The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-08-16
Tho Georgia State Agricultural and
Mechanical Convention.
-.--- 10

,
MR EDrron: The Agricultural Oon-
vention which recently met in this city
adjourned yesterday, after a most inte-
resting session of four days, ten work
Ing hours constituting day. Nearly
500 delegates wore present, and every
County in the State was represented.
A programme OF business was submitted
by the Executive COMMITTEES of the
Georgia Agricultural Society. and adopt
ed by tho Convention. On this pro.
gramme we're arranged subjects for dis
onssion, all OF which were of vital inte-
rest to tho many sturdy farmers that
made up this body. The making, han
ding and application of domestic ma
nures, the use and value of commercial
fertilizers, hillside bitches, live stock,
fences, drainage, irrigation, clover and
the grasses, immigration, corn and the
cereals, cotton and manufactures, we're
all III turn ably discussed, and q liberal
interchange OF opinions given on all and
every one of these subjects. Indeed,
the delegates, both old and young, edu-
Gated aud uneducated, talked and spoke
go giibly and sometimes so eloquently on
these various SUBJECTS, that concluded
each had prepared q set speech before
he left home, or else Georgia is State
of oratorical farmers. Every one had
| something to say, nnd each said it gene
! rally we'll. Interspersed through tho
long programme were appointed hours
| for addresses by various distinguished
sons Of Georgia. General John b. Cor
don delivered most admirable address
,l~t ~G \
cessity Of using Southern school books,
which, am sure. would be of immense
value to South Carolina, if he could be
induced to deliver it during Fair week,
in November next. During the sitting
| of the Convention not subject was in
troduced but that was thoroughly ven
tilated, and many new and valuable ideas
must have been picked up by every dele.
gate. When Gov. Brown announced
the fnot that since the 1st of January
last, the Western and Atlantic Railroad,
| over which he presided, had brought
into Georgia from Chattanooga 33. .0CO
bales Of hay; and another member as
serted that $1,000 mules had been sold
in Atlanta between September, 1870. and
April, 1871, the eyes of the planters
were opened, and many Of them at once
resolved to begin growing the grasses
and raising mulea; while, on the other
hand, the old foRies of the Convention
were astounded at being told that four
bales of cotton had been made ON one
acre OF lnnd, as also on two other single
acres five tons Of clover hay and $4O9
worth OF sugar and syrup.
| Now, MIR. Editor, upon these and
similar ideas, as well as the preparation
and cultivation of tho land, and nli the
| Of roSo, ,:ti>
| under discussion, are told in open con-
vention by the men who did it, and who
allow themselves, while on the floor, to
be interrogated as to the ininutip; can
yon not see that such bodies are promo
tive OF the science of agriculture in such
o way as to enable the most illiterate to
profit by it? Then. why cannot the
planters and mechanics of South Cnro-
linn be taught in n similar why? They
can and should be. This oral teaching
by narrating practices and experiments
is the most effective of all methods, and
should be adopted by the men Of our
State. The system in this State is SIM
ply as follows: The Georgia Agricultural
Society is merely O whole. of which the
component parts arc the County socie-
| ties. They have q spring convention in
Southern Georgia, and a fall convention
IN Northern Georgia. Each County has
the same number of delegates from its
society, and each local club is entitled to
delegate; but no County has more than
ak votes. even though it has dozen
delegates. by the liberality and muniti-
cent generosity of the railroads, every
| delegate is carried to and from the con
vention for nothing. Tho cities which
invite the sittings of the convention
throw open their doors to the conven-
ton, and Hospitality entertain, free Of
hotel bills, every delegate
The press all over the State stir up the
planters to attend these conventions.
! and publish calls for them without charge.
And thus tho entire State is aroused to
the Importance Of having every section
represented by good men. Bya vote of
the convention, their proceedings are
always published and distributed to the
members; and every act oration, or
practical speech, or valuable experiment
reported during the convention, is pub.
lished in the proceedings. Thus the
planters OF Georgia are acquiring prac-
tical, scientific information, which is
building up the agriculture OF the State,
leading her onward to success. which
entities her to that claim which aha hoo