Agriculture Society

The celebrated Sully made the remark, that Agriculture may be regarded as the breasts from which the State derives its strength and nourishment. It therefore claims a pre-eminent rank with commerce and the manufacturing arts, and is superior to either in point of age and usefulness. They are based upon it—owe their existence to it—and the welfare of society depends on the production and use of its various articles. Nothing can give the same self-satisfaction that Labor of some kind affords. It is the salt of the earth, which if it produced spontaneously might be a paradise for angels, but no fit habitation for men; for without labor what could support or adorn society?

The curse of death seems to have been revoked, not only by the promise of eternal life, but to deliver man from the barrenness of the earth, which, in his then condition, was cruel to him. Without temporal death the ground could have produced nothing valuable; it was then foreordained that death and life should follow each other in one mysterious and fructifying circle. Every thing on earth perishes, dies, and returns to time earth, whether animal or vegetable, dissolves and becomes offensive; and the labor of man, in union with the physical laws of time universe, continue to reproduce from all these decayed structures, and keep the earth in perpetual renovation.

The great benefits of agricultural improvements at this day in a civilized nation are too apparent for argument, and the main points to be well and thoroughly considered, arranged and adopted are, what is its present exact state of improvement—is it susceptible of further advance towards perfection, and if so, what the surest and most economical means to accomplish the object? We do not intend to enter into any discussion of these points; they have been and are in the special keeping and advisement of the Agricultural Society of the County, which is doing all it reasonably can to inculcate its lessons on the public mind relative to the improvement of our lands, the best modes of culture in every department, the selection of seeds and the growing of stock. The pride and glory of our day are, that Chemistry and kindred sciences are testing their subtle and efficient powers upon the hitherto hidden nature of the various soils,—analyzing their compositions—developing their injurious and nutritious properties, so as to apply the numerous fertilizers to the best advantage, in all cases to insure the greatest success.

The theory of Agriculture, in our opinion, based on three great fundamental principles. The first is, the soil ought to be made and kept dry—free from all superfluous moisture. Second, it ought to be kept clean—free from all weeds which injure the crops and exhaust the soil. Third, it ought to be made and kept rich by all the manures available, so that it will yield most abundantly. These principles are few but efficient; and the whole farming interest of the County has it in its power to carry out and effectuate them to a greater extent than it now does. We hold every farmer bound, in justice to the light now being shed upon the subject, to himself and his country, to make the most of his profession, the nature and condition of his lands. This requirement is universal in its demands, and from its rigorous exactions there is no exception. These principles carried out for a few years would brighten up the already glowing face of the country, and in the long run amply compensate for the toil and expense. To this work Orange must come before long, else she will forfeit her present good name and pledges given, be distanced in the glorious agricultural race, and lose the golden prize for which she has entered her name and pledged her skill and enterprise.

956th

Table of Contents Agricultural Society Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Orange County AHGP/ALHN New York AHGP/ALHN AHGP ALHN	History of Orange County
	Agriculture Society The celebrated Sully made the remark, that Agriculture may be regarded as the breasts from which the State derives its strength and nourishment. It therefore claims a pre-eminent rank with commerce and the manufacturing arts, and is superior to either in point of age and usefulness. They are based upon it—owe their existence to it—and the welfare of society depends on the production and use of its various articles. Nothing can give the same self-satisfaction that Labor of some kind affords. It is the salt of the earth, which if it produced spontaneously might be a paradise for angels, but no fit habitation for men; for without labor what could support or adorn society? The curse of death seems to have been revoked, not only by the promise of eternal life, but to deliver man from the barrenness of the earth, which, in his then condition, was cruel to him. Without temporal death the ground could have produced nothing valuable; it was then foreordained that death and life should follow each other in one mysterious and fructifying circle. Every thing on earth perishes, dies, and returns to time earth, whether animal or vegetable, dissolves and becomes offensive; and the labor of man, in union with the physical laws of time universe, continue to reproduce from all these decayed structures, and keep the earth in perpetual renovation. The great benefits of agricultural improvements at this day in a civilized nation are too apparent for argument, and the main points to be well and thoroughly considered, arranged and adopted are, what is its present exact state of improvement—is it susceptible of further advance towards perfection, and if so, what the surest and most economical means to accomplish the object? We do not intend to enter into any discussion of these points; they have been and are in the special keeping and advisement of the Agricultural Society of the County, which is doing all it reasonably can to inculcate its lessons on the public mind relative to the improvement of our lands, the best modes of culture in every department, the selection of seeds and the growing of stock. The pride and glory of our day are, that Chemistry and kindred sciences are testing their subtle and efficient powers upon the hitherto hidden nature of the various soils,—analyzing their compositions—developing their injurious and nutritious properties, so as to apply the numerous fertilizers to the best advantage, in all cases to insure the greatest success. The theory of Agriculture, in our opinion, based on three great fundamental principles. The first is, the soil ought to be made and kept dry—free from all superfluous moisture. Second, it ought to be kept clean—free from all weeds which injure the crops and exhaust the soil. Third, it ought to be made and kept rich by all the manures available, so that it will yield most abundantly. These principles are few but efficient; and the whole farming interest of the County has it in its power to carry out and effectuate them to a greater extent than it now does. We hold every farmer bound, in justice to the light now being shed upon the subject, to himself and his country, to make the most of his profession, the nature and condition of his lands. This requirement is universal in its demands, and from its rigorous exactions there is no exception. These principles carried out for a few years would brighten up the already glowing face of the country, and in the long run amply compensate for the toil and expense. To this work Orange must come before long, else she will forfeit her present good name and pledges given, be distanced in the glorious agricultural race, and lose the golden prize for which she has entered her name and pledged her skill and enterprise. 956th