Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-01-20
D. rHoBURM EDITOR & PROPRIETOR
NEW SERIES, VOLS NO. Al

CStrfss fslIeviss 1ss.y; vnnss bs r
C.Tposuax, was awarded the FIRST Premium
by the Belmont County Agricultural b.
szstys z
Agriculture, a. subject, 10 of vast ant
saried inportance. 1t gives employment
to more labor and capital, than all othel
i pursuits combined. 1t is the pioneer o
eiyiii.ation, the stronghold of freedom, snt
, the bulxask of wealth and Independence
With o. il 10 a. the. motive of cur ma
ton. Let II be neglected and we woult
econ become bankrupt, oor commerce wouls
be ruined, our mar sufscturing establishment
wsald be closed, we ss people would soor
sink low ia the scale Of civilization. Ye'
be .nss:oPed as In "Egyptian darkness.
~ But on the other hand let US bestow upon
Agriculture our fostering care No. only
IN our Agricultural Associations, but in ou'
Legislative halls, snd national councils, lei
ever one lend it helping hand, and we viii
eonsinps To fise in wisdom, wealth, and
And next, az science, Agriculture ID
more intricate, and at the same time more
impoftan: than any other; although il hal
seeh practiced longer, it is yet farther from
perfection than almost all others, and s'
the same time the perfection of this science
would be of much greater importance to
the American people, than the acquisition
of csbs, the subjugation of Nicaragua, oI
all the gold Of California. Yes, if this
science was perfected in these United States
and esrriet out as such throughout the land
we would soon rise to point far above any
thing ever attained BY any Of the Nations
of the earth. Now come, let us reason
together and see If we can find out the de.
fec, in the present mode of operating. With
bat few exceptions those engaged in tiiling
the soil are too car eless, they think If they
do ss well a. their neighbors, or ss well az
other people do, il lie web enough. They
are making no st.empt to improve. but are
farming the same way their fathers did be-
fore them. They take no note of even their
own dDlags, and if they maize . discovery
ohs yeaf, instead of noting il down fol
future reference, or publishing it to the
world, they will perhaps forget II them:
selves before the next year comes round.
They have no rule to 9" BY unless il Is the
A manse, and if jou talk to them of i'm
provemcnt in Earnings or recomend them to
take an Agrieuitu,a. paper. With very de-
cided air they will tell you, that they do not
believe in book-fsrming, or any. of these new
fsngled notions; and that settles the matter.
They IRE wrapped 90 close IN the cloak OF
prejudice and ignorance that they can't sec
cut.
And then we all farm too much without
doing it well enough. and there is not one
in fifty of US that have any rule to 60 by
but do things by guess. We don't know
what kind of manure is the best for wheat
oats. corn, or potatoes, or which is really
the best lime, and way'of applying it. Now
what we want ant ought to do is this, we
ought slkso Keep notes of the time snt
manner of performing our work. and also
she results of such work, and then let these
be annually collected and put into form
that would be accessible TO all. If we
would learn but one truth, or fact in year
We would be progressing. We want more
Night, more knowledge. Agricultural knowl
sdse faust be disseminated.
In othef Professions there is regular
tourse of study laid down. and the student
labors diligently and persevcringly to mas
ter tbst profession, and does not consider
himsel: prepared for his chosen work unti
be has done so. Take Doctor, for instance
let him start in the practice of medicine
without previous study and preparation, ant
Whist could he do! Or how could a mer
chant get along in business that had neve
learned bookkeeping. and did not understand
the outs and ins of trade! Or how could I
minister preach that had never read hi
tib.s, or studied theology! Or how coui'
a LAWYER plead in q court of justice that ha'
never read Blackstone. Have they not GO
their Medical Colleges, their Theologica
Institutions, their Law and Comtnetcia ia
Schools! True they have.
But were ia our Agricultural Schools an
Colleges! We may have heard of sue
things, but there is no; one out of every fiv
hundred of Us that has ever been With
the wall of any such building. Now, sha
we remain in this blisslul ignorance, gon
on in haphazard kind of way, raisin
half crops Of grain, dwarf cattle, sci
shar2uer hogs. and come by chance sheer
soing every thing by guesss Or will W
ioin together and as Que man say that W
will do better, that We viii: organize
Farmers, Club in every school district, thu
we will have an Agricultural Associatio
in every Township, that We will have a
Agricultural College and experimental far
in Belmont county; und also, that We wi
introduce into our schools the study of A,
riculture, the nature, history, and com2os
tior of plants, also the nature and habi
of the animals, birds and insects of u
eouniry: the nature of it's soil, its geolog
cal formation, &C., &c.
There is one class Of farmers that neV
tbiak Of improvement, either in land, stoc
or buildiags; who never grow enough gra
or grass.seed-think ing TO sa"e by the @
Grafton, because the sod is dear-rsi
dwariish stock because they can't eat
much as larger ones-plow the grou
shallow because the plow point is dull ,ra
er than be at the expense OF getting NJ
ope-let the weeds take the corn becal
thew can't afford to hire laborers to work
TLep there is another class OF farm,
which only raise stock, and another VIII
ouly raise grain. Now neither one of th'
,..,rt IN Ius nj no hut laf I'll