STATE AGRICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 415 



State of Michigan. Why should they not work together? It was a mark of 

 the progress which had already been made, and he so regarded it when he was 

 enabled to welcome here these great and influential representatives of the 

 interests which the College was founded to promote. He sincerely hoped that 

 the arrangen)ont would be continued from year to year. 



Mr. J. J. Woodman called upon Mr. Luce, of Branch county, to respond on 

 the part of the State Grange. 



Mr. Luce said that he recognized the force and truth of all that President 

 Abbot had alleged. He had long looked over the subjects to which he 

 had referred. Michigan was an agricultural State in the strongest sense of 

 the expression. It is but a few years since her lumber interests had been con- 

 sidered her main business, but we had seen her pine woods melt away and 

 disappear, and tlie improving hand of agriculture supply their place with crops 

 of more value. Agriculture must overshadow all other interests in Michigan. 

 She had not the coal-fields of Pennsylvania, nor the water-power of New Eng- 

 land, nor the climate of the cotton fields of the South, but in agricultural 

 productions we could compete, acre for acre, with any State in tlie Union. 



Mr. Parsons ihen offered the following resolutions, saying, in support of 

 them, that he had rejoiced very mucli that this meeting had taken place, as it 

 gave him an opportunity of observing the manifest growth and progress of the 

 institution. He believed that the resolutions he had introduced would fully 

 express the general views of all who were present as guests : 



1. Eesoloed, That in the judgment of the Executive Committee of tlie State Agri- 

 cultural Society, tlie aims, interests, and efforts of that organization and the State 

 Agricultural College are identical in seeking to inspire a broad and intelligent ambi- 

 tion among our farmers, that more successful results in agriculture may be secured, 

 and a higher tone in social and intellectual culture be attained. 



2. Eesolved, That it is, in our opinion, eminently wise, and we deem it for the best 

 interests of both institutions and the State, that there be an annual visit by the 

 Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society to the College for personal 

 observation and exchange of sentiment. 



3. liesolved, That the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society have 

 great pleasure in testifying to their high appreciation of the value of the efforts thus 

 far made by the College in its instruction and management in promoting the inter- 

 ests of agriculture in uU its departments; and we most heartily endorse the institu- 

 tion, and see in its future a most powerful influence for good to the State, fully com- 

 pensating for all expenses incurred; and we most heartily commend it to the farmers 

 of the State, as worthy their confidence and support. 



4. liesolued. That we learn with unfeigned pleasure that more than fifty per cent of 

 the graduates of the institution have become practical farmers, and we believe that 

 the good influence of these men, scattered as they are throughout the State, will 

 most favorably tell upon its future prosperity and renown. 



Eesolved, That the State Agricultural Society expresses a feeling of regret that 

 the last legislature denied the College the appropriations asked for by the Board. 



These resolutions having been read and amended, the Hon. J. W. Childs 

 said he rose to respond on the part of the State Society, the State Grange, and 

 the College Board, of all three of which organizations he was a member. The 

 State Society, the State Grange, and the Agricultural College had met to 

 counsel and advise as to how and in wiiat manner the agriculture of the State 

 could be most benefited. It was an interest on which the revenues of the 

 State largely depended, and to promote more efficiency, and a greater increase 

 in our resources in that direction was the duty not only of every farmer but of 

 every citizen. As a member of the Board of Agriculture he was most heartily 

 rejoiced to see this assemblage of so many distinguished for their devotion to 

 the best interests of agriculture, and also capable of judging of the possibili- 

 ties and capabilities of this institution. The College invites criticism and 



