«23333*'
Devoted to Ajjriculture, Horticulture. ~>IeclianiCN una tbe I *.r[ul Art*.
D. P. UoLLowaT Wm.  T. i
11    Di;*i.**'s,*t. T. Keed—EtiitiirsJ
RICHMOND, gEPT'R. 1, 1856.
'Hollo-ray & Co., Publish,rs.
) Vol. V. No.   17.
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Report on Agriculture.
Mr. Holloway, from the committee on
Agriculture in the House of Representatives,
inade the following report:
The majority of the Committee on Agriculture, regard i,ig the interests committed to
their consideration .of* primjir-' importance,
beg leave to submit a bill to establish an
economical department of the government,
which shall be devoted to the promotion and
encouragement of the trreat  atrricultural in-
i.
t?.rests of the country.   . -   ■
Agriculture is the basis of our national
prosperity. ltis the substratum of all other
interests; "and the degree of advancement
which marks the progress of our country and
its people in wealth, eitioiprisc, education
and substantial independence, is measured
by the prosperity of its rural interests. It
is one of those arts which, from tlie earliest
periods, have been deservedly held in the
highest estimation. One of the lirst injunctions upon our original progenitor, after his
oxpul.-ion from the garden ctEden, was that
he should "till the soii." The great necessity which, in the eye of Infinite Wisdom,
made "this command imperative from tho first,
has ever since existed; and the experience
of all the world, in all periods of its history,
lias fully demonstrated that the cultivation
of the soil is of primary importance in securing prosperity, and hence should lecpive
the first ami most liberal patronage of the
government. It furnishes the materia! upon
whieh the manufacturer exerts his skill. It
furnishes commerce with its business, and is
intimately connected with the moral, social,
. and political interests of the people. In our
|. country, above all others, should this great
■ffi interest bo promoted.
*> . Your committee, however, cannot ask that
>j4 so important a change be made in the econ-
9\i omy of our government, upon this subject,
rx -        * *     ■:-
without calling your attention to the opinions
and recommendations of those who have
higher claims upon your confidence, and
particularly one whose wisdom and political
experience commands the admiration of the
civilized world. General Washington, in his
las.t annl.al message to Congress, and after
seven years' devotion, as President, to tho
consideration of the best means to develop
the resources of the country, declared:
"It will not be doubted that, with refei-
ence either to individual or national welfare,
ACiJtlLLLTl'i'.K is of primary importance. Ill
proportion as nations advance in population
aud other circumstances of maturity, this
truth becomes more apparent, and renders
the cultivation of thc soil moro and more an
object of public patronage. Institutions for
promoting it grow up, supported by thc pub-
lie purse; and to what object can it be dedicated with greater propriety? 'Among the
means which have been employed to this
end, none have been attended with greater
success than the establishment of boards,
composed of proper characters, charged
with- collecting and diffusing information,
and enabled by premiums and small pecuniary aids, to encourage and assist a spirit of
discovery and improvement. This species
of establishment contributes doubly to the
increase of improvement, by stimulating to
enterprise and experiment, and by drawing
to a cominon centre, the-, jrpsi-lts everywheie,
of individual skill an (J;* .'observation, and
spreading them thence oyer thc whole nation. Experience accordingly has shown
that they are very cheap instruments of immense national berefits."
The same distinguished statesman, in wri-
ting to a friend, expresses the following ren-
timent:
"Your young military n-.cn,.-wlio want to
reap the harvest of laurels, don't care how
many seeds of war are sown; but for the sake
of humanity, it is devoutly to be wished that
the manly employment of agriculture, and
the humanizing benefits of commerce should
supercede the traite of war and the rage of
conquest; that the sword might be turned to
plow-shares, aud spears into pruning-hooks,
and, as the Scripture expresses it, the nations
learn war no more."
Judge Peters declares that it was in contemplation by Washington to bring to the
consideration of Congress, "At* great plan of
engrafting the subject of agriculture into a
national system of education, aud placing the