316 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Five year's experience as a member of our State Legislature, 

 has convinced me that it would have been impossible to secure 

 the necessary appropriations for our industrial college, had it 

 depended solely upon the members from agricultural districts. 

 In a great measure it was accomplished by the votes, and the 

 earnest and persistent efforts of members from cities and larger 

 towns. 



There is, in other departments, a professional pride, a spirit of 

 enterprise, an earnestness of purpose, persistency in overcoming 

 obstacles, and faith in the success to be achieved which is in 

 striking contrast with that manifested by farmers as a class, and 

 it is these characteristics, in connection with superior training, 

 which has enabled other professions to achieve greater results. 



Before passing to another division of the subject, I wish to 

 present a few incidents which have fallen under my own observa- 

 tion. I am aware that they are very simple, but they illustrate 

 the peculiarities to which I have referred ; and there is not prob- 

 ably a person present, who could not duplicate these cases, many 

 times, in their own acquaintince. 



A piece of woodland in the form of half a circle, was owned by 

 two parties, the division line passing very nearly through tha 

 centre. This was cleared of wood, and after a few years the 

 ground was broken up on both parts at the same time, planted for 

 several years, and at the time to which I refer, was ready to be 

 laid down to grass. It was in those terrible days of financial 

 distress which followed the eastern land speculation. Leaning 

 over the division fence, these two neighbors exchanged friendly 

 greeting, and naturally talked of their affairs. The one who was 

 in the best pecuniary circumstances regretted that he had not 

 grass seed to sow with his grain, adding that it was ny use to 

 talk, the times were so hard he could not spare money to buy 

 seed. The other thought he could not afford to lay down his land 

 without seed, and by some means he must have it. The next 

 year one side of that division fence was a miserable crop of sorrel, 

 and small at that, on the other as bountiful and beautiful a crop of 

 clover as ever gladdened the heart of husbandman. Although but 

 twelve years of age at the time, that lTiorjiing's conversation and 

 the marked results which followed, made a deep impression on my 

 mind, it set me to thinking, induced habits of observation, and 

 was the primary cause which led me thirty-seven years afterward, 

 to attempt an agricultural address. 



