thoughts and burning words,
you will not be disappointed. Speech-making is
like all other trades-it requires practice. This
much for myself-one word for you.
My friends, you have assembled here in that
spirit Of progress which characterizes the age in
which we live Improvement is the order of the
day, and you in common with all other classes of
your countrymen, feel the mpelling influence that
drives you onward and Upward in the march of
progression But few years since, and you as
agriculturiss, willing to plod as your faith
ers had done before you. You plowed your
ground three or four inches deep, and thought not
that the sources of vegetable production came
deeper from the earth. Now you know the deep
er you pow, the more rapid, the more vigorous,
ductions for it is fact, practically demonstrated,
that all plants, in deep and finely puverzed soil,
received sustenance from depth of soil, equal to
the height of the article cultivated, usually grows
above the surface. Wheat that grows four or
i've feet high, under proper cultivation sends its
roots or at least their attractive powers for col
Letting the means of production an equal distance
in the body Of the earth So with all other veget-
able productions. Without this there cannot be
apertect maturity of grain, or other productions.
Hence the practice of sub soil plowing was intro
duced. Formerly, you paid but little attention te
the quality Of seed you sowed planted If it was
corn-grains of corn were sufficient-if wheat,
grains Of wheat were sufficient If potatoes-the
sembance of that popular vegetable was sufficient.
Now, with what care the intelligent farmer selects
his seed corn-desirous of obtaining that variety
which is most productive in its nutritive qualities,
and produces the largest result from given guam
tity of ground. Formerly you paid but little at
tention to the Improvement of your breed of cat
tie. The science of animal Improvement was un-
needed Now the exhibition before you demon
strates that you have learned that by certain
crosses you can secure q 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 log-legged slab sided alli-
ga'or-looking animals of 20 years ago Look at
the tSoad forms, the heavy proportions of your
ial-blood and thorough bred Cattle, in compari-
Son with the broad-horns, and gaunt-looks of a
lew years ago. Your horses, yeur sheep and even
mr. al Al
ment Of the age. An English writer states, that
ABOUT the year 100, the average weight of oxen
Killed for the London market, was $40 pounds
O calves 90 poands-of sheep 2S pounds The
average weight at present is at least of oxen 900
pounds calves l5o los, sheep so 10. Itwould be
most interesting item in the agricultural knowl-
cage OF this country, if we possessed the data
''0m which comparison could be made Of our
progress IN Tins respect But the farmer has no
record, and tradition alone in his sourea Of knovv
edge
foar presence here to-day, is to still advance
II this progressiou-to learn from each other hv
comparing your respective theories and practices.
wat is the best plan of cultivation. One soxs
MS wheat tbrcad-cast-another with a drill They
compare the results, and adopt that which has
'eea most successful. One plows sub-soils, har-
soss and rolls his grounds. and another simply
po~s and harrows with big brush. The result
700 palpable not to follow the former course
nus ~ personal intercourse you learn from each
o'aer' True there Is another means by which this
same information might be obtained but there is,
Ngre' to say. too great prejudice existing in
'He nanas OF many in regard to it-fer if farmer
VI Iowa, were to write an article for the excellent
: .s"cai'urai paper. published in your own State,
'ae lowe Farmer, many would read ii, and how
s'ef 'fue might be the facts detailed. and however
pan 'e the course described. to produce the re-
SAT- announced, they would throw il aside and
=! II was nothing but @book-farraing-neu tha.
si''e Tor the papers do no work-thev know no
'aing about farming This is false preixd;ce snd