The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1859-10-25

PRODUCTION of new methods and products
that distinguishes, in some measure disad
vantageousy, the agriculturaisls from those
engaged in the sister vocations of manufac-
lures and commerce. II is impossible for
us to content ourselves with the belief that
the products Of our day are the most prof.
liable, the most productive, or the best
adapted TO public wants or profitable
market. The success attending recent eX
perments satisfactorily disprcvos this con-
clusion. In every respect there is still i'm.
portant Improvements to be effected. We
have but TO recall the resistance made 10
to the Introduction Of some notable and
necessary Of existing products in our own
and other countries. The potato, whose
almost total disappearance we have recent
" feared as worlds calamity was not
readily received into the family Of useful
domestic products We had little of that
trouble here, for it was a native of our con
| tincnt, but in France it was introduced
with the utmost difficulty. 1t was believed
that the potato melted leprosy and tevers
a theory not much more absurd than some
of our own time. 1t is related by Culver
Of Pamenter, who had learned the value
of this most valuable and agreeable escucnt
! in the prisons of Germany, where no had
/ little or no other food, that TO induce the
people to try them, he had the public plats,
on which he planted them, carefully guard.
! ed by day, in order TO induce the munici.
/ pal tilibusters of that time TO steal them
by night. "Tho potato" says Culver,
"twice saved France from famine, and has
| tcrtilizel It's most barren and unnhabitablo
districts, and vet when Parmcaticr, intro
duccd it into France, he was presented IA a
! candidate for mail office in ono of the
departments, the people sail-'wo will
never vote for him-he invented potatoes,
and if elected he will make us eat them.
The introduction of Indian corn-the na
tivity of which as product Of our own
continent, | was sorry TO sec questioned by
| American students Of scicncc-has been
received with little favor in England and
Ireland, even in Il period of public want,
as the potato in France, and the Bu ldhists
prohibit the use Of beef US food, and the
Jews pork. Though the regulations may
have religion for their basis, neither is in any
sense, more absurd than the prcjudiccs
which long existed in this country against
mutton.
Tie importance Of such service as the
;nt-nlro.:~-, sf -~~~ e-ers ~nl new or,i-lve
of food, cannot be TO lightly cstimaled.-
They rise oflimcs to til, dignity Of nation
al events, and mark the crisis of civilization
1t ha. been said upon competent author
ity, that the culture of rice has altered
the destiny of nations and changed the
the face Of the globe. There can be little
doubt, ! suppose, that its culture contrib
uted materially to the carly civilization Of
IIndoos and Chinese. Every one knows
what the potato has done for Ireland, cot
ton for America, and The grape for Italy.
The same philosophc observation which /.
suggests a new culture, also cautions n,
Cainst tooc,niidcnt arciance upon n single |.
product. 1t therefore strenuously coun.
sci, rotation of crops, and protests against
the pcnicious policy Of staples. All sta
pies fail in time. The failure of rice
bring, famine upon China and Japan, and |
we know well what sorrow the potato .
blight brought upon Ireland, and that Of
grape for Italy.
Phi. sophie InTestigatlon' as wei as Reid
o"'eN"liTh' Is r'luf4" !" t'' Sc'cclion u
crops WIN respect |, QUALITIES ~, VI "u''''lo" @
an" capacity 'oF Pf2uoel2", -. nc ,1 p"i'.,'n
tfee' says li0'''p.T'' VIII 'urniSil ''o1 10! iIr
n'{ persons "b1" '4r sane 'u'."'y' , VIII" ,n
""utI wheat VII. maintain p'' l"o' Inc ne
ro'a;o VIII MAINTAIN n, '"r'c 'ln'a as 'nuCh n
Us Whea'' I! ne 'A''hI 81 c'"h''! A!u !u .le
varieties oi climate ",'''!' 4 crop VIII en-
d"r'' are appr,c!"o'e clements III Inc 's"'
mate oi Us N""''
The cotton zone, as 1t Is c'IIed, which
cNcrts so powerful AN influence upon the
government, embraces but five States, Of
which from various causes, not more than
one.thld Of each is adapted to The adyan-
tageons growth OF! cotton, and small parts
of four Others. at extends from the At
lantlc to the Rio del Nortc, and embraces
about four hundred and fifty square miles y
1t is a va'u1blc crop, but cannot, 1t mp,
pears, be increased IN any remarkable de.
gree, and It is likely, in The cnl, 20 como
under the incyitabl. law Of failure which
follow all staple products. All staples ialI
in time, and why not cotton as well as rice,
the grape or potato:
Nature seems disinclincd to perpetual