The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-06-13
Mliobltburp 8sgisttr
TUESDAY. JUNE 81, 1871.
Department of Agriculture.


from our farmers than it does. Many
think that its meager appropriations have
contributed in larger proportionate meas
ure to the general wealth than the average
of the most judicious expenditures of the
Government The evidence on this point
is of the most convincing character. 1t
has excited no political -antagonism, aim
ing only to secure the progress Of agricul-
ture and the increase of its production,
and it enjoys the confidence and secures
the cooperation of "the administration
and "thc opposition" alike. This Depart
ment is organized in the interest of labor.
This interest, as well as capital, must be
taken care of by the Government. There
is no need of any conflict in this country
between labor and capital. They are
co-workers; the one cannot dispense with
the other, and both must be fostered
Capital is, however, more able to take
care of itself than labor. In the old
countries Of Europe capital is supreme
and labor subordinate. Not so in this
country. Here it is reversed, and labor
is the great foundation of our national
prosperity and advancement. The great
value of the report lies in the information
gathered and thus dispensed. We have
no great reverence for its recommendations
and its theories. Some of them are as
absurd as Greeley's "What know about
Farming" They sometimes SAVIOR of the
wild extravaganza which is illustrated by
the common expression, at is so cold
that the mercury went out of sight or the
similar exaggeration of the stage driver
who wore so large boots that he had "to
use the forks of the roads for boot-jack.
But the information is in the main reli-
able. Our thinking farmers can draw
their own deductions but they can hardly
have the facilities for gathering the in
formation which is so essential to SUBJ
stantial superstructnre of valuable deduc-
ton. The Department now has five d.
visions, all accomplishing valuable work.
The division of Statistics is the Office
of publication, whence are issued the an
nual reports of the Department of nearly
quarter of million copies and month
ly report of twenty-five thousand copies,
embracing official data from thousands of
correspondents located in nearly every
county in the Union, regarding the modes
of cultivation and prospects Of crops.
The division of Agricultural chemistry
affords medium of correspondence and
information between the various agricul-
tural societies and farmers; answering
queries on samples forwarded, as ores,
minerals, waters making chemical ex-
aminations of natural products and fer
tilizers, as marls, pcats, &C., and giving
advice upon the same.
The botanical division secures the
possibility of accurate knowledge on a
scientific basis Of the entire fora of the
country of which the department has
specimens either in living state or in
the preserved form of herbarium speci-
mems, so arranged that any particular
plants can be readily found, and the re-
lation to allied plants, whether as to uses
or capacity for cultivation, can be ascer-
tanned with the least labor.
The division of Natural History has a
museum an economic collection, exhibit
ing the process of manufacture Of the raw
products of agricultural industry, in
which the textile arts, the making of SUI
CARS and dyes, and the utilization and ex-
tension of the primitive products of the
earth are illustrated.
The division Of Horticulture is an ex-
permenta garden, having value to be
sure, but thus far having led to more in
jury than benefit, because it has flooded
the country with seeds and plants lacking
adaptation and sometimes value. If judi
iciously used these seeds may be Of
practical value though it has not yet been
So
81 Chief Justice Chase is said to be
pleased with the "new departure" Of the
Ohio Democracy, but disguised with the
financial plank of the platform, which, he
thinks, might well have been omitted first,
because it was unnecessary to provoke
the discussion on that subject and second,
because it creates misapprehcnsion as to
the relative interests of capital and labor.
@The glory of Mrs. N B. Gardner,
of Detroit as the first woman voter in
Michigan, has departed Not only is it
asserted that Miss Mary Wilson voted at
Battle Greek at an earlier hour than she
did on the last election day, but the Lam
sing Republican has discovered that the
fame should rest on the brow of a lady
long since dead, and old book of records
showing that on the 2Sth day of April,
1904, widows who were freeholdcrs voted
the same as men, and were even permit
ted to vote by proxy. The election was
vitality important one, touching the de-
lenses of the town against the savages,
and involving, Of course. taxation; and
the women's vote turned the scale on the
economical side.
@The New-Hampshire State Legis.
lature met last week at Concord. The
roll-call of the House showed that all but
two members were present. The candi
dates for Speaker were seated beside each
other in front of the desk during the bal
loting. Hon. G.. w. Nesmith was elected
temporary Chairman 1t was then voted
to proceed to the ballot for Speaker The
whole number of votes for Speaker wa,
1876. VIM. II. Cove, Democrat ant
Labor Reform, received 1874; James Q
Adams, of Manchester, Republican, l62
Mr.. Cove, Of Weare, the successful can
didate for Speaker, is an old Abolitionist
and was nominated by the Democrats t.
secure the Labor Reform vote for Cover
nor. In the election for Governor thu
Democrats were also successful electin,
Weston by eight majoyity.
Ex-Congressman G. G. Bowen, of Soutl
Carolina, who has been on trial at Wash
ington, d. c., for some days on indict
ment of Bigamy, has been convicted. o.
previous trial, he managed to escap
Al &c h. OH In.