STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 521 



and the garden entirely is cultivated by the owner, a man past 

 the meridian of life. 



The nursery to which we give the first premium contains a 

 large variety of thrifty apple trees from one to five years from 

 graft, also a variety of pears on native and dwarf stocks, also a 

 fair variety of cherries, grapes, roots, &c. 



The nursery to which is awarded the second prize, is larger and 

 contains a variety of ornamental and shade, as well as fruit trees. 

 The proprietor has a nursery in Ellisburgh, which your commit- 

 tee regret that they wTre not able to visit. 



We bespeak for these nurseries a liberal patronage. 



Gentlemen of the Society: 



Permit me to congratulate 3^ou upon our success as a Society; 

 that this Society has a strong hold upon the affections of the far- 

 mers of Jefferson county, is abundantly proved by the fact that 

 our usual show is held now and here, notwithstanding the imme- 

 diate proximity of the overshadowing organization of the Empire 

 State. 



This annual gala day, this gathering of all classes and ages 

 from all parts of the county to do honor to agriculture, this annual 

 exhibition of fine animals and choice productions of labor and 

 the soil, wx can hardly afford to lose. We choose to regard the 

 time and money expended upon Agricultural Societies and fairs 

 as a tribute to labor, a free offering in honor of Agriculture, in 

 honor of free labor of freemen, of the free labor of sturdy farmers 

 and farmers' sons, of thrifty housewives and robust daughters, 

 cultivating habits of industry and usefulness, of sturdy indepen- 

 dence, qualifying themselves alike for the highest walks of ease 

 and wealth, or the more toilsome scenes of poverty and adversity; 

 of the mechanic and the artizan whose handiwork in ten thousand 

 forms of beauty, and utility, and convenience, to minister to our 

 necessities, our comfurt and ha}>piness, and in lionor of the 

 labor of the pioneers of this county, the stalwart men wlio 

 hewed down tlie gigantic forest tliat but a few years ago over- 

 spread the entire county — some of whom have now tlie proud 

 satisfaction of sccinir the neat farm house, the well cultivated 

 field, the school house, aud the village spire, where but, to them, 

 a littk' while ago was the primeval forest, the wigwam and the 

 council fire; of seeing this forest, its roots aud branches; the 



