398 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



as one of tameness and drudgery. They notice the rapid growth of the property 

 of the merchant, the trader, or the professional man, and see him in sitiiations 

 of apparent comfort and ease, limiting, however, their observation to the few 

 who are successful and not noticing the many who fail of ultimate success. It 

 is estimated from careful observation that in our principal cities and towns, that 

 of all tliose who engage in trade, not more than one out of one hundred succeed 

 in accumulating wealth according to their expectations. The farmer, if not 

 absolutely rich, is at least independent. He has a home which his labor and his 

 taste have adorned. His broad acres are not held by lease as in many countries, 

 bnt as a freehold. Let the farmer, therefore, as a cultivated man, magnify his 

 occupation. In all ages wise, learned, and good men have gladly turned away 

 from the employment of public life to the pleasures, the consolations and the 

 quietude of rural pursuits. Without citing the men of other countries and ages, 

 who can forget how eagerly Washington laid aside his robes of office and sought 

 the repose of Mount Vernon ; how gladly Clay returned to the shades of Ash- 

 land after the excitement and honors of congressional life ; and how Webster 

 hastened from the cares of State to his herds and fields, all endeared to him by 

 the sweet memories of rural life? Men who have chosen to follow other avoca- 

 tions of life, and who pursue them with sl^ccess, still long for the pleasures 

 and employments of the farm. All their plans of life have a kind of natural 

 culmination in the determination to return into the coiintrv, and share with the 

 farmer the healthful and dignified occupation of husbandry. 



The fundamental idea in the organization of agricultural societies was to 

 better the condition of the farming class, by introducing such improvements in 

 the various branches of husbandly as would secure the best returns for the out- 

 lay of labor and capital. Affording amusement to the people any further than 

 amusement could be desired from objects of actual utility was not contemplated. 

 This is undoubtedly the true groundwork for such associations. Of course the 

 plan is intended to include encouragement to those branches of industry with 

 wdiich agriculture is connected. When legislatures incorporate agricultural 

 societies, or provide for their organization, it is on the condition that they shall 

 attempt the improvement of agriculture. The holding of exhibitions is sup- 

 posed to be the means by which we can accomplish this object. To effect the 

 greatest good by these exhibitions much judgment is required in the offering of 

 premiums, and equal judgment is required in making the awards. In general, 

 the amount of the premiums should be graduated by the utility of the object 

 for which it is offered. Exceptions, however, may properly be made in refer- 

 ence to objects which require sjiecial encouragement for a time. Unwarrant- 

 able prominence has been given by our Society to the horse. 



It is well known that under the name of trials of speed we have made racing 

 and trotting matches the principal features of our exhibitions. It is not unusual, 

 I believe, that the largest premiums offered are those for tlie fastest trotting : a 

 great display is made of this in tlie bills, and it seems to be relied on as the 

 greatest inducement that can be presented to the public to attend the fairs. 

 The arrangement of the grounds and the most expensive fixtui'cs for the accom- 

 modation of the people have special reference to these trials of speed. The 

 excitement incident to these displays is naturally attractive to the people who 

 attend the exhibitions merely for amusement, especially to the young ; and the 

 crowd which lingers around the stand shovrs that the benefit which might be 

 derived from close examination of the more useful parts of the exhibition is 

 chiefly lost. And is there any real improvement to the usefulness of the horse 



