AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 255 



The seeds of the plant, like those of most of the composite 

 are easily distributed, and as it is a perennial and vigorous 

 grower, throwing out branches when the main stalk is cut off, 

 it follows almost necessarily, that wherever it is cultivated it 

 will become naturalized in waste places. It is spoken of by 

 De Candolle, as being found by the roadsides and in the fields 

 in almost all parts of Europe. Such an easily spreading plant 

 should have unexceptionable qualities to justify its cultivation. 

 We have seen enough of chiccory already to see that it may 

 become a nuisance ; we see no good qualities in it either for 

 man or beast, that are sufficient to encourage its cultivation. 



This Essay was read and laid upon the table, under the rules, 

 but subsequently taken up and accepted. 

 An Essay was submitted on 



THE MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 



BY J. 31. SMITH. 



On the 20th of July, 1794, "Washington, then President of 

 the United States, addressed a letter to Sir John Sinclair, in 

 in which he says : " It will be some time, I fear, before an agri- 

 cultural society, with congressional aid, will be established in 

 this country." 



Again, in his annual address, on the 7th of December, 1796, 

 when he met for the last time the two houses of Congress, he 

 said : " It will not be doubted, that in reference to individual or 

 national welfare, agriculture is of primary importance." 



Thus it is seen that he who is called the " father of his coun- 

 try " was strongly impressed with the importance of forming 

 agricultural societies, and that they should be assisted by the 

 general government, that they might be the means of diffusing 

 information — of creating and encouraging a spirit of experiment 

 and improvement. 



Some few individuals, even before this date, had felt the 

 necessity for some action that would lead to the development of 

 the agricultural resources of the country, and, as the result, the 

 South Carolina Agricultural Society had been established in 1784. 



The Philadelphia Society for the Improvement of Agriculture 

 was formed the same year, followed by a similar association in 

 New York, in 1791, which was incorporated in 179-3. 



