Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1859-12-02


and barley, and vines, and fig-trees, and
pomgranates, land wherein we eat
bread without scarceness; land whose
stones are iron, and ont of whose hills we
may dig brass" This goodly heritage is
impaired by no laws of descent or primo
geniture. No oppressive system of land
lord and tenant-no burdens imposed for
the benefit Of privileged order, retard our
industrial pursuits, or restrict the hand of
honest labor. Every man in this country
may be freeholder. Every man may
improve his condition on a solid basis, and
count with certainty on transmitting the
fruits of his industry, in such modes as he
may designate, to his defendants. Our
governments s,unlike those of the old world,
are felt mainly, if not only, in the bene
fits and blessings they bestow. Industry,
genins, skill, are as unrestricted as the sun
and air; while the government itself, in
stead OF reoressing the energies OF its cit
liens by unjust exactions, has become the
patron and promoter of agriculture, me-
chanics, and the industrial arts
If, therefore, we do not prosper as agri-
culturists. as mechanics, as manufactur-
ers, as artizans, we must look elsewhere
for the cause than to our political anc So
ci al institutions.
have already intimated, and indeed OF ev-
cry people who have attained, or who
may hope to attain permanent prosperity,
is that of agriculture. | know it may be
said that some of the most powerful ma
tions of antiquity were commercial in
their character, and that England furnish
es striking example in modern times of
Il prosperous commercial empire. But,
after all, agricultural labor and agricultur
al production constitute the basis of English
prosperity aud power. In no country on
earth has agriculture, chemistry, the ma
ture and application of soils, clillathology,
animal and Vegetable physiology, botany,
comparative anatomy of animals, natural
history and geology, been so thoroughly
understood and SO generally practiced as
in Great Britain. A good farmer has
been defined to be, one who raises the
largest Quantity OF the most valuable pro
duce, at the least expense, i'll the shortest
time, and with the smallest injury to the
land. According TO this lest, the English,
the Scotch, ;nd the Irish are among the
best farmers. Their cattle and live stock,
instead of being a burden, are benefit to
their lands Diversified as are the pur-
snits Of the English people, and eAceliing
as they do III manufacturers yet the latter
are OF CON ely tii'uGlH OIlSlI, Oo-
pending mainly for existance Oh our great
staple, Cotton; while all their pursuits and
interests would languish if their agricnl-
tural operations should decline They
have availed themselves not only of the
atmosphere, light, heat, the rains and
dews, in cultivating their fields and in ad-
ding uniformity and beauty to their land
scapes, but they have sought out inven-
tions with which TO till the earth, TO light
en- rhe labor ot man and beast, and, bv
thorough pulverlzation and cultivation of
the soll, 10 draw from it the largest guam
rity OF produce with the least ininry to
the soil itself. Whenever the business OF
cultivatlng the earth begins to decline III
Great Britain when her people come, if
they ever should come, to attach more
| importance TO commerce than to the.
means of commerce; when they come to
think more of their ships than of that in
/ terest which feeds the people and trei ghts
J the ships, then may it be said of her, as
| of other nations in " Which the commercial
| feature predoninated-
That trades proud empire hastes to swift decay,
/ As ocean sweeps the bored mole away
| While seit-dependent power can time defy
As rocks resist the pillows and the SKY"
This s'self dependent power" belongs
| y
the same area Of Great Britain, North
| Carolina has as good lands as hers We're
originally; as many minerals aud in as
| great abundance a latitude better suited
to the grape and other fruits as many, i.
! not more facilities for manufacturing; and
four great staples foreign TO British soil,
! towlt, rice, tobacco. indian corn, and cot
ton. England is an old, ours is IL new
country. Our population about twenty
to the square mile; if equal to that OF
| England, sixteen millions OF human beings
would swarm upon our surface. Only
i abnnt one-sixth of our entire erea is in
cultivation; every square yard of England
| serves some purpose Of adornment, profit,
or utility. Comparing the two countries
| their natural resources, the advantages we
| have over her in climate, in the four great
staples, in our species of labor. in onr ex-
burdens Of Church and State, and from
| the blight of absenteeism aud privileged
orders-what a great and glorious future
is before lis, if we are only true to onr-
selves!
All soils, to he productive, must possess
certain properties or elements. Orga ic
orevegitable matter must exist in due pro-
portions with earthly or inorganic matter.
There must be wliat the chemist call pllos-
plprus, sulphur, potash, soda, lime, mag
nesia, iron, silica, and alnInina. A good
fair soil, for example, contains seventy
four per cent. or parts of silex or sand, five
parts of organic matter, fourteen OF alum
MIA and peroxide OF iron, and not merely