No. 85.] 15 



barren soil may be made vastly productive, diffused his acquisitioni/ 

 by the press, and by life and by precept was the farmer's friend ; to 

 Willis Gay lord, whose agricultural essays are standard authorities, 

 honorable to the man and to the State ; to Le Ray de Chaumont, 

 who kept alive an agricultural society in Jefferson county, when all 

 others had expired, and gave the impulse to the formation of the 

 State society, of which he was the first president ; to James Wads- 

 worth, for his skill as a cultivator, and still more for his liberal exer- 

 tions, pouring out thousands after thousands at the impulse of a ge- 

 nerous mind, as if from a well-spring of good will, to promote agri- 

 cultural science in primary schools. And I should be wanting to the 

 occasion, did I not tender the expression of your regard to the present 

 president of the State society to the influence of that institution of 

 which he is the honored head ; to its Journal of agriculture, to its 

 annual fairs. But let me also entreat your friendly wishes to its pur- 

 pose of establishing an agricultural school ; and to that other more 

 diffusive design of introducing, through its secretary, scientific works 

 on agriculture into school libraries. I am happy also to announce 

 that efforts are now making to constitute agriculture, as it deserves 

 to be, a branch of instruction in one, at least, of your Universities. 



I have named to you some of the benefactors of agriculture in 

 New-York. Their benefits endure. The pursuits of the farmer, bind 

 him to home. Others may cross continents and vex oceans ; the 

 farmer must dwell near the soil which he subdues and fertilizes. His 

 fortunes are fixed and immovable. The scene of his youthful labors 

 is the scene of his declining years ; he enjoys his own plantations, 

 and takes his rest beneath his contemporary trees. 



But the farmer is not limited to the narrow circumference of his 

 own domain ; he stands in relations with all ages and all climes. 

 Your society has done wisely to urge on those who bear the Gospel 

 to untaught nations, to study their agriculture, and report for com- 

 parison, every variety of tillage. All ages and all climes contribute 

 to your improvement. For you, are gathered the fruits and seeds 

 which centuries of the existence of the human race have discovered 

 and rendered useful. Tell me if you can, in what age and in what 

 land the cereal grasses were first found to produce bread 1 Who first 

 taught the useful cow to furnish food for man 1 When was the horse 

 first tamed to proud obedience 1 The pear, the apple, the cherry, 

 where were these first improved from their wildness in the original 



