400 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OP AGRICULTURE. 



importance. As a fruit State Bbe is attracting attention from all tMrections. Her 

 cereals and grasses and dairy products are of great value. Tliese all demand the fos- 

 tering care of a State society. Each should hare a iilacc, and be given the considera- 

 tion ■which is its due. Let the people of Michigan understand this to be the policy 

 of the society, and let them prepare to receive our State fairs. I do not believe it to be 

 a sound financial policy for this society to own a rod of ground or a stick of timber. 

 Let the local organizations ov/n and prepare the necessary grounds and buildings. Let 

 Lansing, Jackson, Detroit, Kalamazoo, East Saginaw, Adrian, and Grand Rapids own 

 eufiQcient grounds and buildings to accommodate a State fair. The State Agi'icultural 

 Society ought not to be obliged to expend one cent for such grounds and buildings. 

 With such accommodations these places will always be sure, with wise management, 

 to secure good county exhibitions; and with such accommodations ready for it, the 

 State society should move from place to place, dispensing its benefits all around the 

 State. This policy, a few years ago, might not have been convenient or possible. The 

 extension of our railroad system now makes it possible. Lansing to-day is a railroad 

 center. So are Jackson, East Saginaw, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Adrian. Detroit 

 is acknowledged to be the commercial emporium of the State, and for one I delight iD 

 commend her great progress in population and wealth. To hold a State fair it is nec- 

 essary to have railroad facilities for the transportation of passengers and stock, hotels 

 for the accommodation of visitors, and a people who will strive to provide necessary 

 accommodations at reasonable prices. These guaranteed, I believe it the best policy 

 to hold the fairs of the State society in difiereut localities of the State — north, south, 

 central, east, and west. 



The State fair for 1873, held at Grand llapids, was reported as success- 

 ful iu every respect. The uet earniugs for the jear aggregated 614,567. 



Report for 1874. — This report contains addresses and original papers 

 of vital interest to the farmers and fruit-growers of ]Michigan. 



The Board at its annual meeting, September 17, 1874, elected the fol- 

 lowing executive officers : E. 0. Humphrey, president 5 F. C. Kimball, 

 secretary; A. J. Dean, treasurer. 



An address by Prof. 11. C. Kedzie before the house of representa- 

 tives, ou " The application of chemistry to practical agriculture and the 

 laws of health," is published iu this report. He thus describes the du- 

 ties of an agricultural chemist : 



One duty often assigned to the agricultural chemist by those who know little either 

 of chemistry or agriculture is to " analyze the soil," as if the chemical analysis of the 

 soil would determine every question of its agricultural capabilities, the kind, amount, 

 and quality of the crops it would raise. In the early history of the science, analyses 

 of certain barren soils revealed the cause of the barrenness in the sulphate of iron pres- 

 ent. When this was removed or decomposed by lime, the soil was fruitful. A idw 

 instances of this kind gave great hopes of benefit from soil-analysis. But such instances 

 of barrenness from purely chemical causes are rare and exceptional. » * * But it 

 is often found that the most careful chemical analysis will not distinguish between 

 a fertile and a barren soil. One reason is that the barrenness may be due to physical 

 causes, e. (j., want of drainage. Ohcmical analysis can only determine the chemical 

 conditioDs of the soil, and will not always reveal physical eyils. Agricultural chemists 

 now regard the analysis of the soil as of only secondary importance. 



One duty of the chemist is to explain the facts which are already known in agri- 

 culture. By knowing the reason why we do a thing we may discover better Avays of 

 doing it, or that some other and easier process may accomplish the same result. Wo 

 thus sift our processes and eliminate needless elements or introduce better oues. 



But there is another benefit of knowing the reason of our actions. When the mind 

 comprehends and watches the wonderful chemical processes which are always going on 

 in earth, in air, and iu the growing crop, the body forgets half the weariness of toil. 

 Nothing is so wearisome as work without thought. It is mere drudgery, and every 

 man, .and especially every boy, hates it. Let the boy know that in handling the hoe, 

 holding the plow, in harrowing and cultivating, he is providing the conditions of won- 

 derful chemical changes. Let iiim understand those changes, the chemistry of plant- 

 growth, of ripening of grains and fruits, why the bitter and austere apple of July be- 

 comes the golden pippin of September. Let sucii thoughts fill his brain, acd the weari- 

 ness of the body is forgotten. Gloriiied and loving nature walks by his side in the 

 fields of toil, uilfoldiug her wonderful mysteries, and loneliness and discontent have fled. 



Again as to analyses of manures : 



The chemist may benefit the farmer by mailing analyses of manures and determining 

 their nature and value. Artificial manures are being largely introduced into this 



