STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 23 



Whoever passes through the agricultural portion of the Eastern 

 and Middle States will be struck with the equal distribution of 

 property. 



Few large estates can be found — comparatively few farms 

 rented. Most farms are worked by their ow^ners, and the mass of 

 those owners are the educated farmers of the country. Some 

 agricultural paper is to be found in almost every house. Its 

 appearance is welcomed as weekly, or monthly, it is delivered. 



A sense of degradation in labor finds none of its humiliating 

 accompaniments where the well conducted farm joui-nal is regu- 

 larly perused. The demand for a Quarterly Agricultural Review 

 of the high order of the best scientific and literary reviews of this 

 country and Europe, may not be a pressing necessity at this 

 moment; but may we not expect such a periodical as soon as our 

 colleges are founded, our professorships filled and endowed ? 



There is certainly a field to be occupied by such a periodical^ 

 not in place of any we now have, not excluding one of our farm 

 journals, nor in any way interfering with their circulation; but 

 occupying a higher sphere, and increasing the influence and bene- 

 ficial effects of all. 



Mr. President — I doubt not that our agricultural journals have 

 added millions to our national wealth; and at the same time they 

 have been productive of happiness and enjoyment in the farmer's 

 family, giving contentment to his sons and daughters, and a relish 

 for labor which is beyond all price. 



Concluding this somewha<t desultory address, I may be permit- 

 ted briefly to allude to the agricultural interests of our nation, as 

 connected with the administrative portion of the government. 

 Our National Society is a noble institution, doing a vast work, 

 bringing into happy juxta position, the varied interests of the 

 nation. 



And without in detail pointing out its prospects for good to the 

 whole nation, as your society is blessing the Stiite, I wish to com- 

 mend its approaching exhibition of next week, at Pliiladelphia, 

 as worthy the patronage of all. J3ut what place has the great 

 agricultural interests of the nation in the government ? Tran- 

 scending all other interests, furnishing a vast majority of all our 

 exports, giving character and influence to our commerce, we have 



