The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-02-16

=. : Il
make, would be most IiEelv to nrovo in.
structive. And then aoain' T see around |
me mapv intellioent and evna,.;o,cod a.,
mers, Of whom, in resnect to knowledae |
and experience upon the subject. IT nav |
seem presumptuous in me to aspire to he !
the peer; aud at whose feet it would seem |
to be more fitting, perhaps. 7 should sit |
and learn. Nevertheless, gentlemen, since
| am before you, must strive to contrib |
ute my part, though it be but a mite. to
the exercises of the occasion, intended for
our mutual benefit, instruction and ad-
yancement
l. 1t is quite apparent, my friends, tn at
agriculture, though it has been practised
since the creation Of man, has not kept
steady pace with other arts but, in this
| country, at least, IS Far behind many 9th
er branches OF active industry. Our far
mers; as Glass; except, OF course, many
to be found IN every part Of the country,
have pursued their calling as means
OF subsistence, cuidVatIng their lands as
their fathers had done, without troubling
| themselves TO inquire whether other modes
Of culture might produce more remunera-
| tive results. They have not generally
/ =
ready TO spurn, the prOitered AID OF sci
cnce. When told for instance,-what lies
at the very foundation ct their business,
that scientific analysis demonstrates that
! certain constituents OF soil, in ascertained
proportions, adapt it to the growth Of par
! ticUlar crops; that in most soils some of
these qualities are wanting, or not found
! In the requisite proportions, and may be
supplied by the application Of mauurcs, or
! by modes Of treatment adapted to different
! kinds Of soil. and must be thus supplied
| or regulated. to secure a completely sue
| ccssful result, many are found, even in
| this day Of light and knowledge, ready 10
| set this down as "BOoK-FARsIING," and,
| closing their ewes against the light Of sci
| entifc truth. tested and proved hv exneri-
ence, are content to erope on in the dark.as
thev had done before. This Is q radical
error. It is an error in practice, it Is true,
| with many. who. 81 far rs theory GOES. are
sufficiently informed r1pon the subject. but
| who still act against or without the loht
Of their OWN knowledge. MANY have nev-
or e,ivan themselves thc +rouhie of iuolli-
rim whether these thinrs he 50. All.
bo,2cvnr must sooner ~, (3rer rise above
this error or fn5 themselves }aaoino, be-
hind tLair aoe Tboy r,ust Irarn = they
do not already know that their labor IA
or3cr. 70 secure NOT o1Iv The host. bl,e ,,rof-
;f,bls res,Its rIIst he iatelI;rantI>. - we'll
~ ;nd1,s+rio,Isl,- rrosac,+od Fhcra ! my
friends no csIlina in the nronor and
profitable nrosecution Of wbjci, it is more
rea,5isitc that +he MIND should co-operate
with the hands to read. think, reflect and
reason, rs we'll as toll The qualities of
the narticular kind Of soil which it Is his
business to cultivate it lacks or
needs 10 adapt it to the production,
IN the greatest quantity and perfection,
Of the crops which he proposes to raise,
what is, therefore. necessary to bl
done at the outset, to adapt the one
70 the other,-what is needful to supply
or preserve the constituent clements OF
, good soil, or bring it back to fertility if Il
has been exhausted By culture IN other
: words, the subject Of MANURFs, their sew.
] eral kinds. qualities, Especially with ref
l erence to his own wants, and the proper
" mode Of preparing the soil for the seed OF
/ plast, including sUBsoILING and DRAIN
AGE all these are elementary subjects O
e inquiry with which it is almost as essen
: tial every farmer should be familiar, 4.
f that the physician should understand tht
e disease Of his patient, and the qualities o