90 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



influence of their names and form a nucleus, around 

 which to form this great national bond of union and 

 usefulness. 



And if nothing else can be done, you can publish this 

 communication, with an earnest request, that every pa- 

 tron of the Cultivator would say to himself, something 

 can, something must, something shall be done, to raise 

 the character and standing of the whole agricultural 

 community, and I will begin in my own family. I will 

 teach my children that no other occupation is so profit- 

 able, so honorable, or so "genteel," as that of a farmer. 



I do not often write so lengthy, but the manner in 

 which you have honored my several communications, has 

 led me to hope that I may still be useful, and I humbly 

 hope withal, interesting to some of my agricultural 

 friends. 



I remain, most respectfully, your friend, 



Solon Robinson. 1 



National Agricultural Association. 



[Albany Cultivator, 5:109; Aug., 1838] 



Lake C. H. la. June 19, 1838. 

 J. Buel, Esq. — Dear Sir — I cannot but feel a proper 

 degree of pride to perceive what universal approbation, 

 my proposition for an "American Society of Agriculture" 

 meets with. Not pride for myself, because I happened 

 to be the first to make the proposition ; but pride for my 

 country, to perceive that there is so much of the true 

 spirit yet alive in the land. I have received several let- 

 ters and papers containing notices of the proposition, 



1 The Conductor of the Cultivator remarked: "Mr. Robinson's 

 proposition meets our hearty approbation; and should it be favor- 

 ably responded to by our cotemporaries who conduct agricultural 

 journals, and whose opinions upon the subject we respectfully 

 solicit, — we shall give it our cordial support, — and devise some 

 means, if others do not do it, to organize an association, 'TO ele- 

 vate THE CHARACTER AND STANDING OF THE CULTIVATORS OF THE 



American soil'." 



