The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-10


know the Constituents elements OF the diff
ferent soils; the organic constitution OF
cereals and the general phy histology Of veg
citation, rs we'll as the means Of changes
and Improvements by mechanical and chem
icAl agencies. They should understand the
elementary principles OF commercial ex-
change aud equity, and the relations Of
production to the happiness and health OF
man, as well as TO the prosperity Of the
country. They should be taught that the
essential principles Of true political econ
omy mean the multiplication Of product
ana the subtraction of labor that the real
wants OF the country are cooperation and
enterprises capital controlled rather by local
energies than by foreign influence: in
vestments in brain and nerve, rather than In
bonds and bank credits q lust apprecia-
hon of the Wilderness Of health that sur.
rounds us and Of our obligations to posteritv
for its early and intelligent DEVELOPMENT
While this much is deemed essential. /
/ would by no means discourage education IN
its most liberal sense or in any of its appli.
cations to the learned professions of the
country so. necessary TO the happiness and
elevation Of all
1t is also your province and duty to inn
prove the standard and raise the value of
domestic animals BY every proper means At
your command-judicious legislation will.
of all expedients, be found the most efficient.
Let the law encourage the introduction Of
fine animals by simply exempting such Of
every class as are proven to be purely
thorough-breds from taxation and license,
and after q certain date impose q specific
tariff upon males Of inferior or Spanish
grades, and, as If by magic, the cattle Of q
thousanda hillswill chang their infusiohs,
4 their characteristics and their values.
A quarter OF . century since, Ohio deter
mined to stamp out the scrubs, and the Ohio
Importation Company was the immediate
result. Kentucky and New York, inspired by
commendabls emulation, organized for like
\ purposes, and bought in the European nurse
ries, at the most fabulous rates, those choice
specimens which previous purchasers had
not dared to risk. To-day the reward OF
their enterprise is the supply trade Of the
United States and British American prov
inces, besides actual deportatons to the
Father Land. A share of this prosperity Is
yours if you will only have It. The inn
portance of improvement and the certainty
of its attainment in horses, cattle, hogs and
sheep, as wen as in the fruits and vegeta-
bles we eat, are too well attested to need or
even admit of argument; the same general
| aioO Tut QGNClOUulC4L OL
your grains and cotton, and it only remains
for you to elevate their character by similar
means to like high standard.
| That the variations of cereals are not only
hereditary, but the result of fixed principles,
is clearly evident from the existence OF
their NUM- rops aistinct Varieties, Just as We
find distinct fai eties or families OF aninials,
fruits or vegetables Of the same gen
eric class, and it is just as evident that
CERTAIN general and uniform laws govern
the development and improvement
of both. Upon the established
principle that 'flike produces like,n which
extends Throughout nature, you may base 8
system of plant selection, or grain and veg
etsble pedigrees not less reliable, and not
inferior in results to the herd book or turf
register itself.
= Plant for instance, single ear Of any
desired variety Of corn, and, after maturity,
select the choice ear; this single choice ear
70 be again planted, and this process an
nually repeated will demonstrate the most
sufprsing results. BY continued selec-
tions Che high standard is maintained, and
a fixed type of corn is established. By q
similar process reliable English authority
reports that the length of the ear in wheat
has been doubled, its contents trebled, and
its tillering or branching capacity increased
fve-fold, while it has been comparatively
easy to nearly double the size of the grain,
Now, these experiments are simple and
practicable; any one may conduct them;
no capital, costly apparatus or scholastic at
tainment is necessary. These are some Of
the minutie of the farmers profession
the details by which his devotion 20 bis
4 pursuits and the success OF his business are
assured.
We cannot afford to ignore them. Ba-
cons idea that it was weakness instead OF
greatness to overlook the little things Of
life is the true philosophy for tillers of the
soil. The truly great mind contracts to do
tail as readily as it expands over grand com
binations Caesar is said to have known
every soldier in his ranks by name. The
founder Of the Carlovingian dynasty, whose
reign forms the connecting link between
ancient and modern history, always mar
keted the surpl us eggs and vegetables on
his farm. Napoleon won his battles and his
tfameby measuring steps and counting min
utes. Our own Lee and Johnston ever at
tached more importance to the condition Of
the haversack and the cartridge box than 70
grand reviews and evolutions of the line.
Now, gentlemen, If you feel that you do
iNot hEve the leisure cg the pstiehce tpleon-
4 duct these httle experiments pt 80 81,
you have an agricultural college, for whose
support you are taxed, and It is your privi-
lege to dsmand that that institution shall
conduct them Tor yoeF benefit. -
The book of nature is filed with formu-
las for our guidance in the adaptation Of
crops to the peculiarities of different soils,
as well as for effecting such changes
in lands as viii adapt them to q desired
growth. The changes wrought by grass ID
Transforming heavy clays into vegetable
4 moulds, and at The same time improving
itself to almost different variety, perhaps
finally yielding to another and higher spe-
cies, is instructing and interesting.
In a wider field the same principle Is ex-
hibited in trees, and other natural groWths
\. In the tfme.of ChaFl tmaQne the famous
forsss 81 cerraldmet koaieed
onlE Of beech a1d pak nov they af& tihcIly
pines. Many oak forests on the Rhine are
now giving way to beech, while others Of
both beech and oak are yielding to pine
In the Palatinate, Scotch fir is succeeding
the oak. In the Jura and the TyrOl, as n
many other districts, the beech and oak are
said TO mutually displace each other. IN
England and Sweden q similar process has
been observed. Perhaps all here know how
readily and certainly The. old -felds Of Yir.
ginia, the foiinas, and other States, are
occupied by young pines where once forests
Of oak and hickory grew. Thus We see
the dependent relations Of the vegetable
tribes upon the properties Of the soil, and
also the slow natprei changes inethe spil,
which, "a turn. hecessitates q, eheng6 Of
vegetation While these investigations
teach rs the philosophy Of planting, Gull
ture and Fdtation, they rescn6- - from the
caprice OF seasons, and restore our faith IN
the promise that ''seed tina and harvest
Fards'l, yo ss ~ ton i BE most lasisA.
and among the most honorable Of earth.
Since the curse Of Eden i has been the chief
avocation Of the race. To-day more than
two thousand millions Of men labor in your
calling. Nine-tenths OF the fixed capital
OF al! civilized nations Il invested ia your
iu-snaar and ona .hs.r.7rnrl r,ilIt.--.o ~ A.