The Van Buren press., 1859-08-31
To the Farmers Of Crawford Co.

I'aoie anu Sel1-cvluent to admit of the
slightest doubt. We toll on year after
year, digging, delvinS and shaving upon soil
that if scientifically or even carefully tend
ed, would produce thrice the present amount
We see our neishbor. who. perhaps, has a
field adjoining ours, having fine crops, and
we foolishly accuse mother earth of being
the cause of this difference. Our county
has finer lands naturally than any other
county in Western Arkansas refer now
to the bottom land. Indeed, If the rich al
luvial soil of our bottom was about one
half as productive as it is, our farmers
would be twice as Industrious as thev are.
That soil produces SO readily, with scarcely
any labor at all, that the farmer, having no
inducement in the shape of wide market,
is able to raise sufiiciency, without re-
sorting to any of the mechanical processes
for rendering soils productive. Incidence,
is the consequence, and it is saying, alas,
too true, that the " devil always finds mis-
chief for idle hands to do" But the bot
tom being almost in state of nature, new
er having been subjected to drainage, is
rather unhealthy, In places we find marsh
es, and from these always rise vapors preg-
nant with disease and death consequently
for the present, farmers generally desire
" home place. on the uplands. Our up
lands are less productive, naturally, than the
uplands Of other adjoining counties. They
can be made, however, with little labor, too.
to produce as abundantly as any other lands
of a similar character in this State or anv
other State. The continuous stream ofim-
migration that has been flowing into this
county for eighteen months past will work
important changes in the farming interests
of our county, and we should begin to look
about us and prepare ourselves to meet this
change. The cotton planters will of course
monopolize the bottom lands, and grain
raisers must resort to the uplands. This is
in accordance with the history of agricul-
ture in the West and South. Increase in
population of course makes a corresponding
increase in demand. Th, home market
then must enlarge, AMI greater inducements
will be held out to farmers and stock rails
crs, even though facilities for reaching a
foreign market do not increase
Every farmer has his own notions and
ideas concerning the manner Of increasing
the pro1uctiveness of the soil. He has his
own peculiar ideas of stock raising, about
the manifold diseases in stock also about
the diseases in cereal pro lucts, in cotton, in
fIuit trees, etc. Now this knowledge is
useful so far as it goes, but its use is conf
ned to the individual, or, at most, to his
immediate neighbors. Some plan that
would tend toagSrcgrate this stock of in
formation would greatly further the inter
csts of the agricultural community, incr ease
the stock of knowledge and produce new
lights on all the subjects pertinent to agri-
culture. Many schemes have been rcsortcd
to, and many have proved failures. The
reports issued from the Department at
Washington have effected great good by sug-
costing valuable hints to the farmer, as well
as furnishing him with the experimental
knowledge of many farmers in various
parts of the United States. From among
the numerous schemes adopted none seems
to answer the purpose so well as Agricul-
tural Societies. They are being formed in
almost every county in the Union, and with
most beneficial results. Many counties in
this State have established these societies,
and to all they seem to have given mighty
impetus to industry, almost invariably cx-
alting the character Of the country abroad.
thereby increasing the annual Immigration.
and melting the farmer to redoublcd efforts
in improving his land and stock. These
societies in this State generally embrace
mechanical societies, also. In their annual
exhibitions the mechanic is admitted to
contest the prize for fine workmanship and
is thus induced to make exertions in his de.
partment of labor. This plan, of course,
extends the beneficial effect of the society.
Our county is far behind in this respect.
We have no societies of this kind, and the
consequence is the agriculturist produces no
fine grains, the stock raisers no fine stock,
the mechanic takes no pride in his work
manship. Let US arouse ourselves from this
lethargy, and found an agricultural So
ciety' here that will resound to our honor
as county, enhance the value of our land,
improve our stock, and make Crawford
County take the stand she deserves as first
in the list of western counties. If the far
mers will give this matter their serious at
tention, meet together, and deliberate and
act adviscdly, they can easily found a soci-
ETY. that will be a blessing to the county and
assist in adding still greater importance to
Western Arkansas. 1t is useless for me
to go into long enumeration of the bene-
fetal effects that must result to our county,
Cor every person who will but give the sub
jcct moments thought will perceive them
at once.