326 STATE BOAED OF AGKICULTUEE. 



apology for being here to niglit, and pay you, if possible, for your kind atten- 

 tion. 



Mr. Hartwell read a paper on ^'Apples" and Mr. John N. Ingersoll gave an. 

 address on the ''Triumphs of Mind." 



At the close of Mr. Ingersoll' s address Rev. Mr. Reynolds rose, saying that 

 since the committee had made no provision for an expression of thanks, he 

 begged to constitute himself a committee to propose unanimous thanks, first to 

 the committee for liberal preparations ; second, to citizens of Owosso for hospi- 

 tality ; and, third, to the professors of the Agricultural College for what they 

 had done here to promote improvement. The large audience rose upon request 

 of the President, to express by their votes in this manner their endorsement of 

 Mr. Reynold's jDroposition. 



The President then declared the Institute closed. 



LANSING INSTITUTE. 



The Farmers' Institute at Lansing was held on Wednesday and Thursday, 

 January 31st and February 1st. The attendance of farmers from the surround- 

 ing country Avas not as large as might have been. In this respect the Institute 

 compares unfavorably with the others, while the addresses and discussions were 

 excellent and exceedingly valuable to all who were in attendance. 



The Institute was presided over by R. E. Trowbridge, of Bath, and W. A. 

 Rowe, of Mason, was chosen Secretary, .^lessrs. Franklin Wells, of Constan- 

 tine, M. J. Gard, of Cassopolis, H. G, Wells, of Kalamazoo, and A. S. Dyck- 

 man, of South Haven, members of the State Board, were present. 



The exercises were opened with prayer by Rev. R. G. Baird, of the Agricul- 

 tural College. Mr. Trowbridge then delivered the following 



ADDRESS OF WELCOME. 



I have been placed on the programme to deliver the address of welcome. We 

 all have a right and an interest in welcoming each other. We have come 

 together for consultation and to discuss the subjects in which we are interested, 

 and from which we expect to derive mutual benefit. 



Agriculture may be Avithout assumption called the most necessary and most 

 important pursuit in which men arp engaged. Its fruits and profits include 

 both food and clothing, so that it is not a matter of interest merely to those 

 engaged in it, but the whole world is interested. On the success and prosperity 

 of the agriculture of the country depend the prosperity of all other callings, so 

 that the discussion of anything which has the effect to educate and advance 

 that calling must advance the interests of all the people. 



We are living in the last quarter of the 19tli century, and in tliis century 

 greater imj)rovenients have been made in all the arts and sciences than in all 

 jireceding centuries. We, who are advanced in years, in looking back on the 

 methods of agriculture in our early days, see at once that it would be impossible 



