13 



The Committee on Farms will report to yow, it being your duty to 

 decide upon the awards to be made upon farms. 



There are a few entries of Field Corps, upou the merits of which 

 you will be called upon to decide. 



At different times since the organization of this Society, the subject 

 of the establishment of an Agricultural School in connection with an 

 Experimental Farm has occupied the attention of the Executive Com- 

 mittee, and they have made some eflfort to procure the establishment of 

 such an institution, but as yet without success. 



The Executive Committee, at its annual meeting in December, 1852, 

 after some discussion of the subject of an Agricultural School, adopted a 

 memorial to be presented to the Legislature, asking for the passage of 

 a law for the establishment by the State of an Agricultural School in 

 connection with an Experimental Farm. 



This memorial was presented to the Legislature at its session in 1853, 

 and by it was favorably received ; but from some cause, perhaps better 

 known to others than to myself, it failed to receive that notice to which 

 the cause is entitled, and which it demands. 



It is known to all of you that the elements of scientific Agriculture 

 are taught at the Normal School, at Ypsilanti. This will enable those 

 who are now Students, and intend to become teachers, to perform their 

 duty to their pupils, by instilling into their minds a taste and love for 

 scientific agricultural knowledge, and place them at least one step in 

 advance of those who toil in the field from year to year, understanding 

 nothing beyond the mechanical process of farming, fearing to deviate 

 from the old rule, not knowing to what the deviation may lead them, 

 whether to a harder or an easier task, to riches or to poverty. 



On the 14th of March, 1853, a circular was issued by the Regents 

 of the University, announcing that there would be given a free course 

 of lectures in the University of Michigan upon Agricultural Science, 

 commencing the 27th day of April and closing the 28tli day of June. 

 The Rev, Charles Fox was announced as the lecturer upon Theoretical 

 and Practical Agriculture. Other lectures to bo given by Prof. S. H. 

 Douglass and Prof. A. Sacjer. 



This course of lectures was given in accordance with the above an- 

 nouncement. 



Last autumn Mr. Fox moved to Ann Arbor and lectured during the 



