KENNEBEC UNION SOCIETY. 13 



be more generally satisfactory. A person who makes large con- 

 tributions to the Show, of perhaps great value, and at much ex- 

 pense of time and travel, merely for the benefit of the concern, is 

 not encouraged to try again, when he finds that his neighbor who 

 has presented a single object, no part of the credit of producing it, 

 it may be, belonging to him, has carried off the prize, and his 

 labors of years are deemed of no account. Taking such reports as 

 the basis of opinion, the public have a right to infer, either no 

 objects were presented except those on which the committees have 

 awarded jDrizes, or, if there were, they were not worth mentioning. 

 There are farmers who honor their calling by such examples and 

 such motives as intimated above. Let not societies and commit- 

 tees fail to honor them by a just appreciation of their efforts, and 

 kindly acknowledgement of their favors. 



Our Society (I hope it is a peculiarity) is suffering for want of 

 the countenance and aid of the men of station, wealth and influ- 

 ence. Men who have the greatest interests at stake stand aloof, 

 as though their prosperity would be undisturbed by any changes 

 in the productive capacity of the country. Either from want of 

 reflection that their success depends on the success of labor per- 

 formed by other than their own hands, or from a willingness to see 

 men of less means labor for their benefit, they withhold that aid 

 which it would seem self-interest as well as true patriotism would 

 prompt them to bestow. 



I have already made so wide a depai'ture from the course usually 

 pursued by secretaries of the county societies in their annual com- 

 munications to you, that I omit giving expression to my thoughts 

 on a change in the practice of societies, in the application of their 

 funds, and reserve them for some other occasion. 



N. Foster, Secretary. 



