246 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



be now sees the demon of debt gradually disappearing, and comfort 

 ;iiid prosperity abiding in his home. The Institute does this, or 

 that which the Institute brings to him entries him to do all this, 

 and its influence sends him forth to his work with higher aspira- 

 tions, nobler purposes, and a firm determination to succeed. 



The Institute causes him also to respect his calling. Too many 

 farmers have despised and hated their occupation instead of loving 

 and cherishing it. The Institute presents agriculture in its true 

 attire as one of the learned professions, noble, profitable and inde- 

 pendent. Causes him to appreciate its worth, and induces him to 

 commend it to his children, for a life pursuit. It is valuable to 

 him, because it brings him knowledge. A kind of knowledge that 

 he specially needs, that he can use and that he can get nowhere else. 

 Knowledge that emancipates him from fear, that releases him from 

 the helplessness that ignorance of his art has caused. He is no 

 longer a slave to a dull, uninteresting and unprofitable pursuit, but 

 he is a free man, wide awake, confident, able to cope with the world 

 and again to stand independent among men. 



THE INSTITUTE AND THE STATE. 



The Institute is also valuable to the State. The welfare and 

 perpetuity of the State, is directly dependent upon the intelligence 

 and prosperity of the farming population. This declaration is so 

 manifestly true as to need no proof. Every public man whose 

 opinion is worth quoting, and who has declared himself on the 

 question, has unqualifiedly endorsed this truth. 



The natural tendency of men is to fall into a rut or mechanical 

 routine. A man perhaps has carefully thought out a course of 

 action, has started successfully in life, and hopes, by continuing 

 the same methods which he has adopted, to continue to succeed. 

 Too frequently this over-confidence results in his ceasing to study 

 his occupation, and to keep informed as to the new methods, and 

 the new conditions which may arise and w 7 hich affect his business. 

 He forgets, that "eternal vigilance" is the price of success in agri- 

 culture, as well as in politics, and by neglecting this sound maxim 

 he gradually loses ground in the agricultural race. 



The Institute comes and w T akes this individual up, opens to him 

 new lines of thought, suggests improved methods in practice, warns 

 him against dangers, stimulates his intellectual faculties, and fills 

 him with ideas sufficient to occupy his waking hours. He puts some 

 of his thinking into his crops, some into stock, implements, fertili- 

 zers, family, country roads, rural schools and as his thinking devel- 

 ops into fruit, it is seen by others, and his example sets his neighbor 

 likewise at work. He becomes a factor in his local government.. 



