The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-02-17
Farm, Garden, and Household,
AGRICULTURE las A FORCE TO CIVILIZA-
TtON

The cultivation OF the soil Hes at tn G base OF hui
man deyelopement. and. with Improvement ii
tlclything else there must be improyeme Mt in the
methods of agriculture, since failure here inyo Ives
Jctardation everywhere. Agriculture neglected
heeomoS " brake on the wheels of progress
This subject Is complicated with the question Of
population and the average duration of life. OW-
iag To progress in science and the diffusion OF
knowledge. and also to the drainage Of lands and
The sanitary Improvement OF dwellings. the aver
age duration of human life has greatly increased
within the last few generations. This is not spec
uniion, Il Is fact; and though there may be com
PafatNelt more ply >ical weakness now thah IN
im'~ past, II l. IN consequence OF our pettef meth
ODDS Of preserving health winch save even the
weak, willie formerly. owing TO malaria, fifth ig-
unrance, and exposure only the strong could sur
AiXc. These sanitary improvements have barely
commenced. and with their constant advance; will
iAeaVerage of life increase; that the population
The civilized world will be multiplying more
tajdly tor some time To come. The earth is filling
.i.. few hundred Years may be required to
lng Ill the arabic lands OF the habitable earth in
cultivation. and until this happens the maxi
Htm of production will not be reached. But
lhth. WltlI highland Very complicated civilization.
Horacing still greater diversity of industrial ae
H} iy than is now known. while the population is
.fuWdrd. whence is the food to come:
Perhaps food will then be manufactured direct
uum inorganic materials, but we suspect that Ma
Jrc Will always reserve lor herself L field sacred
t the Old organic routine. and will forever compel
The priests Of Mature to observe her ritual. Say
some animals may be dispensed with, and the fer
ATTY Of to ,o o,,,,Iin.+io
i'l va a 'i ~ Il tn t nv, VI
iti e 1T ''i,a ~ ~, H. t, ,
81 U"o iue J ~ ,l 10 et' -
ti ,yi6 I,d iinfrod1cnf at fbe same time At any
rlto, these chemical and commercial fertilizers are
,roh4iLa MAT the i,rincpal means of main
aiming tine proluctivcneSs of the soil will be by the
ur0utr rotation Of crops While II Is not likely that
,5 ,If borsr i'm sniff. of MI the locomotives and
iinl.. ~ inadtr,, invention. we suspect the
r,r.,t Ti',r4i',rin. far thn production of human
+j y, IN ..,nti,,,. f., Ia fine Ipoatahle orrauism
W. ara ,ra of tI,c Ii1 o,ofbica ri * of spttino
.il,,its IA bnuun achievement. INT there arp some
things lbat cannot be done And if the view here
..ln of Oreai11ir nacoSSitv in relation to the nro
..,,tion nj fno1 he true the limit to snrh nro,]uc.
ii9r * "a be found in the eyfent of the arahlc
,.t,ra If fbe n,rth tha conditions of fertilization
,5j tbr jnfnencr Of climafe. Ench of these come.
v-rI It's yyu .npcial form of limitation: md If man
-h.nld overcome Whar we REGARD 1s the natural
necessities O.. climate and civilization there Woud
remain ain he limit. of aranIe Surt,cn While
therefore tbe heat-lnei-f,,rcn-prolurino stores Of
mr. ,,,,, ira G,r All nract,aI cousiiaTotions her1
s.rolrrl yctl high ineybaustiblr. while The i'm
,rtrn1ent Of he Facilities t,r rommerIp aro limit
,nlI IN ,nncJ,on;roj Inv. ~ ,o,,- ,,,,intions at
,,LiL no Loun} .n,, ~ ot. l,.l;7S H. n,I,nt; ;o,,
, in,Inn, Nj ,b;rT- lll. '.i ,,,j u ,,,a I'M,
,,,.,,t nd i;,.c,i it;,.afi", nf ,nan,1f,ct,rns
f,,c Jinfins fnjJ Jf1l,e th1,n-,ya ytt tinI Oh
,i.u. jimits IA nro,lnntion RON the soil Tbis i
.i t,,,., r .iviIilafiou which viii trst hr;uo
M, u-bib viii ;,.t tinI it limits anJ Sian thara.
a Iybrn il Nm. nrbes it, '1tmnNt Londs is =
'herL viii he nnf ,n0n The nxnnsion of III tbe
.-h.' f,rros a. riviIiIation The rnanuf,ctmrnrs
,.,,,.t 6on,.o t,a f,,,, Of tho wool .attnn and
.iit t4t no nnt nraInrrl. co,nmorco f'annot
..Iry the cereals tbat lrr moi crown and the tah-
ri.s that are not mode-the limitations of produc-
fi from tbn soil win limit tho otho resources of
.ivilizaJ evnansion Hence thn fI1nI,mcntaI inn
i,nrt.ne4 Of .r.iclI}ture: hence thc mnortgnce of
II, mo fine utmost nos.ill. eyn.inu ia its r.nabil
fe Tbis t.sl,,nrs tl,,,,a farms .Lir.t thn inhiu
,ti.n of yild i,InJ> scron,ily th, innroyemcnt
"a farm iInrI,mel,fs thirdly fhe i,n1rnynmcnt If
method in the cultivation Of The soil.
We cannot contemnlate tho decline in ,hc yheat
ea, of many sections ot our own country far the
LAST few wears without tbc rrtlection heina forced
uDon Us that in ronnpction with if may arise. in
li, most distant flturc. thp orcnnst Ifhirultv ot
QuIuininf the continlJ,,I. ,y7Intion .nJ nrorross
II rilil;zrd conditions ,Fbe wheat frn,Jntt cEntri
Iutrs ntqnv IN thn nhstantisl ln,,,inr f -; ,.ii;1
man and c nch snnnort IirS ,t he hasis Of lyhat'
ever else there is IN iife then in the event at that
support lcrofn,s mpapo or Jitlicu}t tn oaiu "a i,
every nerve ana fiber Of thp i,iIized body ~ph
l,,tt,l io uutyorabe conditions. Hence. Ihe in.
rultlnce to the higher aim, Of life of The success.
II @o plain tnprctcndng and practical I'M att;,i,
as that OF growing wheat or in the event of il, nj
Innate failure, of the culture Of a fitting substitute