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COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



The Reports of the County Agricultural Societies herewith presented, while 

 they are not as full as could be desired, will yet not be found wanting in interest. 

 The newness of the country, the sparseness of the population, and, in many 

 instances, the inexperience of those engaged in these associations, while it has 

 materially lessened the value of their labors, has yet demonstrated that the indus- 

 trial classes of our State are not content to tread in the beaten track of their 

 forefathers, but are earnestly seeking for improvement. In most of the counties 

 wherein Agricultural Societies have been formed, the formation has been of very 

 recent date, and therefore no striking result can reasonably be anticipated. The im- 

 portance of these Associations to the cause of agricultural improvement can hardly 

 be estimated. The operations of the State Agricultural Society, covering as it 

 does the entire State, must of necessity be somewhat general in their character; 

 and from the enlarged field of its labors, but little attention comparatively can be 

 paid to the details of local and neighborhood improvement; these must therefore 

 mainly be left to the fostering care of the County Societies. 



The County Societies, for the sake of uniformity, adopting the plans recom- 

 mended by the State Agricultural Society, should annually send up full state- 

 ments of their operations and researches, which becoming disseminated througb- 

 out the State through the medium of the Society's Transactions, could not fail 

 to produce a most salutary effect through the information thus imparted, and in 

 the spirit of friendly emulation thus aroused. Another source of improvement 

 arising frbm these Associations is found in the assembling together of the intelli- 

 gent and enterprising farmers of the county. Local feelings and prejudices are 

 thus broken down, a mutual comparison of views takes place, the improvements 

 which have been and are being made in the various branches of husbandry, are 

 carefully observed and closely studied, and the minds and feelings of all become 

 enlarged and liberalized, fitting them not only for improvement in agriculture, 

 but makinw them better citizens and better men. At these meetings the wall of 

 prejudice which has so long separated them from other classes in community is 

 destroyed, and they are made to place a proper value upon their own labors, 

 and to assume their just position in the estimation of others. 



