42G STATE BOARD OF AGKICUT.TURE. 



curinsf what he desires. Tliis matter is worthy attention. Tiie money thus expended 

 abro;i'l should ho kept ar lionie. Every osvnor of a Hock of thoroiio^lihreds should 

 stiniiilatt' his nci^jhhor to invest in his line of hiisines*. and assist by selling at as low 

 a liijiue as possible, thns increasing the number of flocks and thns removing one of 

 the obstacles to purchasers. 



Feeling and experiencing the difliculties alluded to, a respectable number of sheep 

 breeders and wool growers met at Lansing about ten months since and drew up arti- 

 cles of association, elected regular oilicers, and made a i)reliniinary start in tlie work 

 of a sheep breeders and wool fjrowf rs' association, and to-night we meet to review 

 the year's work and to give more detinite shape and character to the organization. 



At the time of our organization la«t winter the doctors and lawyers (who under- 

 stand the wants of the farmer better than he does himself) then in Washington as the 

 representatives of the people, beaded by Mr. Wood, of New York citj% tried to revise 

 our tarifl" laws for the benefit of the farmer and wool grower by ol)liging him to sell 

 his wool at from five to ten cents less per pound than he is now doing. But. thanks 

 to that national organization known as the grange, and similar organizations of our 

 own, which said "Stop this proceeding," I believe it was stopped; and by what I 

 learn from the honorable gentlemen who are again convened, thej- are going to let it 

 stop. My belief, founded on observation, is that the most persuasive argument to 

 one of these gentlemen is the probability, possibility or certaint}" of losing his po- 

 litical head by pursuing a course which bis constituents do not think tends to their 

 best interests. Even our milk-and-water President, in his message, devotes a few 

 chapters to agriculture, stimulated, no doul)t, by the stand lately taken b}' the farm- 

 ers through their various associations to express their desires; but on the subject of 

 stock-raising he is silent, as on anj^ other branch of agricultural industry, supposing 

 that the words of Washington, in his eighth annual message, would be sufficient for 

 all practical purposes. Our lawyer Governor, too, is made happy in being recognized 

 by the grangers, and has promised to aid in all needed legislation for the farmers. 

 The power of the husbandman is felt through their organizations, and, aside from 

 the great benefit to our business as breeders, it will be in the future of incalculable 

 benefit politically. Thus it becomes necessary for us to use every means to sustain 

 them. The success of the farmer is the foundation of all business successes, and as 

 the raising of good stock inci'eases, in a like manner does good fai-ming follow. 



Jt has been thought by some that the premiums offered by the State Agricultural 

 Society on sheep were not proportioned, relatively, to those of other stock, and that 

 the classification in all respects was not what was desired. I have made a hasty com- 

 parison of the amount of premiums offered last year for cattle, horses, and sheep, 

 excluding breeders' special premiums on horses. Premiums offered on cattle, $2,419; 

 on horses, $2,036; sheep, §834. Sheep as compared with cattle, about one-third; as 

 compared with horses, about two-fifths. 



Perhaps a well considered plan of classification of sheep, as well as a schedule of 

 premiums to be presented to the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural 

 Society at its meeting to revise the premium list for 1879, might be expedient. 



By the rules of the National Wool Growers' Association, this association becomes 

 auxiliary, and has through its President and two delegates selected by this association 

 a voice in its general management. 



Fellow farmers, stock breeders, and wool growers, it seems to me that Nature has 

 done much for the State of Michigan. No State has a better climate. No other 

 State in the Union has so great and varied sources of wealth. The almost continuous 

 water navigation around her borders affords carrying facilities enjoyed by few States. 

 The numerous railroads crossing her domain, all connect with the great lines running 

 east and west, while others penetrating her most northern borders afford facilities 

 for carrying to the great commercial centers the varied productions of those portions 

 of the State. She has more and better pine timber than any other State. Her iron 

 and copper mines are inexhaustible; her coal beds are yielding their valuable pro- 

 ducts, while her beds of gypsum provide immense amounts of fertilizers for all parts 

 of tiie State. As to variety and richness of soil, no State exceeds her. It is well 

 adapted to all classes of sheep, added to which are her unrivaled institutions of 

 learning. With all these advantages, what prevents Michigan from taking the front 

 rank as a sheep and wool producing State? Then let us awake to our own interests; 

 let us remove every obstacle to success in tliis enterprise, and let us show by prac- 

 tical results what can be accomplished by a strict adherence to nature's laws. The 

 sheep interest in this State is as yet in its infancy. 



In conclusion, let me urge upon the members of this association the necessity for 

 persistent, intelligent action, and great good will result. A sun from which shall 

 emanate a steady light shall arise, and the time will not be far distant when we can 

 say with pride that Michigan is a star of the first magnitude in the sheep galaxy. 



