No. 112.] 559 



spent, in directing your attention to the oljects T.liicli we may 

 reasonably expect, through such associations, to secure. 



There are many enterprises, both individual and associated, the 

 direct object of which is to accumulate wealth, and realize inde- 

 pendent fortunes. But this is not one of them. It is in no re- 

 spect, either for the whole or a part of its members, a mere 

 money-making institution. Nor should a direct tendency to add 

 a farthing to any man's estate, be numbered among the beneficial 

 results that may be aniicipated from it. Its influence is general, 

 diffusive, prospective, and indirect. It is designed not to pour 

 wealth into the laps of the indolent, uninformed, or the mere spe- 

 culator; but to awaken such an interest in, and pour such a flood 

 of light upon agricultural pursuits, thatan intelligent, active, en- 

 terprising yeornanry, may turn their lands with their products to 

 the best advantage, and realize from them, not a bare subsistence, 

 but a competency, and even more than a competency. It does 

 not depend upon the award of premiums, whether the members of 

 this society and the community at large are to be benefited by it. 

 Its best gifts to the public are more intangible, but not less real 

 and substantial, than dollars and cents. The awards of premiums 

 are useful incentives to exertion, to patient toil and careful atten- 

 tion to business ; but they should be regarded as the mere inci- 

 dentals, and not the essential or important features of this society. 



It performs its great mission and exerts its most salutary influ- 

 ence in exciting a general interest in the pursuits of the husband- 

 man, the great source of subsistence for the human family ; and 

 yet a subject that in all ages has been strangely neglected and un- 

 dervalued, and suffered to langui.-^h for the want of even moder- 

 ate encouragement and intelligent support. The gains of the 

 farmer are slow, and are secund at the expense of lalior, toil, and 

 sweat of the brow. Compared with the sudden affluence, occa- 

 sionally realized from commerce, and the di^tingui^hed position 

 occasi'.nally gained in tlie learned professions, liis occupttion ap- 

 pears to offer few inducements to the intelligent and enterjuising 

 young man. 



But this is not its necessary condition. Were husbandry pro- 

 perly conducted, it would be tlie most attractive of all avocations. 



