PEEFACE. 



The returns of many of the societies receiving the bounty of the 

 Commonwealth continue to be far below a reasonable standard 

 of value and usefulness. Instead of an honest effort to make an 

 adequate return, in the shape of information that would be of great 

 service to farmers in all parts of the State, one would infer fi'om a 

 careful examination of the " Transactions," that the chief effort was 

 to see how close a bargain could be driven with the State, just 

 grazing within the letter of the law, and totally disregarding its 

 spirit. This is not the kind of service the Commonwealth expects 

 the societies to render. It is not what could be called " fair " among 

 business-men. The State Board of Agriculture, in requiring the 

 societies to make their returns in print, contemplated something 

 more than a bald list of premiums awarded, and the offers of prizes 

 for the coming year. Such a return is of no earthly use or interest 

 beyond the limits of the society, and is of the least possible value 

 even there. 



Attention has been called to this deficiency many times, but my 

 suggestions appear to have been entirely disregarded by a large 

 number of the societies, for, instead of any improvement in the value 

 and quality of the annual volume, there is a manifest deterioration ; 

 no effort being apparent to furnish any information to the farming 

 community ; no statements of experiments, or of processes, or of the 

 reasons for awards by the committees, being presented. No set 

 effort to see how little of valuable information could be furnished, 

 could be more successful. As long as this spirit prevails, the repu- 

 tation of the societies must suffer, since it indicates a low-toned 

 sense of duty ; I might almost say, of common honesty. The bounty 

 of the State is given, not to be frittered away in twenty-five-cent 

 premiums, but to call out and diffuse information, and to add to our 

 present stock of knowledge. 



