STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 43 



ADDRESS OF GOVERNOR STANFORD, 



AT THE OPENING OF THE TENTH ANNUAL FAIR OF THE STATE AGRICUL- 

 TURAL SOCIETY, AT SACRAMENTO. 



The following is the opening address delivered by the Governor of the 

 State, Leland Stanford, on Saturday evening, September twenty-sixth, 

 eighteen hundred and sixty-three : 



Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen : 



The State Fair is a great holiday. It is a time of physical relaxation 

 and of general social enjoyment. "We may congratulate ourselves that 

 it is so. All public gatherings, affording innocent pleasure and amuse- 

 ment, tend to the virtue and permanent happiness of a people. But the 

 State Fair possesses an importance, independent of its pleasures and 

 amusements. The State, by liberal donations in its aid, has affixed to it 

 her estimation of its benificent effect upon the commonwealth, and stamp- 

 ing it with high dignity and importance. This noble exhibition of the 

 products of California is not for mere show, nor this pleasant gathering 

 of her people for mere amusement. You are assembled together for a 

 higher purpose — for an object that has real practical value; though, in 

 carrying out the undertaking, it is sought to afford all the gratification 

 possible incident to the great end. 



It has become a custom, on occasions like this, that there should be 

 what is called an opening address, and your society has this year assigned 

 to me the honor of delivering it. So much, however, has been said, and 

 so much written, upon the subject of agriculture, that I shall think my- 

 self particularly fortunate if I am able to-night to impart to this intel- 

 ligent assemblage a single idea which will induce reflection upon that 

 interest of our State which has called together this annual gathering of 

 its devotees. 



How you are to fertilize your farms, when and how to put in the seed 

 for your crops, how to rear and improve your stock, how to plant your 

 vineyards and orchards, how to perfect the quality of your butter and 

 cheese, how as artisans and mechanics you are to handle the various im- 

 plements of your calling, it would be presumption for me to indicate. I 

 seek to draw your attention to the importance and the nobleness of your 

 pursuits, in the hope that you may be induced to prosecute them with a 



