South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-12-03
Agricultural Address.


IN. HARPER The following beau.
tifal end appropriate adiress on Agri.
culture. 10y Judge Watts. Commissioner
Of Agriculture. gentleman of most va.
ytsd and elegan. attainments. will DC OF
both tnterest and profit TO your in,elli.
gent readers. In matter and manner,
this address is entitled to the highest
praise; and its careful reading cannot
be too strongly urged. X.
The address was delivered upon The
occasion OF breaking ground FOR the eel.
eoration Of the approaching Centennial I:
| Frie,3s aud Fetto,c. Citizens: We are
! prone to congratulate ourselves upon
/ the attainment of our glorious indepeu.
dence-proudly To boast OF the happily
conceived Constitution and laws under
which VIC live, of the commerce of the
seas which we enjoy, the right to choose
! the professional career OF life for wsi::cc!!.
our talent fits us and the manufacturing
industry which our energy or taste may
indicate; freely TO. express our thoughts
without fear, and, above all and over all,
to worship God according to the dictate
I of oar own conscience. But what were
/ all these ii they were bestowed upon a
4 barren and lruitlcss land? How worthy
would they be of our consideration If we
could forget for moment that the en-.
! joyment OF them all is dependent upon
/ the successful efforts of man to cultivate
| tho earth2
What OF the spirit OF independence II
our surroundings were the threatenings
Of poverty? What of tho Fundamental
law of the land, IL for our lives and pro-
pcrty we had not constantly in view the
stimulants which the productive charac.
ter of the earth atfords9 What OF the
! speculative and rowing business of the
merchant upon the high seas orthe world.
fae had not the products Of agriculture
! TO deal with? What of the ingenuity
and skill! of the manufacturer If his daily
bodily wants were not supplied by the
| farmer? What Of the value of freedom
Of thought and speech. if it were not for
the marvellous proceeds of the earth, and
the science and skill 10y which they are
produced? And with what spirit could
had not all these results Tor which to be
! thankful?
1t is fit and proper. therefore, that in
the preparation now being made to cele-
bTate an event which affords resulting
example of free government to the world.
and an exposition OF its ability to pro-
gross IN art and science for the first hun.
dred years OF its life. that they who plan
this work and seek To guide its progress
! to q successful termination should give
prominence to that feature which will
dedicate this spot to the interests Of the
farmer, and not only so, but to the un.
dying memory OF the Hon. Richard Pc
tors. who lived and dwclt here. and whose
name is like n household god in the fam
! lily OF every Pennsylvania, to be wor.
shipped rs teacher in the science of
agriculture.
When we reflect that one-half Of the
population of the world is engaged in
the business of agriculture, and that
they and the other half arc dependent
for their existence upon its succe ssful
results, and both constantly hope that
tho bountiiul supplies OF COTS provi.
| dence may condnce To an abundant bar.
vest, We have the united prayer Of the
whole human race, Good speed the
piow."
1t ia not, then, to be considered @ sub.
I joct of wonder that VIC assemble here To.
day TO signalize the effort TO give prom.
hence 20 the position which the science
Of agriculture is 20 take in this interna.
tional exhibition of this New Worlds
| progress.
What occupation oflife has made such
strides rs that ofagriculture? The steam.
plow ofto.day will supply the labor of
! tue City horses of few years ago: the
separator now does the work OF fiftv
| men; the reaper and its attendants will
| accomplish fourfold tho work Of the Ia
| Dor Of men, and with the rake, the ted.
| der. the roller, the hay-fork, by all OF
which labor is made easy, and the labor.
! or relieved from the toll which once OBJ.
| pressed him. In the exhibition OF the
worlds progress there is no more favor.
able example than the march which the
| science Of agriculture has made in the
last century a hundred years ago il
was enough 70 know that IL the Garth he
! stirred and the seeds be sown their PRO.
, duct and I'll else was the natural result
Of Gods providence; that the plow, rude
I sc II was then. vas the best implement
/ with which 10 till the earth. and that seed
/ sown by the hand Of man was all that
! was necessary to enable us TO drag
through the ma ural period Of existence.
thus made tOilsome and miserable.
But the eyes OF men have been since
opened. 1t is not nov enough TO know
/ ina, &c live and move and have our be.
ing. That large portion OF mankind
/ engaged in the York Of tho world was
/ not content thus % grOyol aud crawl. bat
we're startled into AZ attitude or s,nbi.
ton aad enterprise by the prodigious
I products Of the minds Or men around
them and their march was onward. ne.
yer again TO relapse into or contemplate
an inferior condition. Now thc arricul.
turist IS taught 10 look upon this lovely
earth Of ours as the beautiful landscape
OF COTS creation, which 10 imbued with