m 



Bllsworth County, Kansas. — Thousands of Texas cattle, diiven into the county, have 

 died. 



Bipley County, Kansas. — Number of all kinds of stock increased, and prices decreased. 



Nemaha County, JVefimsZca.— Sheep husbandry stimulated by advance in wool. 



Seivard County, Nehraslca. — Large increase in numbers of stock on account of immi- 

 gration. 



Webster County, Kehrasl-a. — Heavy losses among Texas cattle. 



Washington County, Nebraska. — Oxen going out of use ; cows and stock cattle increas- 

 ing. 



NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION. 



The following call was issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture for 

 a meeting of the rei)resentatives of scientific and practical agriculture 

 of all sections of the country: 



DePARTMKNT op AOrvICULTURE, 



Washington, D. C, December 20, 1871. 



Sir : By the act of the 2d July, 1862, Congress donated to the several States a por- 

 tion of public lands, in the ratio of their population, for the purpose of establishing 

 agricultural colleges, thereby evincing a purpose to promote that great interest, through 

 the instrnmentality of the respective States. Many colleges have been, and doubtless 

 many more will be, established. State agricultural and horticultural societies and 

 boards of agriculture have also been established by law in many States. A correspond- 

 ence and consultation between friends of these interests have led to the conclusion that 

 a conveution of delegates representing them, for the purpose of conferring upon sub- 

 jects of mutual interest, would promote the good of all. It has been suggested that I 

 take the responsibility of initiating such a meeting. I therefore propose that each agri- 

 cultural college. State agricultural society, State horticultural society, and State board 

 of agriculture, depute two delegates to meet in convention at the city of Washington, 

 on Thursday, the 15th of February next, to take such action regarding the interests of 

 agriculture as they shall deem expedient. 

 I am, very respectfully, 



FREDERICK WATTS, 



Commissioner. 



Eesponding to this call, delegates from agricultural colleges and State 

 societies, agricultural and horticultural, met in convention in the library 

 hall of the Department of Agriculture, on the morning of the loth 

 instant. Several district and county societies, and at least one town 

 club, presented delegates, all of whom were ultimately received as 

 members of the convention. 



The Commissioner, in a brief opening address, welcomed the delegates, 

 referred to the college laud grant of 1802 as an earnest of the disposition 

 of Congress to assist in promoting the interests of agriculture, and asked 

 the co-operation of the bodies represented in the convention, in the work 

 of the Department of Agriculture. 



Professor J. B. Bowman, regent of Kentucky University, was made 

 temporary chairman. A committee on organization, consisting of thirty- 

 four members, was appointed, and the permanent officers of the conven- 

 tion were elected, as follows : 



President. — Dr. George B. Loring, of Massachusetts. 



Vice-Presidents. — Alabama, S. (3-. Keid; Arkansas, Thomas Smith; 

 Connecticut; E. H. Hyde ; Georgia, Hubert Fielder ; Delaware, W. H. 

 Purneil ; Illinois, J. O. Cunningham ; Indiana, Thomas Dowling ; Iowa, 

 E. E. Shanklaud ; Kansas, Joseph Denison ; Kentucky, J. B. Bowman ; 

 Maine, S. L. Goodale; Maryland, A. B. Davis; Massachusetts, W. S. 

 Clark ; Michigan, T. C. Abbott ; Minnesota, W. S. King ; i^ebraska, D. 

 H. Wheeler ; ISew Hampshire, ]N"att Head ; IS^ew Jersey, George F. 

 Cook; JS'^ew York, Ezra Cornell; l-forth Carolina, N.W. Woodttn ; Ohio, 



