Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1867-10-23

The tenant should have at his command
some 6 or s acres of land to be used as an
! experimental tract On this tract experi-
ments should be carefully conducted in
every respect, so far as plant culture is
| concerned. He should make experiments
| in Underdraining-shou undeTdrafn at
various depths, and at various distances
apart; should make experiments with diff
ferent plOws, and should plOw at various
| depths-fTOm four inches to a fOOt-shOuld
make experiments in thick and thin SOW
ing-shallOw and deep sowing, broadcast
and drill sowing; for there are many things
connected with all these conditions which
we do not yet understand. He should be
allowed several acres for experiments in
gardening and small fruits, and a nursery
in facttlIere is no good reason why the en-
tire nursery business of the county might
not be transferred into the hands of the
county agricultural society. In the gar
den he should make experiments on the
culture and varieties of Strawberries, cur
rants, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, &C.,
as well as upon all manner Of vegetables.
Under proper direction, and with jUdiciOus
management, the gardening and nursery
portions may be made the source of a
handsome revenue to the society; for, if
they pay in private hands, what good reas-
on is there for suppOsing that they would
not be equally Temunerative in the hands
of the society? Then the grounds should
be properly and tastefully laid Out-there
should be a flower garden, and a green
house well filled with choice plants and
cuttings; bOqUets, and floral ornaments for
pic-nics, parties, balls, weddings and even
funerals, would yield TemUnerative rev.
enue, and the fair grounds would become
the most delightful, interesting and desir-
able resort in the county. So far as the
nursery part is concerned, the public would
feel that everything supplied from it would
be true to the name. ] assert without anY
fear of successful contradiction, that there
is more money expended on worthless trees
and plants brought in, and hawked about
by tree peddlars, than would pay all the
expenses of the proposed nursery portion;
it should by all means be at once institu-
ted as matter of safety and economy
Good and fine apples viii always command
a dollar more per barrel than poor ones in
the city markets, and it costs no more to
grow good apple, pear, or peach, than it
does to grow a poor one.
At the time of the Fair every visitor will
be a deeply interested student, and the
fat woman, giant, and monkey
show will attract no attention, even IL ad-
mitted on the grounds. Every visitor will
be noting the improvement, order and ar
rangement; the example viii be conta-I
giOus, and in a few years many rural
homes will present such attractions and
beaUtified appearances that those who are
too Indifferent or too indolent to follow suit
will justly be stigmatized as wanting in
good taste. 1t may be urged that all this
will cost money, time and labor. If they
did not cost these, you undoubtedly would
already have them. Did your Jail cost
1t is a county institution as well
as the Agricultural Society. Is it not bet
ter to prevent crime than to punish those
who commit crimes, and by giving encOur- /
agement to industry and refined taste do
we not certainly make a grand step toward
preventing crime? Did those who were
taxed to build the Jail expect to be confined |
in it? No indeed! 1t was built for COM |
mon protection, and the Agricultural So |
oiety should be sustained for the common |
benefit. Your County Infirmary cost
money, time and labor; did those who /
were taxed to pay for it expect to become |
inmates? Is it any more public or county |
than your Board of Agriculture? /
Ornament your Fair Grounds; have your
tenant make practical and desirable exper-
ments; sell, or distribute and exchange
leeds, cuttings, &c. and you viii have less
lSC lOL IdllS anu 1AllllllAIItE LLldl YOU IlOW
nave. And, by adopting this plan, your
county grounds become the primary school
If Agriculture and Horticulture I have
10 doubt that many parents would willing
V place son under the care and tuiOTship I
If the tenant to learn from him many of
he methods, systems and processes pTac-
iced by him on the grounds. Every i'm
1rOvement in the culture Of farm crops will
adiate over the county from the Fair
Grounds as from a common centre. In
he spring time a hundred young men, for
/ small fee, might spend a week there
lnder the instruction of the tenant to learn
rafting, budding, inOculating, underdrain-
ng, planting trees, trimming grapes, &c.
There should be q tilery. on the grounds,
md tile furnished at prime cost to farmers
or undertaking. I do not dispute the
act that the horse is a noble animal, not
nly noble, but intelligent and one of in
'aluable service to mankind; his useful
less is freely and fully admitted by every
AgTicultUFist. But, our agriculture is not
Il horse; there are many other interesting
rO luctiOns relating to and closely con-
ected with agriculture, which equally
1erit our attention and considerations
here is no necessity for giving the horse
ring spread over ten or twelve acres, and I
miting all the agricultural and industrial u
rOducts to five acres. For myself I love
D see a horse Ego" as we'll as any other ]
eTson does-like Henry Ward Beecher, / |
mink che was made to gO"-but I see no 6
rOpriety in converting these industrial ex-
ibitions into horse, and making the ring
le central point Of attraction of the entire p
Exhibition. A few weeks ago there were Y
lmous races at Cincinnati; now as trials 7
+ speed these races We're well enough, but {
o farmer present would give $50 for Lam I
aster'l or Extra, to be by him harnessed (
p and hitched to a plOw, to break a sod {
eldi in word, the farmer, in the true C
,nse of the term, has no use for trace y
Orse, y and a test of speed is not trial
strength or Of any Of those qualities I e
'hiCh practical farmer deems iudispens- t
,le in a good farm horse Then, too, b
lere Is that miserably vicious system of T.
citing always accompanying n race. A s.
cts $50 that Lancaster will win; y bets n
20 that "EXtran viii win. Now what is L
lie moral of this? 1t is simply that A is Y
illing to pay $50 to be convinced that he r,
mistaken in his judgment, or rather that Y
2 is william enough to take BIS $50 with n
1t giving him anything in return for it? "a
bis habit of receiving money without g
ndering an equivalent, is the basis of the r'
eater portion of the crimes now COM t
lifted.
If Agricultural Societies , generally Ia
IroughOut the State, or if even majority A
them will adopt a plan somewhat SINH O
r to the one Indicated, Of making the 81
air Grounds an experimental tract, the il
-ate viii in few years find itself COM cl
,lled to locate and establish the Agricul- ka
nal College. Tt is a very difficult matter Iy
convince the Legislature of the necessity e.
n College before we have common IN
hools If the Agricultural Societies viii Ibl
litate the system which I have briefly b,