138 STATE BOAKD OF AGKICULTUKE. 



close there will be no regrets except for its limited time of sitting, and that in 

 the near fnturo the seed here planted will yield "an hundred fold," and bear 

 ample testimony to the wisdom of tlie Board in choosing this locality for one of 

 the Institutes. 



I doubt if there is any one place within the limits of our broad State, diversi- 

 fied as it is in soil, climate, surface, and advantages, where so many of the 

 improvements suggested for the benefit of agriculture could be appreciated, and 

 demonstrated by actual practice, as in Van Buren County ; no county j^ossessing 

 a greater variety of soil, a larger capacity of production, or more extensive range 

 of products ; its soil varying from prairie, timber, openings, marsh, containing 

 loam, clay, gravel, sand, muck, and combinations of either in many cases, ren- 

 der it a fit region for the jjractice of improved agriculture in all its endless vari- 

 ations. Situated in the veiy heart of the fruit belt, as our premiums, taken in 

 a warmly contested State contest, conclusively show, not so near the head of 

 Lake Michigan as to take the cold southwest winds without being tempered by 

 the water, nor yet so far nortli as to be exposed to extreme cold from a high 

 latitude, Van Buren county may justly, and Avithout fear of contradiction, 

 claim to have advantages not excelled by any of her sister counties. Possessing 

 that rare combination of soils, timber, lakelets, surface, and protection that so 

 eminently fit it for the production of whiter wheat in perfection, is it any wonder 

 that wherever Michigan wheat is known our own Keeler Avheat is anxiously 

 sought for, the better quality giving us better prices and more competition than 

 our less fortunate neighbors? With a lake coast on our western border, giving 

 our citizens, in addition to the protection afforded to the fruit interest, unusual 

 facilities for water transportation of our surplus products, we have abided to our 

 other resources four railroads, which give us easy access to markets at all seasons of 

 tlie year, to say nothing of projected roads, enjoyed prospectively without cost. 

 That we have improved our opportunities, the statistics of the Michigan Central 

 Railroad show. For the year ending May 31st, 1875, there Avere shipped 7,435 

 tons of freight from Lawton, and 9,767 tons from Decatur, not including 1,011 

 tons from White Oak and Mattawan, — 18,213 tons total, — this station shipping- 

 more than any other between Kalamazoo and Niles. Favored as we are by the 

 natural advantages of soil, climate, timber, location, together witli our commer- 

 cial facilities, it seems as if the one thing lacking to perfect our condition was 

 the skill to avail ourselves of the rare natural resources a kind Providence has 

 placed in our pathway. 



For that knowledge which will assist us in overcoming our numeroiis insect 

 enemies, draining our swamps and making available the rich deposits of muck 

 therein, properly understanding the mechanical jn'inciples of farm machmery, 

 and rightly educating our sons and daughters, we look to you, gentlemen Pro- 

 fessors of the Agricultural College ; and in behalf of the citizens of this village 

 and of the farmers of the surrounding country, I bid you a cordial welcome. 

 We hope, and shall try, to make your short visit here as pleasant to you as we 

 know it will be profitable to us. 



The importance of agricultural development to a community situated like 

 ours can hardly be over-estimated. Nearly one-half the population in the State, 

 and a much larger proportion in tliis locality are wholly dependent on agri- 

 culture, and the remainder are more or less directly interested. Our surplus 

 farm products furnisli nine-tentlis of tlie money that pays for productions 

 imported from other States and countries, and our farming population furnish 

 over one-half of the consumers. Ask a commercial man what tlie prospects are 



