172 [Senate 



The establishment of an Agricultural Society in this county the last 

 year, has been productive of the most beneficial results. It has 

 awakened new interest among our farmers. Improvements are evi- 

 dent in almost every town in the county. A better system of ma- 

 nuring begins to prevail; and without this, all our efforts to improve 

 will be in vain; without a judicious application of manure, the best 

 efforts will prove unsuccessful; many a farm which now only pro- 

 duces half a crop, might at a very small expense be renewed, and 

 gladden the owner with a crop, such as, it may be, he has hitherto 

 in vain expected from it. 



I know that many farmers who are content to jog on in the old 

 way, who take no agricultural journal, who will not adopt any sug- 

 gestion out of the ordinary course, are in the habit of opening wide 

 their eyes at the announcement of a very large yield of any crop: 

 why, they don't believe these statements, jTor they never could raise as 

 much I 



Still the facts are multiplying around them, and they must see and 

 be convinced. The crops are harvested; the result is exhibited in 

 the granary or in the crib. The yield is there, and however won- 

 derful it may appear, they will soon be overwhelmed with evidence, 

 and they will begin at last to inquire how is this accomplished. They 

 will find that a judicious application of manure, a suitable rotation in 

 crops, adaptation to the soil has produced the result. 



It is gratifying to observe that there is a very great improvement 

 in farm buildings in this county. The neat painted farm house is 

 supplying the place of the moss-covered, unsightly, weather beaten, 

 unpainted house; good and convenient barns and out-houses for cat- 

 tle are being erected; and although much more ought to be done in 

 this respect, it is peculiarly gratifying to witness what an advance 

 has already taken place. Draining is being practiced among our far- 

 mers with the most happy results. This has in a measure, I presume, 

 been advanced by the example of English farmers, who have pur- 

 chased farms amongst us. Wherever an Englishman plants himself, 

 if there is a wet cold spot on his farm, the ditch is at once opened, 

 the land reclaimed, and good useful grasses supply the place of the 

 unprofitable marsh. Our Yankee farmers have adopted the same 

 practice, and they too are realizing the blessed results of improve- 

 ments. 



I might, were it desirable, give you the statistics of our county; 

 but as they are connected with the census, it cannot be necessary. 



What shall be done to advance the interests of agriculture in this 

 county '? To this, 1 answer, a judicious rotation of crop^s — a careful 

 attention to the preparation and application of manures — choice se- 

 lection of seeds, adapted to our climate and soil, and the introduction 

 of a thorough system of practical agricultural education, either in con- 

 nexion with our existing schools and seminaries, or by the adoption 

 of such a system in a school connected with a model farm. I deem 

 this of vital importance to a permanent and healthy advance in agri- 

 culture. We need also, well selected ^w// bred animals to cross with 

 our native stock; and no good reason now exists to prevent this be- 



