144 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



safe to feed children upon Jerse} 7 - milk, because, if she did, she 

 could not trot her baby on her knee without churning the butter ! 

 Adjourned. 



AFTERNOON SESSION. 



The Board re-assembled at two o'clock, and the proceeding's 

 were continued by the reading of a paper on 



Farm Labor, 



BT HON. SETH SCAMMAN. 



Man was created for action — mental, moral and physical. It 

 was never designed that he should be a drone, a mere hanger on 

 upon society. He has a higher and nobler mission to perform. 

 Made but a little lower than the angels, endowed with powers of 

 mind capable of investigating the laws of nature that surround 

 him on every side, and in connection with his physical ability 

 bringing those laws under control, and subservient to his welfare, 

 he has such a field for thought, for study, for action and for good 

 that he has no time, nor has he any right to let those powers 

 remain dormant and lost to the world. The position assigned him 

 in the creation, " to have dominion over the beasts of the field, the 

 fowls of the air, the fish of the sea, and over every living thing," 

 and when placed in the garden and commanded " to dress and 

 to keep it," must or ought to have impressed him with the magni- 

 tude of the labor assigned to him by the Creator, and the impor- 

 tance attached to the proper and faithful performance of that 

 labor. It is commonly understood that before the transgression 

 Adam had nothing to do but enjoy life, and regale himself on his 

 surroundings. But this is a great mistake ; for the fact that it was 

 said after every other living thing was made, " that there was not a 

 man to till the ground," and also that he was required "to give 

 names to every living thing," implied thought, study, investiga- 

 tion and labor ; and that too before the fall. How much more then 

 are his duties, cares and labors enhanced since he has disregarded 

 his high prerogative, by disobeying his Maker. 



We accept then the proposition that labor is one of the condi- 

 tions of life essential to our happiness, our usefulness and the 

 welfare of society. The subject of labor is now largely occupying 

 the public mind. It is made the theme for discussion in public 

 conventions, and public prints, and is legislated upon in deliberate 

 assemblies. We have our labor reform associations, and our 



