SOLON ROBINSON, 1838 91 



which indicate to my mind, that "something can be done." 

 Organization is all that is lacking. That "must be done," 

 and then the last affirmative in the proposition is sure 

 to follow. For if all the friends to agricultural improve- 

 ment are once united, "something will be done, to ele- 

 vate the character and standing of the cultivators of the 

 American soil." There is a charm in the very name of 

 "The American Society of Agriculture," which is suffi- 

 cient to enlist thousands. Something so ennobling in 

 the thought of being known to be one of the members of 

 such a union of all the most eminent agriculturists in the 

 whole country, moved and actuated by one impulse, and 

 mutually interchanging their views, experiments, im- 

 provements, and newly acquired information. 



What an immense influence would this have upon the 

 whole country. Look at the influence upon mechanics of 

 the American Institute. 1 Greater still would be the in- 

 fluence of such a union of agriculturists. Look at the 

 influence of agricultural schools and pattern farms. This 

 would be one great agricultural school upon a thousand 

 pattern farms, the annual exhibitions from which would 

 do wonders towards inciting others to go and do likewise. 



We cannot look to legislative action, for that encour- 

 agement and protection which the agricultural interest 

 is entitled to, until the tone of public feeling is further 

 awakened to the importance of the subject, by the imme- 

 diate action of the cultivators themselves, and until the 

 subject can be made popular, and then it will lack no 

 assistance. 



Can any plan be devised that will have a greater ten- 

 dency to create that popularity than the formation of 

 the "American Society of Agriculture?" If so, let it be 

 done. I enrol myself one of its friends and supporters. 

 But the time is fully come that "something can be done," 

 and I shall lay my grey hairs sorrowing in the grave, if 

 the whole country does not respond, "something must, 



1 See post, 526 n-27 n. 



