STATE AGRICULTURL SOCIETY. 199 



larger results, the present position of our Agriculture leaves 

 scarcely room to doubt. And does not the prosperous condi- 

 tion of the country, still the cynosure of many an emigrant, still 

 rapidly growing, afford a reasonable expectation, that prices will 

 hereafter rule sufficiently high? 



"The fools are not all dead yet," and therefore it is not to be ex- 

 pected that everybody will accord to the farmer the respect fairly due 

 to his calling,even if he improves his opportunities to the best advan- 

 tage. Dandies may prefer a nimbler step, and belles a softer 

 hand than he can show; and brainless men and women may call 

 him ignorant. He may hear from some doubtful quarter (let 

 him never say it of himself, as too many farmers do,) that "he is 

 nothing but a plain farmer." If he is a sensible, plain, indus- 

 trious farmer, understanding his business and informed in matters 

 of general interest, then all sensible, well informed, industrious 

 l)eople (and these are about all that any one need care for,) will 

 know it; and his standing will be high in the estimation of all 

 whose opinion is worth regarding. His profession is not as favor- 

 able for the amassing of sudden wealth as the merchant's. Per- 

 haps the gambler oftener gets rich in a night than the farmer in 

 a day. But it should be remembered that while one prosperous 

 merchant is rejoicing in sudden wealth, ten that are unsuccessful 

 are dying of a broken heart; and that whoever wins by chance 

 or by fraud, has but a poor prospect of enjoying a peaceful life 

 and an approving conscience. For obtaining a competency by 

 fair means, for pursuing it without loss, for enjoying it through 

 life, few, if any, have a better prospect than the farmer. 



If progress in agriculture and in the position of the agricul- 

 turist is to be permanent, our young men, who are looking to the 

 farm as the field of their future enterprise, must not be educated 

 inferiorhj to those destined to other callings. Cultivated mind is 

 the first want; riclily cultivated fields will follow as a conse- 

 quence of intelligent labor; and resjiect and esteem, position and 

 inlliience will come in their place. Tliere is now hardly a doubt 

 that our Legislatures, general and local will grant endowments 

 for educating the future farmer. Whether we shall use them 

 wisely, is less cetain; but let us try and ho})e for the best. That 

 some portion of the aj)pr()j)riati«)ns for such a pur}>ose should 

 redound to the improvement of the ])resent generation of farmers 



