The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-04-07
Letter on Agriculture.
By F. W. BeUGGEMANN.

ANALYSIS Of the various branches of hus
bandry as it is practiced in this country
and endeavor to expose the errors of the
existing system, I fear that many will receive
with contempt, the efforts Of stranger to
cnlighten the people in this science. But
assure the public that my design does moi
originate in presumption. hold it as 6
duty owe to the country which affords ME a
new home, to make myself as useful as
possible; and do not despair Of accom-
plishing this end, in as much as have been
for ten years engaged in the study of theo'
retical and practical agriculture. l do not,
however, pretend that all my statements
will be faultless IL will thankfully submit
to any corrections, and be completely sat-
is6ed, if can propose, for public discus
sion, some questions of the weightiest i'm
portance to this part of the country.
LErrERl-ISrsoDUcrIox.
The welfare of people is, generally, in
proportion to the progress and increased
profits of agriculture.
The history of every country demon
strates the truth of this assertion. In
Greece and Rome, and more recently, in
Spain, we see the national ruin going hand
in hand with the decline of husbandry.
On the contrary, in Belgium, Holland and
Germany, there is visible a steady advance
ment in agriculture, and connected with it,
an increasing prosperity of the population,
and an eminent attainment Of general edu-
cation. do not here mention England
with her astonishing results on the farm
and in the pasture, because the prosperity
of this country depends chiefly upon COM
merce and manufactures.
Every well regulated government has
always considered 1t a duty to sustain
agriculture and encourage activity in this
direction. Therefore, England and Ge:-
many have established Colleges for teach
ing scientific agriculture, and also prep1ra-
tory schools in which the elements Of farm
ing are studied. In Prussia there is an
authorized board, consisting of the best
infor ned farmers, which investigates all
the important questions relating to huS-
bandrv, and communicates the results TO
the government. Hundreds Of agricultural
societies exist aud are more or less sup
ported bv t { government authorities. In
their meetings each member has the op2or-
tuni,y Of communication his experience
and thereby contributing 10 the Success OF
all.
Do sin,i!a. institutions exist in the United
States aul especially il the South? Alas,
no for the members of such agricultural
fairs as exist in some Of the States, must
confess that no result has been obtained
calculated to improve husbandry, directly
or indirectly. They cat and drink, on
these occasions more aad perhaps better
than usual; listen to some good and much
more silly talk, and 60 home under the in
preston that they hare done their country
some good. This is all.
know very we'll, that America, on ac-
count of the disp-oportioa Of her popula-
ton to her rich natural resources, has not
vet been able 10 conpe.c with the efforts
made il England and Germany. But
Liebig, the great agricultural Chemist OF
the world, has fully demonstrated that most
fertile soil will sooa BE- exhausted by such
a system Of tiilasc as is now, and has al
ways been praciced by the Southern far
mer and that this can be averted II the
husbandman will d d:vote a small portion
of his time to the acq1ire'nent of certain
aN-powerful scientific principles, which
will enable him, a, the proper time, to re-
store to !lis enfee5lci fields, what they lost
in rcwAr'!;ns his labor with rich harvests.
Indeed go farther and declare that the
South, .,lscady has in consequence Of this
unskii,f.l management, vasttracts Of barren
lands, u:,it, at present, for Cotton or any
thing else, and that the rising generation
will soca have to dcplore the thoughtless-
| ness of their forc-fathcrs.
I will hcre p,iat to on'y one of the many
advantages resulting from Agricultural So.
cieties.
Within the las: few weeks, immense
loads of Guano and artificial manures, have
arrived at this place, and fonnl ready sale
The farmer has applied no iuconsiderable
par. of the profits of the Last years crop,
to the purchase of these fertilizers. He
has done this, without knowing, if the
purchased manure is suitable for his soil,
or if there be probability Of his receiving
a compensation, in the forthcoming crop,
for the money there expended for every
soil requires different special manure for
! each plant. There is only one kind OF
manure that. forms an exception to this
rule, and that is the dung Of our domestic
animals; this can be applied, with advan'
tage, to any soil, for the nourishment oi
any plant. ),
If we had here, well-directed Agricul
tural Society, whose aim, would be to dis
cover BY observation, what effect different
ferti.izng agents would have upon the Va
rious soils and crops (such as cotton, corn
wheat, etc. it would be easy to find in
dustrious and intelligent farmers, who
could experiment in this direction upon
small portions of lands, if they could be
instructed in the principles which shou!c
| Ia hn rocnltc a. thora