Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-10-13


was formally opeBed by Gov l. G. HARRIs, Presiden
Of the Bureau who addressed thessis. attendanc
as follows:
Lg7les and Fellow Citizens:
As Governor Of Tennessee, By Aw. mad.
President Of the A agricultural a. whose Annua
Fair we this day inaugurate IEing nay position
here, and the honor of adore he industry o.
rae State through its assembled Representatives 70
the kindness Of nay fellow citizens in calling me %
another Otiice, rather than eminent attachments
in those pursuits, which it was the wise policy Of
the State. in the establishment Of the Bureau 10
foster, IL would be presumptuous in me 10 attempt
to instruct the experienced and emnently success
ful agricuturists and mechanics who surround me,
in theirrespective pursuits. come here equally
curious learner Of the arts by winch many OF you
have illustrated yOur noble calngs, ana 10 pay the
homage of nv ardent admiration 10 the signal sue
which is attending the general interest lately
awakened in our State in the great cause Of agri-
cultural and mechanical industry. l address you,
not so much as matter Of choice SIN the perform
Of official duty yet almost shrinking from
that duty, in the certainty that your time
would be much more probably employed in
listening TO the narrative Of the long observation
and actual experiments Of some one Of the many
scientific or practical aUicuturists who compose
my audience, than the mere suggestions or theories
of an individual like myself who cannot justly
claim emiuence in either theory practice.
There are, however, some popular errors, which
have taken possession Of the public mind, which
need only to be pointed out and matUrely cOnsid-
cred, to be corrected, brief notice Of which is
deemed not inappropriate TO the present occasion
The first Of these errors is want Of proper appre
citation Of agriculture and mechanic arts, as voca-
tons in life
1t may be set down as an axiom throughout the
world that man never excels if indeed. he succeeds
IN any vocation, where he does not feel that his
pursuit in life is in every way worthy Of his respect
interest, energies and highest efforts. He may
rest assured that there is no industrial pursuitnO
vocation in hfe-tO which the undivided energies
Of the best Of the species may not be probably
applied
Hence the agriculturist or mechanic who feels
degraded by his pursuit, thinks that his position
in society is compromised by it, never enter
upon its duties with that singleness Of purpose,
united energies and fixed resolve absolutely neces
ary TO success in every department Of the business
Of life and the effort which may be made by this
character Of hesitating, reluctant hand must
result in the failure Of the enterprise. and the
degradation Of position which the individual is
unworthy to FIJI.
The origin Of the evil is to be found in the fact
that many fathers of the present day, insl into
the minds Of their children, the idea that there is
dignity, responsibility, and worth to be found
IN the professions of law, medicine, &c, than IN |
those Of planting, farming, mechanism, or manu- |
featuring; the result ofwhich is that in almost every
family you find one or more candidates for prefer
ment in those professions while the latter pursuits
adopted the dernier resort Of those who are |
supposed to be too dull to succeed in the former;
and when thus driven to this department Of labor,
they reluctantly adopt il temporarily, until some
ployment shall present itself which they regard
more reputable. and hence more congenial to their
taste. in which they hope TO do better.
silly errors! Fatal to the individual who enter
tains them, and injurious to the highest and best
interests Of the country. viii such a man honor |
the calling Of agriculture OF mechanics? Meter.
IF You would excel. or even succeed, you must give
10 your business whatever it may be the undivided
energies Of both mind and muscle, and act upon that
old adage which is ceraiAy true as it is homely,
" Whatever is worth doing at all. Is worth doing
right and doing we'll
IL you would honor your calling, you must resolve
to equal if you DO not excel, the most successful
in your respective departments Of labor.
What employment is more dgnihed or worthy,
than that department of labor by which God has
decreej that all Of his children shall eat bread.
Palsy the hand of agriculture, and the merchants
doors are closed. the wheels of the manufacturer
are stilled the tools of the mechanic rust IN ms
shop, the sails which whiten every avenue OF com
merce are frled, and business III every department
Is hopcesslv Frustrated. to be revived only by the
revival of that class Of labor which PRoDrcEs
the wealth of the world.
The LAWYER. the Physician, the Merchant, and .
the Teacher are all absolutely and iHdispensably .
necessary the we-being Of organized society let
however useful each may be to the community, and .
however successful each may be In his profession,
Ne produces u0fbiug-adds nothing to the aggregate
wealth of the country; but is a tax necessary .
tax II is true vet lac is tax to the extent OF ms
consumption upon the productive industry Of the /
nation: while he who produces one pound Of cot
ton, wool iron. sugar, tobacco single gram /
of wheat, rye or corn; or even one spng oil grass
OF from the raw material has produced a fabric I.
which contributes TO the comfort Of man. has added
something the aggregate wealth VI the world, ana
is to that extent beneiactOr.
Then where Is the vocation in life more honorable,
more dignihed, more important, and the yotaIles /
Of which are more independent than those Of agn- /
culture and mechanics. Another, and very serious
Of those errors is the employment of almost the en-
tire agricultural labor Of Tennessee in the produc
ton of few crops; such cotton tobacco, and the
cereals to the exclusion Of grasses, stock, and choice
varieties Of fruits and flowers which contribute so
materially TO the profit health, comfort ana luxury
of man East Tennessee should recOllect that her
mountain sides, however Precipit0us, can be made
10 smile in the veTlure of the cultivated grasses,
supporting large Hocks and herds, rlvallng IN prohJ
and surprising in beauty, her fertile and produe-
tive valleys. Middle Tennessee should learn ihaJ
there Is scarcely cedar glade or hilltop within
her limits that will not produce blue grass and
clover luzUriautly, however near the surface the
rock may approach, each Of which Will support
its number of sheep cattle mules, or horses; cost
inc the husbandman little no labor, while the
land is being Improved every day. and yielding
larger return in pecuniary gain as well as IN orna
ment. than the same amount Of toll would yield ia
any other department of agricultural labor. And
experience will very soon teach the planter OF the
west that the swamps of that section, though too
wet for cotton tobacco the cereals, will produce
herdsgrass and timothy in great perfection the pro-
ducts Of each acre Of which in hay and stock, will
pay larger profit than his best acre in cotton or
tobacco
These improvements. so important, if not indls-
pcnsably necessary. TO the success, health, and
beauty Of the farm, may be made, by the iudicious
employment of such leisure as occurs between the
cultivation Of crops, al comparatively very trltIng
cost Of labor capital
The time has come when Tennesseans should learn
the Importance Of a variety Of crops and dversylng
their labor thereby improving, instead Of mpover-
ishing. a soil SO generous and fertile as almost
20 tempt our people into a system Of careless
and sloyeulv farming. especially when this lesson
may be learned and practised with so much proht
IN every point Of view TO the farmer. Let each
grand division, nay, every hamlet Of the State,
learn that our soil and climate admirably adapt
el to the successful cultivation Of very choice yarc-
ties of fruits The grape the apple, the peach,
thc pear. the plumb. and the cherry may all be
grown TO- perfection in any portion Of the state,
and ertaiuly there Is no investment which pays the
huNbaulmuu better I'm pCcuniary pro@t, physical
comior. luxury. and beauty than that which Is
employed In the cultivation of choice fruits In
view of these very important considerations and the
small amount of labor capital necessary 10 the
accomplishment of fruit growing. he who dis