Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-06-09
8ielS ans Gar6ett.
Mr.. GrselaE,s Agricaltulal spsech.

opening ct the State Agricultural Fan
in Houston, Texas. on the 22d instant,
was mastery production. 1t occu-
pies four columns and over of the New
Orleans P:cuyaBe, and-is fall of val
liable information for farmers, and
gives sage counsel to the youth OF the
country. 1t is - tie purest editorial
STYLE of composition. dcroid ofall at
t.mpts at defamation. We wish we
rOuld find the room to place it before
Dur country friends. but trust it will
reach them through some channel. n
iti.s too valuable to be lost The !
whole speech reads Ike one of his |
comprehensive and plain, bu; elegant /
and Interesting editorials. We can
ouly give the closing aXi0ms. which |
indicateeprctty clearly what he knows |
Of farming: Richmond Eng.
But-nos to trcspass too far upon
your patience-let me close with a
few maxime. applicable to cultivation
in every cline and under all circum-
stances, whether among populations
dense as that OF China or sparse as
that of British America.
|. Only good farming pays. He
who sov-s or plants without reasona-
BILE assurance Of good crops annually.
might better earn wages Of some ca
pable neieh1or than work for so poor
a payinastre IS lie IS certain TO prove
himself
IT. Tic farmer IS proved such by
the steady appreciation Of his crops.
ANY one may reap an ample harvest
from n fertile virgin soil; the good
farmer alone grows good crops at first,
and better and better ever alterward.
III. 1t is far easier to maintain
the productive capacity Of farn
than to restore il. To exhaust its
fecunditr, and then attempt its rcstor
alton by buying costly commercial fer
tilizers. is wastefu and irrational.
". The good farmer sells mainly
such products as arc least exhaustive.
Necessity may constrain him. for
the first year or two, to sell grain. or
even hay but he will soon send of
his surplus mainly in the form Of cot
ton or wool, or meat, or butter, or
cheese. or something else that returns
to the soil nearly all that is taken
from it. 4 bank account daily drawn
upon, while nothing is deposited to
its credit. must soon respond "No
funds :" so with farm similarly treat
Cd.
Y. Rotation is at least negative
fertilization. 1t may not positively
enrich a farm; it will at least rctard
and POSTPONE its impoverishment
lie who grows wheat after wheat. corr
after corn, for twenty years. will need
TO emierate before that term is full
filled. The same farm cannot support
(nor endure) him longer than that.
All our great wheat growing sections
of fifty years ago are wheat-erowire
10 longer; while Eng!a?d grows lar
ger crops thereof on the very fields
that fed the armies Of Saxon Harold
and William the ConquerOr. Rota-
ton has preserved these, as the lack
Of it ruined those.
VI. Wisdom is never dear, provId-
ed the article be genuine l have
known farmrrs who have toilcd con.
stantly from daybreak til dark, ye'
died poor, because, through ignor.
ancc, they wrought to disadvantage
If every farmer would devote two
hours Of each day to reading and re.
Fiction, there would be fewer failures
in farming than there are.
VII. The best investment a former
can make for bis children IS that
which surrounds their youth with tho
rational delights of beauteous,. at.
tractiye home. The dwellings, may
be small and rude, yet few flower,
will embellise as choice fruit-tree'
will enrich and gladden. it: while
grass ard shades are within the reach
of the hunblest. Hardly any labor
done on a farm is so profitable rs thai
which makes the wiGe and children
fond and proud of their home.
VIII. \ good, practical education,
including i good trade, is better
outfit for a youth than a grand estate.
with the drawback Of an empty mind
Many parents have shaved and pinchcd
to leave their children rich. when half
the sum thus laviShed would have
pr0fited them far more had it been
devoted to the cultivation Of their
minds, the enlargement of their ca
pacity to think, observe. and work.
The one structure that no neighbor-
hood can afford to do without is the
school house.
TX. 4 small library ofwcll selected
books in his home has served many
youth from wandering into the bale
ful ways ofthe Prodical Son. Where
paternai striCtneSs and severity would
have bred nothing but dislike and a
fixed resolve TO abScond at the first
opportunity, good books and pleasant
surroundings have wcancd mary a
youth from his FIRST wild impulse to
go to sea or cross the conti~ent. and
made him 4 docile, contentcd. obedi-
emit, happy. liagerer by the parental
frcside. In family. however rich
aor poor. no other good is so cheap, so
precious, as thoughtful, watchful love
y. Most men are born poor, but
no man who has average capacities
and tolerabIe lack need remain so.
And the farmers calling, though
rrofering no sudden leaps. no ready
short cuts to opulence, is the surest
of all ways from poverty and want to
comfort and independence. Other
ren must climb; the temperate,
frugal. diligent. provident farmer may
gro'c into competence and every ex-
ternal accessory to happiness. Each
year Of his devotion to his homestead
may find it more attractive than the
last, and leave it better still.
Farmers of Texas! I bring you
mainly old and homely truths. No
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