Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1869-04-10
AGRICULTURAL ADDRESS.
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF
BAKER COUNTY, GA.
by s. P. STEVENS. NJ. d.

BY 3. p. STEVENS, NJ. ID.
Gentlemen. The occasion whici
brings us together is one of unusua
interest. 1t Is a harbinger of NOR,
propitious times, especially to thos'
who with you are associated in con
cert of action for advancing the agri
cultural interests of this portion o
our State. When the storm-cloud o
war passed over us, in its desolatinl
track 1t spread far and wide the de
bris of shattered fortunes which re
quired the energy, industry and skill
of many years for their accumula
ton. 1t accomplished the disinteg
ration of our social system whereby
the beneficent relation of master ant
slave has been forever sundered, ant
as n necessary consequence our labol
system has been reduced to state o
inextricable confusion; it has brought
us into a condition of political bank
ruptcy, where, in lieu of a mild ant
beneficent government dispensing it'
blessings of "life, liberty and the pur
suit of happinessn to all, we are tn.
subjects of class legislation with al
its embarrassments and cruel tortures
But the present occasion inspires US
with hope, that, though Frustrated by
by the weight Of untold evils, there
is vitality enough left to be galvan,
lied to q condition of activity anC
power. With calm submission to the
ineXorable decree of that unseen
Hand which has shaped our destinies
and yielding obedience to the power.
that be; with a will to do, intelli
gence to guide and energy to accom-.
plish, we will yet build up the waste.
places, and our stricken land will
once more be clad in the garments o
beauty and loveliness.
And, gentlemen, you have com.
menced the work of recuperation, by
laying down of the stones which com.
pose the broad foundation upon which
rests the material prosperity of every
civilized country. 1 mean the ad.
vancement of the cause Of intelligent
agricultural industry. Wise concert
of action is indispensably necessary
to the success of any great enterprise
Individual effort is slow and dubious
in its progress. Critical analysis OF
projected plans insures more precis
ion and certainty of final results
The comparing of individual expert.
ments conducted by the Suggestions
of minds diversified in their capabili-
ties of natural or acquired powers OF
discrimination in the use of means
will point out error and elicit truth
The farmer, of all men, is often the
most deeply rooted in his preiudiccs
Taught from his earliest childhood
to pursue q certain system of labor
trained i'm the customs and manners
of his ancestors, guiding many OF
his important operations by the diff
ferent lunar phases and meteorological
observations which are to his mind
ominous of good or evil, any sugges.
tiOns which may have a tendency to
invalidate the stability of his faith
are received with incredulity andsus-
picion. Even when actual observa-
tion and experience have tested the
superiority of certain plans differing
from his stereotyped ideas, he i
tardy in adopting them and giving
due credit to their results. Hence,
there is often engendered the most
intense opposition to what is called
book farming. What is book farm
ing but an intelligent understanding
of the mode of operating i'm the ac-
complishment of the purposes and
plans of the most illiterate farmer ?
1t is bringing to our aid the wise gen.
eralities of philosophy and deducing
therefrom important facts; it is re-
ducing general, and, often, vague
imp essions of natural phenomena
to the certainty of scientific truth
and of statistical accuracy; it il, in
short, simplifying and rendering more
certain agricultural operations
Agriculture has attained its highest
degree of excellence in those coun-
tries where necessity has invoked
the aid of science for the support OF
millions, where the usual productions
of the soil are inadequate for this pur-
pose. In proportion to the increase
of the population of a country will
there be demand upon it's agricultu-
raj resources. Hence, in Germany,
Great Britain, Prussia, France, and
other countries, large number of in
genious and investigating minds are
employed I'm renovating the produc-
tive capacity of soils worn out by
perpetual tillage. Calculations are
made by which the maximum
amount of grain may he produced
upon every acre of ground suscepti-
BILE of cultivation. 1t Is said that i'm
Great Britain, every-four acres ofland
raises food for every twenty other pop
ulation. Among the Chinese, their
superior knowledge Of the art of cul
ture has enabled them, upon an area
of 200, 900 acres of land. to support
a population of 300, 0,000,000 of people.
In fourteen years, North Germany
added in round numbers one million
to her population. The cause of this
is attributed to the systematic course
Of agricultural instruction ofthe farm
ing population of Germany has estab-
lished -four royal academies i'm which
the theory and practice of farming
are fought i'm two YEARS course. In
addition to the Colleges she maintains
nineteen provincial schools, each of
which has received from the State
SlO,WO. They are under the direction
of the educated farmers of the district,
and the simple laws of agriculture
are taught. Teachers are also EN-
plOyed to 90 from farm to farm to give
instruction while the drops ave grow
ing. Then there are seven schools for
experiments I'm organic chemistry /;
and Throughout all Germany the peo-
Pile are rapidly advancing in knowl-
edge, and achieving results In ad-
vance of every other nation. The
preiudices, therefore, To an educated
husbandry are usually the result of ig-
norance OF the benefits arising there
from. Because, with every favOring
circumstance and condition, the ordi-
nary routinist will often succeed In
raising as fine n crop ns his more in
telligent hook-raising neighhor, Is
there any valid reason for his depre-
ciating the value of knowledge?
Because the preacher who depends
alone upon the inspiration of the mo-
ment for his logic and rhetoric will