The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-05-08

In many Of the southern States the de-
crcasiug production is equally marked.
thuscilctS, after all proper allowances for
err. ors aud short crop, establish, conclusive
IS, that IN uii parts OF uur country iWpurtuUt
elements in the soil have been exhausted and
It's fertility IN spite Of all Improvements, Is
steadily sinking, The number of acres Of
land IN use ia the State of New York, in
1919, was 7,lGOAO5 in 1870, the number
had increased Ia 2G,1jS, lS2 acres but the
HNnhef uf sheep had drcrr1urd so that there
were nearly three hundred thousand les,
than there were thirty years ago ) and within
a period Of i've Gears the decrease has been
rncarly fly per cent, while the decrease in
the number OF horses, cows and swine, Is
above fifteen per cent hi 1915 the product
~ wheat WIS 1887 30 bushels, Il .hu7
steadily declined since, until the product Of
the past year did not exceed 100000 bush
els The average yield Of corn per acre in
lSii was 2i.1j bushclsj but in 1851 it was
only 2l.O2 bushels
The pl. ming lands Of southern States have
also greatly d,tcnoru,cd aud some new fer
tililcr, beyond rotation Of crops, is uuNiously
Sought The average crop OF Whca, in Viz
ginia, Tennessee, aud North Carolina for 1850
was only seven bushels per acre. In AlHha-
ma and Georgia hut five bushels per acre.
And even the largest Of any State IN the
Union, thar of Massachusetts, was but six
teen bushels per acres aud this, with the
lcarcst soil, proves her agricultural science
far in advance of her sister States. While
the crop of cotton in the new lands Of Texas
and Arkansas was 1O0to 700 pounds per acre
it was but $50 pounds per acre in The old.
or cultivated fields Of South Carolina.
The farmer aud Tie mechanic require spc-
cial schools and appropriate literature quite
as much as any one of the so-callcd learned
professions The practical sciences are no.
where else called into such repeated aud con-
slant rcquisiton. Would it be sound policy
for one who expected to cxpound Black stone
to limit his reading to muck manual or To
agricultural rhumistTy7 IT il would not how
are We TO expect one to solve all the scientific
relations of earth, water, air, and vegetable
and animal life, who has only explored read
ing, writing, and arithmetic
All other professions and pursuits reckon
among their brightest jewels men who were
recruited from the robust ranks of agriculture
II is the untainted blood from this source that
supplies the waste in the pulpit, the bar. the
forum, and the camp. No other pursuit in
life obtains this universal tribute, that what
feyer may he the present idol of devotion, all
classes and ranks of men hope to reach that
estate first bestowed upon Adam, and become
proprietors of the soil as their ultimate earth
~ phIuulAc' ueHlnptun Nhlnoun, Gay,
and Webster, are more secure of love and
homage as farmers than even as men of high.
est public rcnown; and Mount Vernon, Fort
HILL Ashland, aud Morshfeld the Mcccas of
America, prove the ideal ruth of the words
of Pliny, that 1.-THE earth took delight in be-
ing titled by the hands of men crowned With
laurels and decorated with triumphant hon
urs."
We need careful, exact. and systcmatized
registration Of Xperimcnts-such as can be
made at thoroughly scientific institutions
and such us will not be made clscwherc.-
These tests and these tables, SO furnished
will give us, when reported and collated, as
is provided for in this bill rational Undue
ton OF principles upon which we may expect
to establish a proper science; and the more
widely gathered are the facts, the souuder the
science. The discoveries Of Columbus-struck
amateurs will not be trumpetcd forth until
they have received the sanction of body
lcsS" sanguine than the vendors of a patent.
Spurious dogmas viii be touched lightly with
the spear of lthuriel, md no longer squat
around the ears of weary plowmen.
We need to test tho natural capability of
soils and the power of different fertilizers
the relative value of different grasses for flesh
fat, and millk-gi,ing PURPOSES the compare
tive value Of grain, roots and hay, for win