The Russellville Democrat., 1875-11-25
Written for the DEMOCRAT.
Horticultural AlIegOry.

<sAAN - VN
 DOVER, ARK, Nov. II, 1875.
 Suppose, that, on the 4th day of July, 1776, at the Independ- ence Hall in the city of Philadel- phia. the Father of our country had arose and addressed the "sons of the sol'' similarly to the follow ing; Gentlemen, and fellow countrymen! After finishing the important business pertaining to to this eventful occasion, and be- fore we separate never again to meet upon one of similar charac ter, permit me to congratulate you upon our glorious triumph and wonderful achievements. All this vast domain of rich and fertile lands, extending from ocean to ocean, interspersed with noun tains, valleys, and navigable streams, is ours,-ail ours, for us and our posterity. Go forth and clear up the vast and extensive forests and cultivate the land for a subsistence. Here permit me to farther say, for your informa- fion and encouragement, that one hundred years from this very day, in this city, on the 4th day O., July, 1876, there will be grand Centennial celebration. There will be magnificent buildings erected and preparations made for the occasion that would at this day astonish the most imagina- tive mind to contemplate, and all the bushes that we have accom- plishcd pertaining thereto will be referred to, and many Of our names mentioned in terms, a description of which would be futile. At that celebration there will be del egates from all the states and wis itors from the four quarters of the globe. There will be on eX- hibition specimens of all the attainable wonders, nov cities, curiosities &c., &c., and also. the rare products of the earth, there will be vast number of premiums and prizes awarded. The grand national prize is offer ed to the "sons of the soil" on this condition: The man, who, through his own exertions and that of his posterity, shall during the next century, make the great est havoc upon the natural fertili- ty of the soil, and accomplish the most towards its depletion, redu- cing the greatest amount to complete sterility, or sending it into the ocean, or otherwise placing it beyond a possibility of a successful re accumulation, thus distroying the greatest amount of the valuable clements of vege- table growth, is to be awarded the grand prize. There will be a competent and faithful committee appointed to superintend the whole transaction. Said committee will be supplied with an instru- ment, which for sake of breyity may be called a Cla kish e ma king go, in which is combined all the appliances ofaccuracy, weight, measure, analysis and so on, adin- tinitum. With tbis assurance contestants may now enter upon their labor, with perfect assurance that their works will be manifest on the 4th day of July 1876.
 APPLICATION.
 Mir. Editor:-After the above visionary preamble, used to elicit reelection from the otherwise in censiderate, superficial reader. Suppose that the above statement and offer had been real and bona fide, what would the farmers, as a nation have done, that has not been done, say, what course would have been pursued, that has not been practiced. They have cleared Georgia, Virginia and the Carolinas and many other States, and cropped the land heavi ly, until some portions are reduc ed to complete sterility and the