No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 37o 



llio facLoi-.y upon hay ladders. Here the}' are delivered to the pea 

 viner wiiich picks the pods and shells out the peas, discharging the 

 latter to the proi)er receptacle and casting the vines to the side. 

 Instead oi" sowing tlie seed with drills wide enough to permit cultiva- 

 tion, the peas are planted with a regular wheat seed drill. The vines 

 stand close and hold each other almost erect. No cultivation is 

 possible after the seed is in the ground. 



It is probable that there will be no more attempts by farmers to 

 do a canning business by co-operation. It is an enticing proposi- 

 tion to conduct the business in such a way that stockholders may 

 share both the profits of cultivation and the profits of canning; but 

 all the experience of the past 30 years demonstrate clearly, that 

 in practice the profits of co-operative canneries are exceedingly 

 small, if indeed they are not entirely overcome by losses. To prop 

 erly conduct a canning business requires not only great skill but 

 also a goodly share of business tact and executive ability. The 

 farmer is, therefore, wise if he is content to receive the profits of his 

 crops and will devote his best energies to the improvement of his soil 

 conditions, to perfect the methods of cultivation and prepare to 

 meet the fungous diseases and insect foes of his crops with the 

 proper remedies, and thus swell his profits by increasing the yield 

 of the fruits or vegetables upon his farm. 



MR. MARTIN. We have just now one-half hour until 12 o'clock 

 and if Mr. McCoy of New Jersey, is here we will be pleased to hear 

 a word from him. 



Mr. McCoy addressed the meeting in reference to Farmers' Insti- 

 tute work in Pennsvlvania and New Jersev. 



The CHAIRMAN: We would like to hear now from Hon. W. F. 

 Hill, Master of the Pennsylvania State Grange. 



Mr. Hill came forv^'ard and addressed the meeting on Farmers' 

 Institute Work and the relation of the Grange organization there- 

 to, and what they were doing for the farmer. 



The CHAIRMAN: We are now ready to hear from Prof. John 

 Hamilton, ex-Secretary of Agriculture. 



Prof. Hamilton then addressed the meeting as follows: 



ADDRESS OF PROF. JOHN HAMILTON. 



Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen: It is not necessary to say that it 

 is a great pleasure to me to meet with the old State Board of Agri- 

 culture of Pennsylvania, and with the Institute Lecturers, who are 

 the leaders in agricultural thought in this great State. I can truth- 

 fully say that I appreciate the work of the State Board of Agricul- 

 ture, and of the lecturers that are associated with the Department 



