8 [Assembly 



ter farther than is consistent, it cannot be passed by without ex- 

 pressing the most anxious desire that it should not be overlooked.. 

 The anxiety for the establishment of an institution devoted to 

 the wants and imperious necessities of the farmers and mechanics 

 of our State, is deeply felt in every portion of our State, and the 

 number who feel the want of such an institution, is constantly 

 increasing. If intelligence be the birthright of any citizen of our 

 country — if in proportion as our citizens are intelligent, will be 

 their value as members of our confederacy, no argument can be 

 necessary to show, that the great interest which we represent, 

 comprising four-fifths of our entire population, should not be 

 neglected. While we are ready to contribute to the education of 

 every other class, in such a manner as will enable them rightly 

 to discharge the duties of their particular pursuits, we but ask in 

 return, that this great interest of our State and nation shall not 

 be passed by, but shall be by education placed in a position equal 

 to any other, so that when called upon, either in the councils of 

 the nation or elsewhere, they may be enabled to properly exhibit 

 to the world, what the true position and character of an Ameri- 

 can farmer is — what it is designed to be, from the very nature of 

 our free institutions, as distinguished from those of any other 

 country under the whole Heavens. We therefore most respect- 

 fully ask the attention and favorable consideration of the con- 

 stituted authorities of our Stale, to the numerous petitions which 

 are calling for their action in this direction. 



Trial of Implements. 



The necessity of a thorough trial of those implements which 

 are indispensable to the farmer, and the merits of which cannot 

 be determined without actual trial, has long been desired, and 

 the executive committee selected a committee composed of 

 some of the most distinguished gentlemen in our State, conversant 

 with the merits of the different implements selected for trial, and 

 assigned the trial at Geneva, in the month of July last. The im- 

 plements presented for trial were reapers, mowers, horse powers? 

 drills, cultivators, thrashing machines, separators, broad cast 

 sowers, and steam engines. The trial of these various machines 

 occupied about eight days, and was of such a thorough character, 



