FLINT INSTITUTE. 357 



I am asked to respond for the Board of Agriculture of the State of 

 Michigan. 



Many people can often speak the most intelligently concerning the things 

 they least understand, which may account for my being here. I am not a 

 farmer — beyond a few years' experience, when as a barefooted boy I stubbed 

 my chapped toes over a rough New England farm, where, according to the 

 rhyme of one of her ancient poets : 



"The Almighty from His boundless store, 

 Piled rocks on rocks— but did no more." 



* * * did not a thing more, except to sprinkle a little loam into the 

 crevices * * * ( you see He had but little soil left for that land 

 of ice and granite, after He had supplied the boundless west). I know but 

 little about farming. I know little of agriculture, either as a practice or a 

 science. I know almost as little of it as my professional brother who 

 buys that expensive plaything, called a farm, and then turns the income 

 from his profession upon it, and finally succeeds in coaxing a spindling crop 

 from the reluctant sod. 



But when we turn to the statute, where the lawyer sometimes looks for 

 his information, we learn that the State Board of Agriculture shall consist 

 of six members besides the Governor of the State and the President of the 

 Agricultural College. And I am happy to inform you that his excellency, the 

 Governor is well, and is doing excellently well. And the worthy President 

 of this College is also in good health, and will be here and edify you before 

 you shall adjourn. But while I cannot talk intelligently upen farming, I can, 

 in common with the ordinary citizen of Michigan, say a word in just praise of 

 this institution, from which for the last thirty years there has flowed a stream 

 of valuable information that has benefited the State, the nation and the 

 world, and it has also raised and sent forth a crop of well equipped young 

 men that adorn every calling, profession and station in life. 



I have lately seen a catalogue of the names of men who have gone out 

 from that institution from which I shall take the liberty of quoting a few 

 facts. 



Of the 42 Experiment Stations for the advancement of Agricultural 

 Science established last year by act of Congress in the various States of this 

 Union, seven, or one-sixth of the whole number, are presided over by men 

 from this Michigan Agricultural College. 



The Agricultural Colleges of three other States have for their Presidents 

 men from the Michigan Agricultural College, and in nineteen States they 

 have obtained men for their faculties from among the graduates of the 

 Michigan Agricultural College. 



Such a record for an institution not yet 32 years old is one of which any 

 college in the world may well be proud. I know of no better harvest than 

 such a crop of graduates, unless indeed it be a crop of fair and intelligent 

 daughters, fit to accompany them. 



I am sure the members of the State Board of Agriculture are glad to 

 enjoy the hospitality of the dwellers in our pleasant city, and I know that 

 our citizens are most happy to have this Board with us. 



