KEMArtKS OF HON. T. C. PETERS. 



Mr. President — As I can only occupy but a brief space in the 

 time left for those gentlemen who are to follow me, I shall confine 

 myself to a few remarks upon that system of agriculture, the most 

 profitable to be adopted by the farmers, and encouraged by this 

 Society. 



Agricultural progress consists in the permanent improve- 

 ment of the soil, whereby it is made to yield an increased 

 product. This can only be done through the stock kept upon the 

 farm, for it is only by means of his domestic animals that the 

 farmer can procure the manure necessary to ameliorate his soil or 

 maintain its fertility. 



The State of New- York possesses as great capacity of produc- 

 tion, and her facilities, as an agricultural State, are as numerous 

 as those of any other State in the Union. It is our duty to see 

 that they are properly understood and improved. 



The real dairy region of the United States, as compared with 

 its whole area, is very small — compared with the land now in use, 

 it is about one-fourth, compared with its whole area it is less than 

 one-tenth. The western and southern line of Pennsylvania is the 

 extreme limit west and south of the true or primary dairy region. 

 The basin of the lakes may be considered as within the dairy 

 zone, but it is secondary to this. 



Our own glorious State, from its conformation and situation, is 

 the lu'art of this favored region, and is peculiarly fitted, both by 

 soil and climate, for the fullest development of dairy products. It 

 becomes important then to know whether it constitutes the most 

 profitable branch of farming. 



To o1)tain a satisfactory solution of this problem, permit me to 

 submit a few statistics. The acres of land in use in 



1821 .._ 5,717,494 



1825 7,160,967 



