The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1861-04-03

wonderful Improvement and progress.
winch the modern nations Of Europe
have made in the cultivation of the soil.
by the application of science to the sub.
Ject of agriculture.
L'eblg, in his agricultural chemistry,
has thrown food OF light on this sub.
Ject. by means of chemical analysis, he
has discovered the different properties Of
the several soils and plants, and their
adaptation TO each other.
| On the subject oS mdnures and the bes,
d6Sor6entS,much valuable information NAV
/ he gained from this book. 1t would be
both ins,rucling and Entertaining TO con
unne ihis part of our subject, but as it
would greatly overrun the limits Of an
address, and AS the claims Of agriculture
20 ihe T'gn'ty OF science, belong more
I properly to the chemist, than to the far
mer, we shall leave this branch Of our
subject 20 Llebig and Others, whose siu.
! gniar discoveries, in the various depart.
inents of science, may be relied upon, and
shall SIMPLY mention some OF the improve
! ments, which, the modern nations of Eu-
rope, England, France, and Germany
have made in practical agriculture. The
Immense population, the comparatively
small extent OF country, together with
Their age, have placed these countries far
III advance of the United States, in every
work OF improvement IN practical agricul
tnre. England and Wales, leaving out
Scotland, Ireland, the Islands in the Brit.
'*h seas, and paris Of the army and navy
out "i the kingdom, which, ii included,
would give her population of neHrly
thirty six millions. England and Wales
without these, do not together exceed in
eN'entol country, two of our largest States
ge', they have population of over seven
teen mi lions. Tais immense population
'or so small a country, as it must greatly
tax he resources Of the soil under the
best system Of cultivation and manurinp.
would ~ short time OUcIrun its natural
resources, under the exhausling and ruin
Gus system OF cultivation pursued by us.
these several causes have co opCraied To-
make the improvement and preservation
OF the soil, objects of the first care, TO the
farmers of England. They have with sin
gn'ar care. directed every energy to The
prcSeratio ard improvement Of their
solt. by The application of manures, and
The use OF bitches drains, and II judcious
rotation of crops the English farmers have
impaired a wonderful fertility to their
sol
The extent to which they have carried
dlchng and draining strikes at once an
American vjsito, with surprise. These
bitches are laid off with singular care,
and nicely walled with stone. The won
dcriul amount of money and labor, that
has thus been bestowed upon the soil, is
Justified by the fact, that England is thus
enabled TO support population, that
would otherwise siarve.
Thus Hy turning to her advantage, cir,
cnms,amres which naturally made against
her progress, has England been enabled
to ma'n,ai" an equal, and Independent,
rank among the nations of the earth
France and Germany too, by initiating
ner. example in this respect, have long
ouliived their infancy.
Shall 1t ever be said Of America, she
has failed to profit by their example q
| answer for YOU, and for the slave States
of the UnIOn-no-never. Possessing as
"e do. Singular advaLt ,ges every way, and
enjoying under our wise and liberal Con.
suuutlon, cioit rights and irnmunites as
citizeLs 10 the soil, far superior to all 9th
er na;lons-whilc these are continued to
US by kind Providence, We will push
our advantages, and eudeavor 10 outstrip
them all. The historical view, which we
have ust tai ken, Of our sutjeci, deter
mines its absolute Importance. We have
thus seen tha; tillage or agriculture is co
evaI with history Of the race that it is
Indispensable 10 civilization, as without
Il man would remain n rowing savage.
We have thus seen, that agriculture is
the first and most important Of all arts
that ia absolute importance is early felt
and acknowledged by all nations /: that
all infant States and communities feel IL
to he paramount to every other interes,
or pursuit; that all at first engage with
Zeal and srgy in the cultivation of the
sod. Ibis being the case we might con.
clude under superficial view Of the sub
jrct, that the infancy of States would be |
the golden age of agriculture, and the |
infancy OF the AIT the season Of its prea,
es; beauty But this is not the case. =
Ignorance and ,Ddnt, which have been |
iorcibly styled BY modern writer. the !
two great bentallizers Of the race, pre-. |
vail in her outset to keep her back -
Hence agriculture 10 her infancy. like the
infant man, is compelled to crawl before
she can walk, and to s,agger as she first
rises TO her feet. Once risen she has to |
begin a terrible conflict with these her in,
veterate opposers.
Overcoming want, ignorance still keeps
the field against her, and obstina,ely dis
puies her passage up the h;Il-cut,ing
oft her sirsggers she only advances the |
easier, but II her ranks be scattered she
will be forced at this point to beat a re.
trent. This has been the bistory of her
warfare the world over 1t was the case
With her when sue planted civilization in
England and on TIE continent |; il was
the case when she transplanted it heie -