The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-04-08

10 the luFnls Ol COl. Manchester, k0Dert
Buchanan, J. G. Hanna, Lewis Applegate,
Thomas Buchanan, Joseph Gist, W, Lee
Archer, Thomas Vance, G. II. Beall and
AbsalOm Buchanan. The INTELLIGEN-
CER's report OF the proceedings at @. II.
Bealps farm, in September last, was
adopted almost verbatim by the commit.
tee, and is one Of the most interesting re-
ports Of the collection. The whole series
Of reports concludes with an interesting
letter from DR.. Richardson upon the
proper style Of farming in this region. In
this letter the Doctor discourages the idea
that some farmers entertain, in conse-
quenCp Of their fine wheat crop last year,
that the time has come round again in
which II will pay to raise grain in prefer
ence to wool growing and other stock
raising, in this section. We conclude our
reference to the pamphlet to-day with
the following extract from the Doctors
letter;
VI have no idea, however, that exten-
sive grain growing would bc at all 30 con-
ducive to the ultimate prosperity Of the
agricultural community here, as the pres
ent order Of things, under which we have
u mixed husbandry, and, upon the whole,
us much grain production as the COndi-
tiOn Of our lands and OF our farming will
Justify, Nor do | think, whatever might
be the prospect Of immediate gain, that
the final result would be at all 30 profit
able, when the expenses connected with
grain.raising are considered, with tho un.
certainty arising from bad seasons, in.
sect enemies, Nc, and especially when
these are COntrusted with tho compare.
lively small amount Of labor involved In
wool.grOwing. The reduction In the fer
tility Of the land In the one case and It's
Improvement in the other must also form
M important element IN the calculation,
Our agriculture will never attain to its
proper position, until farmers learn to
adapt the soil, both In condition and COM
position, to the plants which they grow
upon II, and 10 restore systematically and
regularly to the land the full amount Of
tho various substances which plants re-
move.
Thoro il another source Of loss In
Cidental to grain.growing on our upland,
to which, In conclusion, | would briefly
advert, az constituting in this region
very important objection to this pursuit,
| refer to the washing of Of the surface
soil. This, which occurs mainly when
fields are planted In Indian corn, has Of
late years become u very grave matter,
since clover and pastrlrage have given to
our soil much more light and loose
character than formerly belonged to II,
and this country Is more subject to long
drOughts followed by sudden and violent
rains. II Is matter Of no small msment
to the farmer thAtso much Of the surface
soil which has been enriched and reno.
vaied by pasturage and manure, should
he suddenly swept off down the steep
decliyities Of our hills and carried away
by our creeks and rivers. This seems to
me to be an increasing evil, and one, !
think, which may demand the combined
wisdom and experience VI the farming
community for fts prevention. The jndg.
mCnt OF intelligent agriculturlsts ~ to
the best methods Of plOughing for Indian
corn, the proper direction and slope Of
the open burrows ns well as OF the rows
Of corn, the means Of giving greater COM
pactncss and tenacity to the soil &C.,
would, IL appears to Inc, be highly bene:
fetal 10 The agricultural community, II
ELECTED md presented to them by your
Committee.