Daily national Democrat., 1861-09-13

4 =
Agricultural Society. A superficial view Of
! this lovely valley in the hot season, when tie
earth is brown and powdery, and seems to
/ have written on IT, ~ common with man
"Dost thou art, and unto dust ihou shalt re-
! turn" would not afford knowledge Of tie
/ fertility and varied productive capacity
which surpasscs and surprises other Ian4-,
and which this fair presents in cpitome.
The speaker said he was not farmer, but
that lie would present some general ideas up
on the sulj jet Of Agriculture, such as might
/ be entertained by literary man, making no
preteu.ions to a knowledge Of the science Of
farming lie said that, if money carried an
aroma with it that proclaimed how it was
gained, the farmers coin would not shame
him, for it would sprinkle the Nhoesomcncss
Of winds, the perfume OF blossoms, the
strengthcning smell Of the SOIL the fragrance
Of noble uses. There can be no mscrly az
cumulation Of grains and fruits, and the
farmer cannot get rich dishonesty, if he pays
his debts. The two uobe-t classes Of labor
and Of the mud-thosc who produce crops
and those who evolve ideas Land is Gods
best gift to man. aud history Of how il has
been employed for mans uses would be a hi--
tory of human society from Eden to the
stalking out oi-the last "cl.im in Iowa or
Oregon.
But man does not own the soil absolutely
it is "A trust 10 him. and must be managed
intcligently, or else it becomes a curse as
nations and individuals have learned often. --
Too much land in one mans possession, on
the attempted cultivation Of too much hY
one, i an abuse Of the trust, and poverty Is
the penalty, sooner or later; and neglect OF
lertilizing eXpcdients is another abuse A@r-
culture is one of the carth's finishing pro-
cesses in common with the climatic ihlia-
euces which aid it, and elaborate, universal
cultivation is its destiny Agriculture has
the rcchmation Of much submerged land as
part of its mission in aid Of the Divine idea,
and every acre Of swamp made dry pro-
notes the reclaimer to the honor OF being an
implement Of Providence in completing the
task Of creation. Acting thus as agents Of
higher power, nations have always cultivated
the poorer lands first. and the energetic races,
the creators and diifusors of civilization,
gained thus their vigor aud longevity, " lille
the INDECENT citizens Of rich lowlands have
decayed to tarbarism or inauitv Aelicu,.
turc, to he successful, requires morality as
as well as Intelligence and thus linking itself
with the purposes aud attributes Of deity IN
all respects, 10 wonder that il cnnoL,es aud
that il has inspired some Of the worlds best
poetry as witness the classics.
The speaker then dwclt upon the unvary-
ing regularity oflhe seasons. and of the bout-
t;f,,l ,..,,..l ,.i..l,l.. ! t, ,,,,.'- f..l
loycue-s and benefit of the earth aad IT'S
products are achieved for lis by such -"io.G
subtitle. unseen processes, that We accept ever
recurring results with c1mmon-placc salts
faction, instead of with the eager joy aud as
constituent that would possess u, could We
see the same results accomplished for Us sud
denly, and comprehend the gorgeous poetry
Of them by sudden Inspiration.
Mr.. King poke Of the difference in the ca
pacity of the soil Of the different State, and
sections, and Of the general harmony Of the
whole, every production necessary or d.-ira
Gle being furnished 10y one portion OF anoth-
er Of OF the country; Think of the harvest,
too said the orator, in the light of clicua-
ton which has been made; that, If tie whole
human race were seated at one table spead
with the boUuIes of the Creator, it. would
reach five times around the widest cilc.uulei-
cuce of the gloht And yet, twice a day, at
least, the year through, such a table i. ,ir.
tually sprpal--l2J.uuQ miles loug--tui .
thousand millions Of human beings are fed on
the influence of -uushinr.
To convey an idea Of the eXteui of the rlo-
ducts of oar own State, he gave some aul4--
ing estimates Ike the iJlloUinH lie said
That the last crop Of wheat, -priukiiug
hu,hel TO every three feet of water would
make track from the harbor Of san Fran
cisco TO Panama There were four peach
trees to every soul in the State and an ag.
grrgale of eight millions of grape vines, or
twenty to each human being enumerated in
our last census, with a tcuth paIt Of a f.,
tree beside thus nearly realizing the Biblical
picture of every man setting under lis own
vine and fig tree
He urged the importance Of dealing gem
crously with the land which is SO generous
to the race. The man who crops without
f1'iiizing is baukrupting poster'y. AGli-
culture demands as another condition of sue
cess, diversity of employment which is a
great lack thus frin California. Uulii the
attainment of this diversity increases largely
the consuming classes, farmers must crop
less lavishiy--0nd the Agricultural Societies
must preach the Indispensable gospel Of
economy, smaller farms more labor on them
and reverence for manure This rUleis not
only essential to pecuniary success, but to
the bringing up all productions on farm to
Il level with their type. Cal fouia farmers
more nearly do this latterly than others, be-
cause the soil is SO generous; and they must
keep it SO in the mode ndieatel The Crca-
tor meant We should have perfect fruits,
grains aud vegetables; bat he also meant we
should work to secure them.
Mr. King gave lis opinion Of some Of the
defects in California fruit He said the APP
pies were very large, but that the apple that
enables Us TO understand the temptation Of
Eve has not vet been offered for sale here
The grapes are little too sweet and that
excess ofsugar puts too much alcohol in our
wines. He who will transfer this excess of
sugar in the wine grape to the strawberries
that are SO lig and sour will be a bcuefactor
The Creator calls on the farmer TO help him
perfect animals and vegetables, jus. as he
employs him TO finish the earth; and if We
honor the painters and sculptors, who fashion
mimic shapes what greater honor is due
those who hcightea the beauty Of living
torms in both kingloms Better than paint.
ing imperfect pictures or writing imperfect
rhymes is to raise a peri, ct straw bcrry-aui
bcautiy the living landscape by intelligent
! cultivation, D>comiug thus co-wolkQr with
Deity.
lie alluded to the injury done to The ogri-
cultural lands ly the miners, in the throwing
of such immense quantities Of dri into our
rivers and said he thought ii miserable econ
omy to utterly destroy, for $4,000 worth of
gold a~ acre Of land that would Yield to
| tilla-2 forever $1,000 a year Thousands are