280 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



By a well digested course of procedure, for which the above is- 

 offered as suggestive, we believe that nothing of attractiveness in our 

 exhibitions would be lost, and much of use, gained. 



Caltin Chambeklain, ■) 



Nathan Fostee, \ Committee. 



Ebex. Cobb, j 



Repokt on Topic No. 4. 



The committee to whom was referrred the question as to what should 

 be the immediate aim ctf all legislative and associated action in behalf 

 of agriculture, would beg leave to say, that they have had that subject 

 under consideration, and set forth the following as their views in rela- 

 tion to that subject : 



Your committee cannot resist the conviction, that at the present stage- 

 of our progress, this question is one of vast moment to the cause of ag- 

 ricultural improvement. They think, that on the answer to this ques- 

 tion, must depend the character of all intelligent and consistent action 

 for the promotion of this great interest. And it seems to them, that 

 thus far in our efforts, no well-defined and distinctive principle has 

 underlaid our doings. At least, if we look at one class of our efforts, 

 it would seem, that if any principle underlaid them, as a controling 

 and directing power, it is one of a very questionable character. 



Your committee, therefore, would beg leave to point out, first of all, 

 what they regtrd as a questionable element in our endeavors to aid 

 agriculture. The element referred to, is the application of artificial 

 siinmlants to production. We see this, in the conditions on which pre- 

 miums are offered by most of our agricultural societies, and in the boun- 

 ties that haye been offered by our State, on the production of wheat 

 and flax. These were mere artificial stimulants to increase the pro- 

 duction of the one, and to introduce the cultivation of the other. 



Now we take the ground, that this method of procedure is wrong, 

 and can, therefore, in the long run, be attended only with bad results. 

 We might at once proceed to show, by an appeal to facts, that past 

 experience has proved it to be so ; but we prefer, first of all, to refer 

 to the principle involved, and show what is its inherent tendency. 



There is a natural stimulant to production, as to everything else, 

 which is always healthful, and that is demand. The great a'cting and 

 reacting force of business and trade is demand and supply. This is the . 

 great and fundamental law of business — that demand creates supply, 

 and that too at remunerating prices. W'hcnever productic n is stiniu- 

 lated, by any cause, beyond demand, or under circimistances when it 

 is not remunerative^or it cannot be sustained, the result is disastrous ; 



