No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 221 



idea that crops can be grown and harvests can be gathered without 

 the laying on of hands, without the emplo^-ment of the tools which 

 Nature intended should be used in conjunction with hers to be the 

 most effective agency in crop production. Criticism is frequently 

 heard that the farmers of Lancaster county are not quite as progres- 

 sive as farmers of s(une other sections. This probably is true if the 

 comparison is to be based upon the number and kinds of machinery 

 of every character employed by the Lancaster county farmers, but the 

 comparison becomes ridiculous when the results here are compared 

 with tlie results achieved by those who criticise Lancaster county. 

 And the reason that we do achieve so in contradistinction to the 

 achievements of farmers in other sections of the country where their 

 soil is as good is because here, as I said before, we think we have in- 

 telligent, earnest application of human energy joined with scientific 

 methods- And it is this fact, coupled with the native thrift, that has 

 made the Lancaster county farmer the most prosperous of his kind 

 not only throughout Pennsylvania, not only throughout the United 

 States, but the world over. 



Meetings such as you are holding here to-day do much to advance 

 the cause of agriculture. They furnish opportunity for exchange of 

 opinions, presentation of new ideas and the formulation of more effec- 

 tive methods of treating the soil and growing corps. You did wisely 

 in selecting Lancaster for your place of meeting, accassible as it is 

 from all points of the compass. To you who have come here from a 

 distance, I say welcome, and whether you be from near or far I here 

 now extend to you the greetings of welcome to the city of Lancaster. 



RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME 



By DR. W. T. PHILLIPX, Carlisle, Pa. 



Mr. Chairman, Honorable Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen: I assure 

 you that it affords me a great deal of pleasure to respond in your 

 behalf to the pleasant words of greeting and welcome that have been 

 extended to us as we gather here in our Annual Normal Institute 

 this afternoon. My friends, I know that we feel already that we are 

 welcome in your city of Lancaster and in this great County of Lan- 

 caster w^hich is a part of the great Commonwealth that is represented 

 here to-day. I know that we have all heard of Lancaster county. We 

 hear of Lancaster county it does not matter what part of the State we 

 are in. There is always someone will say: ''Have you ever been to 

 Lancaster county? Have you ever passed through it? Have you 

 ever had the privilege or opportunity of viewing its rich green fields 

 as you passed down over the Pennsylvania Railroad?" I want to say 

 to you, my friends, and the Honorable Mr. Mayor, that it has been 

 my privilege to be in this county a number of times. I have had the 

 pleasure and privileges of appearing at institutes and I know from the 

 interest that was manifested there and the class of people that we 



