The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1860-02-16
Lecture of Prof. Rauch.

On Friday evening last, Prof Rauch deliv-
cred a lecture, by the invitation of the Joint
committees on Agriculture ofthe two Houses.
The lecture was of a scientific character,
and betrays in the lecturer a thorough
knowledge Of the subjects treated in the lee
ture.
We hope It viii BE delivered again for the
benefit of orr citizens, and we had hoped to
have heard it this week, and so had forborn
to give any abstract of il as delivered.
The Lecturer commenced by speaking Of
Agriculture as the basis Of the wealth of q
country, and that it is the policy of a State to
encourage agriculture. He then went on to
describe Iowa as pre-emidently an agricultu-
raj State, and brought up the conduct of the
great patriots of our country-of Washing
ton, Jefferson and others-as giving their
aid and countenance to the higher develop
mcnt of Agriculture as a science and art
There had not been attention enough paid
by the General Government to this import
ant branch ofa Nations prosperity. 1t was
true that great deal had been done of late
by the Patent Office in one direction. There
was more labor and capital, he said, invested
in agriculture than any other department Of
industry. Yet it was remarkable fact that
less time and attention was given to cor
rect agricultural education than any other
branch oe knowledge. In Europe more at
tention has been paid to agriculture as sci
ence. There, it was necessity. Here, we
have whole continent to cultivate, and the
facility in the production of our crops has
been the destruction If our soils. As an art,
agriculture with us has much improved; but
as a science it has scarcely moved. We are
constantly taking from the soil, and never
returning to it. Can this last? Most GER
tainly not There is in our own State the
greatest need of thorough Investigation Of
the principles of agriculture by scientific men
and the application of those principles to the
practice of agriculture by the farmer.
Labor to be productive, must be intelligent
Mind and muscle must 60 together. What
ever would be respectable must be respected,
and the State should seek by some wise pol
icy to stop the concentration of people in
towns, by giving the highest intelligence and
responsibility to the life Of the farmer. The
farmer needs really more knowledge than a
worker in any other department of life. He
has to deal not alone with inaniDlate matter,
but with all the vital forces Of nature, and
needs-must have-of all men, intellectual
culture in the broadest sense of the term.
All vegetables, whether grain or grass re-
quire as absolutely indispensable to their
growth and maturity, heat, air, moisture,
food and light.
The most important condition of vegetable
growth, is an abundant supply of suitable
food. All plants live by eating-grow by
what they feed on. Some plants make use
of one constituent Of the soil while another
selects different element. To know the
constituents of the soil and of the plants
sought to be grown thereon, is, therefore. of
the highest benefit to the farmer The infu-
ence of Natural History and of Botany s
great upon correct agricultural practice
Entomology has also an important part to
perform. Insects are not all curse,-many
are beneficial, while others are injurious. To
know the genus of these insects is to know
something of their character, and aids to a
correct knowledge of means to dispatch them
if Injurious. Birds are beneficial as destroy
ers of insects; and if the habits of many
birds of our country were better understood
there would be even less disposition to de-
stroy them.
1t would be a true policy of the State to
make such an examination of the soi-to
analyze it,-as to determine its constituents;
for thereby the farmer might know what can
anu "iiat eiilhot pe IaiSeu upon certaln
soil, without the cost of year or more of ex-
perimenting. Without this knowledge of
what our soils are calculated to produce,
millions of dollars are yearly lost in experi-'
menting, and in loss of crops. A policy like
this would tend to restore confidence, to ia
duce immigration and give our State high
standing for its liberal policy in advancing
the educational interests of that most impor-
tant class of all citizens-the Agriculturist.
Il Ioea State Register. :.