Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-09-29
Address OF HON. A. d. SMITH, or MIL,
WAUhEE, DELIVERED AT LANCASTER.
WIS, BEFORE THE GRANT cot MY AG-
hl0ULTURAL SOCIETY, AZ IT'S FIFTH
ANNUAL FAIR, SEPT. Goth, 1860.

the tillage Of the earth, has not prevented
broad glimpses of its earliest history from
appearing amid the knowledge Of our pres
ent day. Even in those regions which
transmit the most ample record Of man.
pastoral existence, we 4 al evidences Of OK
tended Agriculture and far spread rura
communities. Indeed the volume of inspi
ration accompanies the first instance ofstrifi
and warfare among the primitive inhabit
ants Of the Earth, with an account in n,
obscure language of their granalies anC
their vineyards: and the sublime specula
tons Of the man Of u, job, were present
ed to his mind after passing the dread or
deal to which his faith and integrity wer,
subjected, when Heaven had willed tha
''his very greet husbandrya should cease
and left him to watch the remnants Of iii
/ iocks and herds, amid the tents of Idu
mea.
In those simple and graphic relations q
mans erratic existence upon the great pas
lures Of Asia, a constant reference is mad
to the products which demand care am
cultivation: and following the mood of 10
mantle life by retiring into the mountain
during winter, they necessarily conioinet
tillage with pastoral husbandry The fell
Of "Gerar" returned to the sower an hun
dred fold, and stands primitive eyidenc,
Of that day possessing an agriculture prope
to itself.
If to the statements Of the divine chron
| icle, we add the evidences which modern in
/ dustry and research have deciphered from
the monuments, and disinterred from tn.
ruins of period as far anterior to tht
Christian Era, as our present day is advan
eed in its chronology, we shall discover per
haps with wonder, but undoubtedly to or
profit, that the great African granary 0
1 the patriarchal world was advanced in tht
rural economies of life. as pre-eminently II
in the magnificence Of architecture, the cul
ture of letters, the arts, and the sublime in
yestigations ofeelestial phenomena. Their
in Mizraim, the land Of Egypt teemine
population, territorially crcumscribed Il
the limits of our own State, not only fur
nished abundant grain for its own susie
nance, but exported liberal supplies to for
eion lands, and relieved their wants in tim
Of famine.
/ Profane history explicitly declares tina
the Egyptians understood the rotation 0
crops, and adapted them to the nature 9
the soil and the wcissitudes Of the seasons
Diodo'rus, the SiciIian Informs US, that be
fore the christian era they exported to Rom
annually twenty millions Of bushels Of wheat
They moved hay, although dwelling in al
atmosphere never visited by rain or snow
possessed at the earliest times vessels o
gold and silver ard produced wheat, peas
the Sugar cane and cotton; the grape, mel
on, peach, fig, pomegranite and apricot, ev-
en- before the heroic age Of Sesostris.
If they conferred divine functions upon
| the Ok Apis, and though history does moi
inform us whether he resembled mos
strongly the suffolk-duns orimproved short
horns, yet it is certain that they took ex
t.aordinary care Of all their animals whel
/ performing Che secular part Of their duties
upon Che farm: for we obtain a charming
and instructive insight into their bucoli'
economies from the paintings and inscrip
tons whose brilliant color and sharp etch
/ ings reveal the rural affairs Of aperiod three
thousand years gone by.
| Let US picture to our minds an Egyp
tian gentleman famer, on the one hand
and on the other, the establishment Of ;
practical sovereign squatter according t
the fancy and necessities Of the present day
/ The first possessed all the eonveniences o
an European Villa. Besides mansion
with numerous apartments, therowere gar
dens, orchards, fish ponds, and preserve
for game attached to it was farm yart
with sheds for cattle and stables for carriag,
horses. A steward directed thetilage op
erations, superintendent the laborers, anG
kept account Of the produce. and eypendi
ture. The gram was stored in yaulteC
chambers furnished with an opening at thi
top, reached by steps, into which it was
emptied from sacks and with an aperture
below for removing it when required
Hand-mills, similar to our own were uset
for grinding corn, but they also had q larg
er kind worked by oxen. In one painting
in which the sowing Of grain is represented
a pillow drawn by q pair Of oxen goes first
next comes the soweF scattering seed from
basket: he is followed by another plow
whilst d roller drawn BY two horses yokef
abreast, completes the operation. Fh'
steward stands by experimenting the whole
Nothing however conveys to US 50 full al
impression of the advanced state ofciviliza
ton amongst the ancient Egyptians as "a
value which they attached to hand, and tn
| formalities which they obser, I'D in the trans
/ fer Of it. In the time of the Ptolemies
their written deeds Of conveyance begal
with the mention of the reign in which the.
were executed, the name Of the president 9
The court, and Of the clerk who drew them
I The name Of the seller, with description
Of his personal appearance, his parentage
profession and residence, was eagrossed.-
The nature Of the land, its extent, situation
and boundaries. the name and appearance
Of the purchaser were also included. I
clause Of warranty. and explicit acceptane
by the purchaser followed, and finally tn
deed was attested by numerous wltnesse
1 $50 many as sixteen occur to u trihing bal
gain) and by the president Of The COURT
But with regard To the asperities Of th