STATE AGRICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 337 



The central or northern part of the State has in the hist few years orained a very 

 envhible reputation as wheat prochicer?, owing to tlie nnifornil}' large yield ])er acre. 

 This last test deinonstrates the excellent quality of the grain. What cause tna\- be 

 assigned for this 1 know not, but 1 state the facts, and for the present am satisfied 

 therewith. 



WOUTHY OK SFKCIAL MENTION. 



Mr. David Woodman, of Paw Paw, exhibited, arranged in excellent and attractive 

 order, a very large collection of grains in the straw, with stalk and roots en.tire, also 

 in lieads, in the berrj% and some manufactured into flour. lie had twelve difterent 

 vari%ties of wheat, six of rye, nine of oats, twenty-one of corn, six of beans, seven of 

 grasses, besides flax, pampas, rice, aml)er, sugar cane and chestnut* in the burr. 



The collection, preparation and arrangement of these grains and grasses must have 

 occupied considerable time. Mr. Woodman, from the experience gained by him in 

 the growth of the various varieties, should be able to impart some very valuable 

 information as to the growth and yield thereof. The premiums offered and awarded 

 him for such a collection would not be a suthcient compensation for the time spent in 

 collecting and exhibiting them. T respectfully suggest whether your board would 

 not take some further action in reference to this matter, and whetlier, in connection 

 therewith, ilr. Woodman might not be requested to state some facts in connection 

 with tlie yield and probable profit of a more general cultivation of some of the varie- 

 ties exliibited. 



W. L. Walters, of Utica, exhibited seventy-eight different varieties of potatoes, 

 carefully arranged in separate boxes and named, many of them raised by him from 

 the seed and therefore new varieties. At my request he prepared a statement, setting 

 forth the ciiaracter of the soil upon which they were grown, the fertilizers used, the 

 date of planting, a list of the varieties, the yield per acre and date of ripening. The 

 information thus given I consider of sufficient value as to be well wortfiy of preserva- 

 tion, and I attach his i-eport therefore hereto and make it a part hereof. 



In my opinion, the man who thus devotes his time to the propagation of new varie- 

 ties of a vegetable, so important and of such universal use as the potato, and which 

 so soon deteriorates both in yield and quality, is doing the people of the State a ser- 

 vice difficult to be properly estimated. To encourage such men in their work is, I 

 think, one of the objects contemplated in the organization of agricultural societies. 

 Their failures must be many and dislieartening, yet occasionally they give us new 

 variety which adds to tlie wealth of the individual, of the State, and of the nation. I 

 would especially commend Mr. Walters to your favorable consideration. 



The Messrs. Penfield,ot Detroit, made a very fine display of grain and grass seeds, 

 but owing to reasons hereafter stated they were unable to compete for premiums 

 thereon. 



WHO ARE ENTITLED TO COMPETE FOR PREMIUMS. 



I soon noticed that members of the Society had in entire good faith, entered for 

 premiums, grain, seeds, and vegetables not of their own growing. I made inquirj'- of 

 those supposed to be familiar with the rules relating thereto, and ascertained tliat 

 such was in accordance with the prevailing custom. Having doubts as to the correct- 

 ness or desirability of such a custom, I made careful examination of the constitution 

 and rules of the Societj' and determined therefrom, that while they had a clear right 

 to exhibit, they could not compete for premiums, and ruled accordingly. 1 called the 

 attention of the gentlemen interested to the rules and my construction thereof, and 

 they acquiesced therein. 



The provisions relied upon by me to sustain tliis riding were the proviso to Arti- 

 cle 7 of the Constitution, and Rule 11, Article 7, relating to premiums, contains this 

 proviso: "That before any premium shall be delivered, the person elaiming the 

 same, or to whom the same shall be awarded, shall deliver to the Kecording Secre- 

 tary of the Society, in writing, an accurate statement and description, verified in 

 such manner as the Executive Committee may direct, of the character of the soil, 

 and tlie process in preparing it, including the quantity and quality of the manure 

 applied in raising the crop, or the kind and qualitj' of food in feeding the animal as 

 the case may be; also the kind and cost of labor employed, and the total expenses 

 and total productions of the crop, or the increase of value of the animal, with a view 

 of showing accurately the exact resulting profit." This clearly contemplates that 

 the grower of the grain, seeds, and vegetables shall be the exhibitor, as it would be 

 very difficult indeed, if at all possible, for any other to furnish the information here 

 required. True, this information is not requiied until the premium isolaimed. But 

 If a premium is awarded to a person not a grower, and who therefore cannot give the 



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