257 



lisle. For many years lie bad been a former as well as a lawyer, and 

 bad becoDie kiiown as one wbo believed in tbe application of science to 

 the tilling of tbe soil. In 1858 be abandoned entirely the practice of law, 

 and since then has been exclnsively a farmer. During tbe last few years 

 be has resided on bis farui, giving to idl tbe details of its management 

 bis personal attention. He is also the owner of anotber farm, wbicb 

 be manages through a tenant. 



Judge Watts's prominence as a fjxrmer led to bis election, in 185G, as 

 tbe first i)resident of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Society, wbicb 

 oftice he held nntil 18GU, when he declined a reelection. He was 

 elected the first ])resident of the board of trustees of tbe Agricultural 

 College of Pennsylvania, a position which be stiil holds. He has never 

 been prominent as a politician, although entertaining at all times posi- 

 tive views of public policy, and has never been a candidate for either 

 congressional or legislative honors. He was not an applicant for tbe 

 distingnished position to which he has just been appointed, and its 

 duties and resi)onsibiIities have been accepted with reluctance. 



Judge Watts is a practical and scientific farmer. He has devoted 

 bis life to tlie practice of progressive methods of diversified agricul 

 ture, and has always manifested a deep interest and genuine enthusiasm 

 in the advancement of the farmer's calling. In bis new office be may be 

 expected to give to all tlie agricultural interests of tbe country tbe same 

 intelligent and industrious attention he has bestowed upon the varied 

 operations of bis own larm and the agriculture of Pennsylvania. 



SKETCH OF THE DEPAHTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The census establishes tbe fact that one-balf tbe population of tbe 

 United States is either directly engaged in agricultural pursuits or 

 wholly dependent upon them for support, while no census is required to 

 prove that tbe whole country is mainly indebted for its prosperity to 

 the quiet labors of tbe independent farmer. Our commerce and manu- 

 factures are of vast importance, but they are of secondary interest wbefi 

 compared with our stake in agriculture. Unlike some of tbe nations of 

 Euiope that do not produce food enougb to supply the necessary wants 

 of their people, poorly as some of them are always fed, tbe United 

 States annually produces more food than her peoi)le can consume or 

 waste. We are large exporters of meats and breadstutfs and of other 

 agricultural productions. We are distinctively and preeminently a 

 nation of farmers, and sucb we shall undoubtedly remain. The temper- 

 ate and stimulating climate of our country, tbe variety of soil and range 

 of latitude and elevation, the rural tastes of our people, and tbe vast 

 domain yet open to homestead occupancy, combine to assure a continu- 

 ance of the interest heretofore manifested in agricultural pursuits. It 

 is somewhat strange, therefore, in view of all these facts, that so niucb 

 attention has been bestowed from tbe foundation of tbe Government 

 upon the encouragement of commerce and manufactures and so little 

 upon the encouragement and improvement of agriculture ; stranger 

 still, that any professedly patriotic citizen should ever bave given 

 utterance to the sentiment that " agriculture can take care of itself." 

 Not only has the attention of politicians and statesmen been diverted 

 from this chief of all the industries, but farmers themselves have been 

 slow to i^ress their claims to more favorable recognition. It is true that 

 Washington, and the presidents wbo immediately succeeded him, urged 

 the im[)ortaiice and propriety of placing agriculture under the direct 

 fostering care of the Governm^ent, and that the subject was considered 



