Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-10-21
WHOLE NO. 311.

ing fields and the dark of these woods been opened
every where to the light of day. a,
Having thus briefly glanced at matters pertaining to the
details of agricultural fe propose direct your atten
on to subject in which you interested, both as farm
ers, and members of common country. l mean the
Importance and influence of the agricultural element in the
formation Of the American character ai 4sd
The preponderance of agricultural interests all 9TH
in country is not persuaded fully appreciated.
We peculiarly agricultural people The genius OF our
country fairly forth in the great exhibition at Lon
don where though fell behind in the delicate and
complicated branches of competition
plete agricultural inventions The countries Of the old
world overburdened they with population do not a
ford the of agricultural employment to the great
body of their people, While country there
y eight persons the square mile, there in England
Norway the least dense populated Of European countries
l6 The commercial population of England is double the
agricultural while in country the agricultural popua-
ton comprises half the entire industrial population of
the country, and nearly equals in extent all other branches
of labor combined The constant addition cultivated
lands and the growing of machinery their tlage is
yearly increasing the relative strength Of this Interest,"
While according the of $780, with population of
23,OO0O00, the value of manufactures little over
100000 and that Of agricultural products 1885,
0OO the returns for the present year show with
crease in population of 5OOOOOO and addition to
actured values of 300000O00, to agricultural products
5OOOOO,OOO So that while in 1850 agriculture produced
1OOO0OOOO less, it has this year produced lOOOOOOOO
than manufactures Had the dimensions of coun-
try been restricted to the limits of its original organization
we should long since with overowing population have
been compelled turn surplus labor into the channel of
manufactures but the additions to national domain have
kept steady pace with the growth Of people, and while
the center of population steadily westward at the rate
of fifteen miles per annum have occupied but one-sixh
of national territory and improved but twelfth of it.
Thus possessing the of sesupport within ourselves
and still to be developed may continue to
be- we have been, the granary Of the old world.
Such being the composition of countys character
the interesting inquiry arises how does this fact bear upon
the future prospey Does it add decrease the dan
gers which have been the accomnanmente Of fAA
ernmente2
refinement traced in the physical and intellectual advance
ment of the individual man, the moral rise of society, and
the growing perfection of governmental institutions If ag
rcuure fosters these to be regarded essential stim
uant to national greatness
need pause but moment to illustrate the fact that
agricultural pursuits conducive to physical improvement
The statistics of mortality declare, that, other things being
equal he whose abors in the open air will survive the
of sedenary habits and that Of all out door pursuits
none foster more healthfu action of all the vital forces
than the ting OF the SOIL Aside from the injurious effects
of the excesses and Irregularities of fashionable @ from the
corrodng influence of the of commercial e and the
hereditary weakness of constitution which often the lot
of the city born there in the essential circumstances of
this form of life of disease and DEATH The genial
rain which elsewhere to refresh the longing fields and
the bright sunshine following after with its life renewing
power both bringing gadness to the farmers heart here
only come the mnge with the refuse of the Streets
dissolve the fragments Of decay the other to waken into
life thereom the deadly malaria subtle than the pos-
on of asps The fruits of the garden, which the
farmers table all crisp and fresh from their native SOIL reach
the city epcure after they wted and wthered on the
hucse BENCH and changed by the destructive processes
of nature from wholesome into health destroying substan
ces Even the pure breath Of the fields sweeping along the
heated thoroughare, gathering up the thcky rising DUST
absorbing thosands fetd exhaations steals length
through the open easement not to breathe refeshngy up
the fevered brow Within but to plant insduousy the
seeds of DEATH Let the dweer amid brick and mortar be
suddenly transported from the dust clad hauns of his daily
e and stand gentle slope, drink in the unpoluted
air. which famed into GOODNESS by myriad of leaves and
perumed with the breath of meadows is borne to him on
the breeze and how will the fires Of the sunken eye reknd
the dropping pulse quicken its beat and the whole
awake to life.
In addition the other of death in the city
must be added the pestence Often when the harvest of
corruption is pe the scythe of the destroyer thrust in,
and whole ranks of victims simultaneously fall before it,
No blood sprnkled doopost here point out the dwell
ings of the faithful and the of the death angel
The merchant palace and the widows hut alike visited
and shrouded in despair Such almost unknown
amid the scattered habtaons of the country. There
diseases incidental peculiarly farm life but they are
for the most part temporary local and attended with little
fatality So that the average of health higher To the
political economist this question of interest for in the
physical superiority of the people the strongest
of defence against the invader Our Revolutionary Fathers
however heroic and courageous would have failed without
the stern and hardy physical education which enabled them
to do what their ardent spirits prompted; with them while