103 

 ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS T. WHITTLESEY, 



PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETV. 



Memhers of the Dane Agricultural Society : 



It gives me great pleasure to meet with you on this occasion, and with 

 all who have come up to witness this, our first exhibition. Your presence 

 is an attestation of the lively interest you feel in our success. If viewed 

 merely as a social gathering, it is beneficial ; as a meeting of farmers, 

 collected for agricultural improvement, we can discern therein the germ 

 of extensive good. The display of agricultural products and mechanical 

 skill here to-day, reflects great credit on the Society, yet in its infancy, 

 and gives strong promise of what it will do in future years. The gener- 

 ous co-operation so liberally extended, cannot fail to encourage and stim- 

 ulate us to increased exertion. 



Agricultural Societies are essential to our progress in the right culti' 

 ration of the soil. They lead to the dissemination of knowledge, to the 

 concentration of effort, the support of agricultural papers ; and they create 

 a lively interest in the cause in which we have embarked. They are 

 formed in all agricultural States, and agricultural exhibitions are becom- 

 ing more and more popular, fast growing into favor as points of great 

 attraction, enlisting the chivalry, the genius and fashion of society, and 

 unlike the tournaments of feudal times, improve as well as delight 

 the beholder. Agricultural exhibitions must be the farmer's wreat festi- 

 val ; once a year he must come up with his wife and children, to this feast 

 of fat things. This is the time and place for children to acquire agricul- 

 tural tastes. They will insensibly imbibe an interest for an occupation 

 which, at least, once a year, seems to be in such general estimation. 

 The same law governs in this as in all other pursuits, — the heart must 

 be in the cause. A pursuit which does not draw out, and engage the 

 noblest qualities of the man, ought to be abandoned, a pursuit on which 

 the energies of a judicious mind have been expended, and which does 

 not then remunerate the operator, ought to be abandoned. There is no 

 apology for a farmer who spends his strength for that which is not bread. 

 It is the object of Agricultural Societies to give a proper direction to 

 agricultural pursuits, to improve our knowledge in making good crops, 

 good orchards, and to lay the foundation of successful farming, and there- 

 by of peaceful and quiet homes. The farmer must not work for pay 

 alone, but like the volunteer soldier who strikes for liberty, he strives for 



