610 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



to the advance in price. Suppose it to Iiave been one or two million bushels, leav- 

 ing, say eleven million or twelve million bushels that would oomniand the advance 

 of eighteen cents per bushel, a net increase of |2,000,000 in round numbers to the 

 profits of our farmers. I do not forget that the price would eventuall}^ liave been 

 advanced by the dealers, but you will agree with me that sucli would not have been 

 the case until after they had purchased and got possession of ever.y bushel of the 

 crop possible. Then they would have advanced the price and pocketed the profits. 

 If you think my estimate too higli, suppose that no more than one-half of tlie eleven 

 or twelve million bushels would have gone into the hands of tlie dealers before they 

 would have advanced the price, which is certainlj^ a very low estimate, we still have 

 left a full million dollars to the credit of the monthly reports. 



In 1SS2 the countr}' was again favored with a bountiful wheat harvest. In a year 

 like that it is the province of the monthly reports to prevent the wild and exagger- 

 ated estimates that are sure to be made and to obtain credence in the absence of 

 trustworthy information. In this the State reports were successful. Few estimates 

 of the 1882 wheat crop of Michigan came under mj'' notice, other tlian those prepared 

 by the Secretary of State. These reports seem already to command the respect and 

 confidence of the public, and no cftbrt is made to controvert them. In 1882 the 

 department was not favored with any visits of persons sent out by grain dealer , to 

 estimate the crops, like the one mentioned in the first part of this paper as having 

 been made in 1881. As usual, however, there were exaggerated estimates of the 

 wheat crop of those States in which no reports are issued. This was particularly 

 true of the Kansas and Pacific coast crops. Of the latter the exaggeration was so 

 great that even the department at Washington, generally quite conservative in its 

 criticisms, called attention to it. 



I have now given you a very brief statement of the establishment of the State crop 

 reporting systems, the purposes for which they were establislied, and the results 

 accomplished. What of it all would I especially request that you remember! 



First, That the grain dealers will liave approximately accurate crop estimates 

 whether crop reports are published by the different States or not; 



Second, No other class can obtain such estimates except they be furnished by the 

 authority and at the expense of the States; 



Third, That the State crop reports have already saved to the farmers of the coun- 

 try an amount that can be expressed only in millions, and to the farmers of tliis State 

 in 1881 alone, at least a full million dollars. 



Though you may forget all else in this paper, 1 hope that you will not fail to 

 remember these three facts. 



After the reading of Mr. Hewett's p;iper, the discussioti of special topics 

 was continued, and the following resolution presented by Mr. Hammond was 

 unanimously adopted : 



That it is the sense of this convention: ''That all booths, beverages, gaming 

 devices, tent shows, and side enterprises of an immoral or intemperance 'character be 

 excluded from the fair grounds of every society in the State." 



It was resolved that the next meeting of the association be held at the city of 

 Lansing, capitol building, the last Wednesday in January, 1884, at 7:30 P. M. 



On motion of Mr. Sherwood, a vote of thanks was extended to President 

 Ball and Secretary Little for their able addresses, wliicli were solicited for pub- 

 lication, and for their successful management of this convention. 



The following officers of the association were then chosen for the ensuing 

 year : 



OFFICERS. 



President, Ben. B. Baker, Lansing; Vice-President, 11. C. Sherwood, Watervleit; 

 Secretary and Treasurer, Frank Little, Kalamazoo. 



EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. 



A. C. Gliddi??, Paw Paw; C. M. Fellows, Manchester; D. H. English, Saranac. 



