36 ANNUAL REPORT OF NEW- YORK 



perly belong, and knowing their rights, maintain them. The 

 agricultural interests of this State are very great and constantly 

 increasing, and when we take into consideration the vastness of 

 our territory, and the varied productions of our soil, we cannot 

 fail to realize that the efforts of this Society have been produc- 

 tive of great good; and when we further consider the great amount 

 of wealth and income of our farmers, we cannot but feel 

 that they are entitled to more consideration from our Legislature, 

 than they have hitherto been able to acquire. True, our Legis- 

 lature has been prevailed upon, after long and persevering impor- 

 tunity, to open the purse strings of the State Treasury so far as 

 to appropriate $40,000 towards the purchase of a farm and 

 erecting an Agricultural College, for the purpose of experimenting 

 and educating our young men for practical farmers, provided an 

 equal amount was raised by 2)rivate subscription for the same pur- 

 pose. True, there has been paid out of the State Treasury the sum of 

 about $8,000 per year for the promotion of agriculture, which has 

 been distributed among the counties in which the .societies had 

 raised a like sum to be paid out for premiums. Of this amount 

 the State Society has received $700 yearly. 



One whose wisdom and sagacity has never been doubted, 

 George Washington, has said, " That with reference either to in- 

 dividual or national welfare, Agriculture was of primary impor- 

 tance. Institutions for promoting it grow up supported by the pub- 

 lic purse, and to what object can it be dedicated with greater pro- 

 priety ? Among the means which have been employed to this 

 end, none have been attended with greater success than the 

 establishment of Boards, composed of proper persons, charged 

 with collecting and distributing information, and enabled by pre- 

 miums to encourage and assist a spirit of discovery and improve- 

 ment, by stimulating to enterprise and experiment, and by 

 drawing to a common center the results everywhere of individual 

 skill and operation, and by spreading through them over the 

 whole nation. Experience has accordingly shown that they are 

 very cheap instruments of immense national benefit." 



Our State Society is allowed to be put up at auction, to be 

 located for the year at such place or point as the parties present 

 at our annual winter meetings shall direct. Now this may 

 have been very well for the time when it was considered as 



