The Osceola times., 1875-12-25
PLANTATION TOPICS
HINTS TOWARD SUCCESSFUL FARMING.
THE EXTENT OF OUR AGRICULTURAL


THE EXTENT OF OUR AGRICULTURAL
INDUSTRY.
Extracts from an Address by Colonel Richard Iath-
ers, before the Deerfeld (Mass.) Agricultural So
cisty, October, 1875.
Not less than two thousand millions
of dollars is our annual contribution
to the national wealth, constituting the
main support of its commerce and
manufactures, and vet we cultivate but
one-twelfth of our national territory,
now embracing about three million
square miles. The contemplation of
the future power and influence Of agri-
culture when our whole territory shall
be utilized and its whole productive
energy directed to the development of
our national industry and enterprise,
ought to impress us with becoming
zeal for participating in the great
march which agricultural develop
ment promises to the rising generation.
Already We have engaged in this
occupation eight million of horses. one
million mules, and nearly twenty
millions of horned cattle including
the value Of farm implements and
machinery, we have money invest
ment of not less than one thousand
millions of dollars as a working capital
outside of the lands and the buildings
devoted to farming, which involves so
large an aggregate of capital as to call
for the utmost activity and enterprise of
our people to produce an adequate in
come on an investment of so much
consequence.
1t is, however, to be deplored that
by reason of our extended territory
and sparse labor, and want of proper
ambition on the part of our young
men for agricultural occupation, that
we fall behind the productive energy
of other forms of industry in our own
country, and still farther behind the
agriculture Of Europe. Our cities are
growing prematurely at the expense
of the rural districts, because our
young men have become restless on
farms, and seek that excitement in
over-occupied trades and professions, |
and the more hazardous business of |
speculations, which at this time is so |
fearfully developing general bank
ruptcy and poverty in the cities and
towns of our country.
THE NECESSITY OF AGRICULTURAL
EDUCATION.
The great want of our agricultural
interest are schools for practical edu-
action, directed to the special cul-
design elevated the maiYmacutrrefs Of !
England and have measurably made |
them rivals in taste and cheapness of
their French competitors in the mar
kets of the world, and our own pro
gressive manufacturers have protited
by the example. Our public schools
ignore agriculture, even
in rural districts, and while our colleges
are creditable to our nationalreputation
for literary requirements and profes-
sional scholarship, we need a system of
popular instruction devoted to the |
interest. Institutions, not to
cram our live young men with the |
dead languages and the revolving mys-
teries of heather mythology, nor to
make fine writers or eloquent declaim-
ers, but devoted to teaching only such |
as shall be of scientific and
value on the farm. Instead
of Homer, Aristophenes, Horace, and
Torrance, let our young farmers be
made familiar with Newton, Lyell,
Playfair, Liebig, Silliman and Agas-
siz.
Instead of being learned in the in
trigues of the goddesses and the wars of
the gods of ancient times, let them ac-
quire mathematics, chemistry, geology,
grating, budding, tertil-
izing, and the history and practice of
everything connected with the pursuit
which affords occupation to so large a
part of our working classes, and on
whom rests the responsibility and the
dignity of producing the basis of our
national subsistence, wealth and power.
Mr.. Fleischman, who was commits
stoned by the United States in lS45, to
visit Europe to obtain agricultural in
formation, Informs us in his instructive
report that some three hundred and
fifty schools exist in Hungary and other
parts of Europe, where boys from
twelve to fourteen years are taught
practical knowledge of the whole busi-
ness of farming, and also so much
mechanism as TO be able to make or
mend every machine or implement
used in farming. The teachings tend
to make them thorough economists, so
that the farm shall always continue 10
improve. They are not taught alb
stract science, but positive knowledge
soils, manures, rotation of crops,
the kind of work, number of men,
horses and cattle required to cultivate a
given number of acres. M. Fleisch-
man remarks that the perfection of
European farming is due to these insti-
tutions.
The Importance of agricultural train
ing will be seen at once by comparing
the disparity of our productions with
those of France and England. France
with but one-fifteenth of our territory,
and not so large as three of our medi
um states, produces fifty per cent. more
wheat than we do on our fresh and fer
tile lands, and after subsisting popu
lot;ou not much less than our own, ex