Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-15
Department of Agriculture.

Speech Of d.. ]. B. @yuger, Of Shenaa-
doaA,yin ne louse Of Delsgates, Mon
9aN Jauuarg 20, 1871, IN Support Of
HIS Bill to Esfeb1ish d DspartMsnt Of
Agriculture fo'. ths statess
Mr.. Speaker: The Importance Of
establishing an aericulturaldepa rtmert
for the State Of Virginia eanhot well be
.oNerestimated. NTH Us. agriculture is
desponding just now, although the
prosperity Of Virginia depends on. il to
a very great extent. BY Increasing orr
agricultural wealth we Increase the
value of lands, and corresnondingly aid
the State in paying taxes. Virginia is
a great State, and can pay her debt
easily if her resources be developed -
Her people sadly need an agricultural
education. Tie general prejudice against
science must be removed, and the State
must help to remove it BY aiding The
people to scientific knowledge as appli-
ed agriculture. Georgia, prosperous
Georgia, has her agricultural depart
ment, and is making rapid strides IN
matolial wealth. kentocky. With her
agricultural department. lis advancing
Successfully. North Carolina has il
serted q clause in her new constitution
requiring her Legislature to establish a
department. Of agriculture aud statistics,
which GOV. Vance has Just reeommen-
ded il CONNECTION with fish culture ;apd
Alabama IS discussing the propriety Of
following suit. So. too. with Tennessee,
with her agricultural report this year
covering twelve hundred pages with
valuable State Information, and a
special report on her minerals. So, TOO,
with Missouri, California. Michigan,
Chic, Pennsylvania. New i ok, Nassa-
chusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Minnesota, Wisconsin. Maine, New
Hampshire, Illinois, Indiana, and
Kansas. whose very valuable and
magnificent reports OF their agricultural
departments I have had the honor Of
receiving gratuitously from their re-
spectiye Governors, an acknowledge
meat Of which it gives me great pleas
ure to make just here; and cordially
invite the members OF this house
and OF the Senate OF Virginia
to perusc the very excellent and
intelligent matter n0w presented to
them on nv desk.
Science is the landlaa;d Of the agri-
culturist, and especially.is this so, as
applied to fertilization. with chemistry
to open the sealed book OF the farmer,
and tel. him what are the constituent
elements OF his land, and what are the
cheapest modes Of rejuvenatinc his
once virgin soil. |irgi.la lands are
being exhausted, and shall we renew
them. or allow them 10 be sold for a
trife, and renewed by some more enter.
prising and live people: To-day We are
told the tax on land may lie increased.
and yet that Virginia cannot afford to
establish an Agricultural Department.
foc fear. tar>ooth (aS the Richmond
Wing has it,, additional officers and
Offices viii be created. lnNoverishino
still further The Old Commonwealth Is
this good reasoning, Or IS il 9roundless:
Who does not believe that this depart
ment Wouia Increase the wealth Of y r.
GINA many fold II this be so-ant
| il can he demonstrated withoU. the least
shadow Of doubt-rAy hesitate to do At
once that which VIC must 90, and vii
do either now or In the near future
Il Is . question that must be met anC
viii he met by tie intelligence Of the
State ara soon Virginia VIII he given
an earnest % forward il q now era q
progress. Virginia VIII brighten bid
and bloom as Of yore. with q happy
smile Of prosperity cp her lace, thu
envy Of her sisters. / ask. tlieu, this
Legislature to practice wise libcYality
at this time IN making tie appropriate;
necessary to inGUgGrate this department
and reader thereby Increased efficiency
to that agency established for The pro
lection and development Of olr Watcria
Interests.
, Tho youth Of Virginia mist bo retain.
ed in oar own borders tie time has
come for Virginia TO rceoenizc facts as
they exist IN the present, ana afford ths
means to her people Ct preparing hel
youth for THEM manifest destiny. Sc
plainly forc-shadoWeG b. Tie circum
stances which surround then. and ar.
rest the ruinous tendency Of her sons tc
desert the farm for the towns and learn.
led Professions. The almost total reg
lect OF the study Of agriculture as 8
science Or an art. III q great State pccu
, harly agricultural Ike Virginia. IS a re
proaeh to the age, and TO or entire
educational system. Congress ha$
very 1eebly commenced tke work BY {
small appropriation, and I Dc act know
how far that is directed in the prone,
channel, though it is TO be hoped that ii
our own state, at Blacksburg. much is
being done at this time. We want tht
agricultural statistics Of tie state. 81
strangely neglected. We dc not nee(
Immigration schemes, being satisfied o
their Utopian character. We have
more labor than money nov. We
want to know how best to utilize What
we have. We want efficient govern.
ment and abundant capital to 90 to.
gether. Let Virginia show by her sta
tistics tnat We are happy and mdopen
dent in the conscious possession q
geological, agricultural, and minera
! wealth, and ne will not need State
appropriations 70 get immigrants they
| viii come without buying them. Cease
tbtEAiit- -CL -OA|t-L Ntf civ !iSt>, Tx
develop home industry, and We will be
| respected and co,srted. Virginia mus
exert her means and energies in deyel
opiug her own resources, when foreign
capital and labor viii come.
An agricultural department would
greatly aid the h0rticultglrist and pomo
logist by statistical Information relative
TO soil aud climate, as the orchard anC
garden are sources Of wonderful wealth
Tirginia's peaches and pears, ans
melons, and Strawberries, prove thai
her soil ard climate are well adantea tc
the choicest and best.
Her vineyards only prove her u-da
Iveloped wealth III this direction and he,
need of information
| Her apiaries only show the immense
wealth the 'brsy bee" has III store 70,
her SO soon as needed information OK
this SUBJECT IS more generally difused
| Entomology, or the, science of '.bueol
ocy7 is bat little understood, although
tie gyasshopper and the various insects
injurious to the crops, plants, and fruits
and their habits and propagation nigh
be brought under intelligent control.
irrigation, as largely practlced ii
California and 10 some extent IN otl,a,