FAEMERS' INSTITUTES. 179 



the object of our coming together is nothing less than to educate ourselves in 

 our calling, and thus become better and more successful farmers by our labors 

 being more intelligently directed. 



The State Board of Agriculture, earnestly desiring to further the interests of 

 the farm and of agricultural education, and believing that those interests might 

 be very much promoted by the practical farmers of our State and the faculty of 

 our Agricultural College meeting together for a comparison of views and experi- 

 ence, have accordingly invited the professors of the college and the farmers of 

 our State to join with them in holding a series of Farmers' Institutes ; for expe- 

 rience has long since taught us that in no way can knowledge upon any given 

 subject be more surely obtained than by the association of mind with mind, — 

 by discussion, calling forth the results of the reflection and experience of the 

 individual for the information of the many, — and thus, by thoughts expressed, 

 ■other minds are stimulated, new thoughts awakened, reflection, investigation, 

 and experimenting encouraged, and so a more thorough knowledge of the given 

 subject is obtained, and success in any given undertaking rendered more sure. 



And as a result of these facts, there is scarcely a pursuit, occupation, or pro- 

 fession known to civihzed society, except ours, in which those connected there- 

 with have not, for a long time past, shown their sagacity and wisdom, and largely 

 developed, built up, and promoted those interests by conventions, board meet- 

 ings, institutes, and associations. 



While this has been going on, if those engaged in other pursuits have out- 

 stripped us in many respects, they winning greater success and we falling behind, 

 has not the fault been our own ? 



Until very recently the farmers of our country have been slow to move in 

 anytliing like a united effort in this direction. To be sure we have for a con- 

 siderable number of years past, had our State, county, and district fairs, — the 

 im2)ortance of which, when well conducted, we would not undervalue, — where 

 we have had an opportunity to exhibit and compare the results of our labors, 

 but little or none to discuss the processes by which those results were obtained. 

 Here and there, also, in different parts of our country, farmers' clubs have held 

 their weekly or monthly meethigs for the discussion of subjects of vital import- 

 ance to the interests of the farm and the farmer's home, and the communities 

 where these have been located have reaped rich benefits therefrom. But the 

 number of such clubs has been very small, and their discussions, except in here 

 and there an instance, have not been joublished beyond the limits of their own 

 neighborhoods. And while agriculture is to a great extent the source of our 

 nation's real wealth, and success therein the foundation of the State and nation's 

 financial prosperity, and while nearly one-half of the adult population of our 

 country are engaged therein, the portion of the public press devoted to this 

 interest has been very limited ; and those papers that have attempted to main- 

 tain the character of agricultural journals have, as a class, been rather poorly 

 sustained. While we would most gladly see every farmer's family supplied with 

 one or more good newspapers devoted to general reading, we Avould earnestly 

 urge the sustaining and building up of those papers that are devoted exclusively 

 to the farm, the orchard, and the garden, so that from a liberal patronage they 

 may be able to call to their aid the best talent and the widest experience, thus 

 enabling them not only to take a higher rank among the periodicals of the day, 

 but also to become a greater auxiliary to tliose for whom they are particularly 

 designed. 



AVe would also urge farmers, either as individuals or by united efforts, to sur- 



