CHAPTER XVII. 



THE NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL CONGRESS OF 



1872. 



REVIVAL OF CLUBS AT THE SOUTH. 



Soon after the close of the late war, the more far-seeing 

 citizens of the South began to consider seriously the im 

 portance of organizing for the promotion of agriculture in 

 that fertile section. They recognized the fact that the pro 

 duce of the land is the basis of all national wealth, and 

 they felt this to be especially true of their portion of the 

 country, for the reason that it had always been essentially 

 an agricultural region; and they noted with sadness that, 

 during the war, its agriculture had languished, and its 

 manufactures had been entirely broken up. 



Societies for the advancement of agriculture and its kin 

 dred interests consequently sprang up and flourished, and 

 eventually a general association was formed, which assumed 

 the name of the &quot; Agricultural Congress.&quot; At the second 

 session of this body, held at Selma, Alabama, in December, 

 1871, the importance of the undertaking was generally rec 

 ognized. It was essentially a Southern institution, and 

 composed of Southern men. Its officers were as follows : 

 President, Dr. R. J. Spurr, of Kentucky : Vice-Presidents 

 Hon. Reuben Gentry, of the same State ; General William 

 J. Hardee, of Alabama ; Major R. R. Hurt, of Tennessee ; 



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