The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1869-02-26
nrAnuREe.

Agriculture was coeVal with the IlNcu
proper and settled habitations Of man,
which usually followed, although they
sometimes accompanied, the pastoral
life. According TO The Bible, Cain, the
first born of woman, was "tillor Of tho
ground" Noah, considered the second
progenitor of the race on departing from
the ark, "began to DO n husbandman."
The Egyptians ascribed the invention
of agriculture TO supernatural power, and
worshiped the OK in reward for his la
Dor and as symbolic Of ihc art. Moses
ordered, "Thou shalt not plow with an
OK and an ass together" job spoke Of
those "that plow in iniquity." And
Isaiah, Of beating swords into plow-
shares aud spears into pruning hooks"
Among many Greek authors, at various
periods, on husbandry-lIesiod, in the
age of Homer, perhaps-gave poem in
which illusions were made to the cart
(ox y with low wheels; to the rake,
and other implements of the farm
Xenophen made discourse on rural
economy. And Theophrastus, the "di-
vine speaker" the philosopher, wrote
nine volumes on the History Of iPiiatrts, =
and is regarded tho father of botany
He also described six principal manures
to BIO applied, but suggested, as II good
substitute, the mixture Of carths- as Of
clay and sand About tho same period,
Mage, renowned Carthagcnian, pub
lished twenty-eight books on agricultur-
al topics, held in such esteem that they
were translated from the Punic in
to both the Greek and Latin languages
Eminent in arms and Jurisprudence,
the Romans attained equal excellence in
the practice of lusbandry. 1t was es-
teemod the highest oil the liberal employ
ments. Those tribes living without the
city, and cultivating their patrimonial
acres, were deemed the most honorable.
From these, sprang such mon as Camil-
lus and Cincinnatus. Some / of tho
proudest, and historically tho most cele-
bratcd families assumed the names of
plants, in whose cultivation tho founder,
or at least an ancestor, had shown dis
tinguished Sill as the Bcutulii from the
lentil-the Fabi, from JaJaA bean, and
Cicero from ctcer Yeteh, In his
Goorgics, Virgil is familiar With tho en-
! tire round Of agricultural operation;
and gives directions ip blowing, plant
ing, following, irrigating and enriching
/ the land with animal manures, and with
ashes. Celumciia, in twelve books fur
nished a complete treatise on rural af-
fairs. Their implements, including tho
coulter, and the single and double mould
/ board plows wele not dissiinilar to those
employed during many subsequent cen-
turies. Their sources vi manures were
as various and as numerous, and proba-
/ bly, were as judiciously applied as those
Of tho moderns up to the 18th century.
Then, as even now, pigeon manure,
| (pouItry) night soil and human orine
mixed with sweepings Of the streets,
were regarded as among the best. The
signal advantages Of recent times con-
| sist in the new, and constantly renewing,
machinery Of thousand kinds, adapted
and being adapted to every Branch of
agriculture, and to better knowledge
Of chemistry, which supplies q magic
key to the vast store7houseg of nature ;
by analysis unlocking the embraces of
many compound substances, which, in
other days, were supposed to DO simple
elements, and the process Of affinity APP
piled syntcticaily, uniting materials for
the largest yield Of which the earth is
capable.
During long centuries Of anarchy and
wars, agriculture was neglected its
practices forgotten the pastoral was
partially resumed, because property in
stock could more easily be secured on
the approach of any enemy. It's prin-
ciples, or rather precePts, We're in a
measure preserved everywhere by the
priesthood around their nonasteries.
The Norman conquest Of England