The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-28
in vast numbers in spit-boxcs filled with
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.

THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Retiring President Church then delivered
his parting address, rcmarking that he was
more used to the pillow than the pen. He
has always lived on one farm, which was
surrounded by wilderness in his youth.
Agriculture was then devoted to supplying
home wants, and was not studied as an
art. Its sphere widened in time, markets
gradually becoming accessible, but an OBJ
stacle to its progress was developed in the
wonderful fertility of the soil, which was so
much relied on that no science and no care
was deemed necessary. The mistake was
of course found out after while, and has
been partly corrected; intellect more nd
more controls muscular effort, but we are
still far from perfection. We should study
the great subject of adaptation, as regards
the soil we work, the climate we live in,
the locality we inhabit, the crops we raise,
the manures we apply, the buildings we
erect-neglcct invariably brings disappoint-
ment. People try crops on large scale,
learning that they have been good else
where, but not considering that they
may be totally unsuited to their cir
cumstances or they select sorts of an
imals not fit for their fields and build
ings, taking highly-bred Short-Horns per-
haps to wild regions where they can have
no proper care or they invest largely in
certain manures of which they have seen
favorable published accounts, and finding
them useless TO them, condemn agricultural
papers and the reports of agricultural socie-
ties as humbugs. This question of adapta-
ton is complicated one. As regards eli
matte difficulties, these can sometimes be
overcome, some crops gradually adapting
themselves to changed conditions, as tobac-
co and sweet potatoes have done. The ap-
plication of manures requires very careful
examination, results being often widely dr.
verse under apparently similar conditions.
Much of the success of English husbandry
is due to care in adapting cattle to locali-
ties, so as always to improve-also crops
and manures, always increasing the yield.
The reverse has often obtained with u.s.
The safe rule is to abandon crop which is
failing in productiveness, or breed of ami
mails which is deteriorating, and hold fast
to crops which are increasing and animals
which are improving. Grass, fruits, vegeta-
bles, fences and buildings are amenable to
the law ofadaptation farm-houses are often
tasteless, and might be greatly improved
WltllOuO COSOs hnOtltl IuDOI-
tant subject, and one often discussed, is
the proper size Of farms. We farm too
many acres for the labor at command, and
this for two reasons ambition to, own large
tracts, and the temptation to buy in the
hopes of future rise in value. Time
often does greatly enhance the price of real
estate, and so it is good policy to buy and
hold all one can, but cultivate only what
can be cultivated well. If only half of
the cultivated land of this State were
worked, with the same labor as now, a
production actually larger would probably
be secured the other half ought to 60 to
forests. Permanent Fair Grounds for the
Society at such points as might seem ad-
visable, are very desirable, in order to
avoid the large expenditure annually in-
Cured for temporary erections, the slight
and imperfect character of these structures,
and on account of the saving that could
thus ultimately be effected for localities in
which the shows are held. -
Three experimental farms, at different
points in the State, were recommended,
and it was thought they might be made
self-sustaining, and that an appropriation
to establish them might properly be asked
from the State, as taxes bear heavily on
farmers, who hold the bulk of the land.
The practice of bonding towns to aid in the
construction of railroads was deprecated.
The great lines were built without such aid.
But village merchants, who want railroads
near them, where perhaps the traffic will
be far from profitable, are very willing to
see every farm in the township mortgaged
to secure their construction. These opera
tons are severe on farmers, who are apt to
be benefited slightly or not at all, and each
man should have the liberty of deciding
whether he wants lien on his property for
such purposes. Many towns are already
heavily burdened, and the class of indepen-
dent farmers becoming extinct. The general
law authorizing this bonding ought to be
repealed.